Veterinary Public Health

Code

VETS3011

School

Veterinary Medicine and Science

Level

3

Credits

20

Semesters

April Full Year UK

Summary

This course:

• Integrates principles and concepts of population medicine, veterinary epidemiology, disease management and surveillance, including zoonotic, notifiable, reportable and transboundary diseases, within an understanding of the legislation and enforcement agencies.
• Describes the red meat food chains of beef, lamb and pork: farm, transport, ante mortem, slaughter and post mortem inspection, waste management and the scientific basis of legislative control.
• Describes the white meat food chain of poultry production: farm to slaughter, meat inspection and the scientific basis of legislative control.
• Explains public health issues relating to other food sources (eggs, fish, game and honey).
• Covers a working knowledge of food sciences, including food technology, preservation and processing, and environmental and economic issues in veterinary public health.
• Describes how to apply principles of risk analysis to veterinary public health.
• Describes how to use hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) in veterinary public health.
• Emphasizes the importance of animal health and welfare in the production of food for human consumption and slaughter practices.
• Describes the legislative framework around veterinary public health in the UK and the European Union.

Target Students

Students registered for the BVMedSci/BVMBVS programme only.

Classes

A mixture of lectures, practical sessions, seminars and self-directed study.

Assessment

• 50% Single Best Answer (1-hour): MCQ, EMQs, Hotspots, fill in the blanks.
• 50% Clinical Reasoning (2-hour): 5 x Clinical Reasoning papers.

Assessed by end of designated period

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

a. Knowledge and understanding:
At the end of this course the student should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The principles of food safety and assurance and how toxins and organisms may be introduced into the food supply chain and cause illness and intoxication.

• The relationship between microbial physiology and food preservation techniques.

• The role of producers, retailers and consumers in control of food-borne disease from meat and meat products; egg and egg products; the controls necessary and how they are applied and the importance of the microbiological status of the food ingredients.

• The process of hygienically converting live food producing animals to red and white meat taking note of welfare and the methods of slaughter.

• The public health issues relating to other food sources (eggs, fish, game and honey).

• The methods of humane slaughter, the safe use of devices and firearms legislation.

• The integration of the principles and concepts of population medicine and veterinary epidemiology, and the management and surveillance of diseases, including zoonotic, transboundary and notifiable diseases, and put into context an understanding of the legislation and enforcement agencies.

• The environmental and economic impacts of veterinary public health activities.

• The importance of verification, inspection and auditing along the food chain as part of longitudinal integrated food safety and assurance in veterinary public health.

• Zoonotic risks associated to companion animals.

b. Intellectual skills:
At the end of this course the student will be able to demonstrate:

• An understanding of the relationship between animal health and human health.

• The concept of HACCP analysis and the production of safe food from animals by applying the principles of risk assessment to all stages of production.

• An understanding of the role of quantitative microbiology in assessment of food safety.

c. Professional practical skills:
At the end of this course the student will be able to demonstrate:

• The ante and post-mortem inspection of food-producing animals and suitable actions taken if these are inappropriate.

• The inspection points and duties of meat inspectors.

• The general principles of design and construction of red and white meat plants, the disposal of by-products and waste and the handling and disposal of unfit meat and Specified Risk Material.

• The general principles of risk analysis with HACCP as the main system used in food-producing establishments

d. Transferable (key) skills:
At the end of this course the student will be able to demonstrate:

• Learning and study techniques which promote life-long learning.

• Ability to search for, select and use information for problem-solving and decision-making.

• Interpersonal skills and team-working ability.

• Multi-tasking ability, including time and resource management.

• Multi-tasking ability, including time and resource management.

• The ability to integrate information obtained in lectures and from private study in order to be able to solve simple problems.

Conveners

• Dr Robert Atterbury
• Dr Sudhakar Bhandare
• Mrs Amelia Garcia-Ara