AN 102 - Introduction to Diseases and Treatments

3 Credits
Outline Effective Date: Academic Year 2025/2026
Revised Date: Sep 2, 2025
Date Approved: Sep 2, 2025

Lecture Hours: 42 Lab Hours: 14

Course Description:
This course introduces the causes of disease in farm animals, including infectious disease transmission, clinical signs, and control. The fundamentals of immunology, vaccination, and general maintenance of health are emphasized. Basic pharmacological principles, drug administration, and selected pharmaceuticals are covered. Emphasis is placed on the correct handling and administration of drugs including drug safety and withdrawal times. This course is intended to provide students with current information regarding the recognition and prevention of common diseases of farm livestock with a major emphasis on cattle (beef and dairy) and lesser emphasis on sheep, horses and bison. Common farm animal diseases are examined including their initiating causes, clinical signs, treatment and prevention.

Rationale:
This is a required course for all majors in the Animal Science Technology program. The basic concepts of disease, disease agents, transmission, treatment, and control are fundamental to successfully managing a productive livestock operation. Utilizing livestock pharmaceuticals in the production of safe and wholesome food for our consumer public is a desirable goal for all livestock producers. Animal Science Technology graduates should be very familiar with health maintenance and prevention of disease in farm livestock.

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
A student who successfully completes the course will have reliably demonstrated the ability to

1.discuss rational drug use as related to food safety, consumer confidence and public health.

2.describe correct routes for drug administration and when to use each route.

3.describe how drugs travel in the body before elimination and changes in metabolism of drugs with regards to dosing.

4.differentiate common antibiotics and their use in farm animals.

5.describe common parasites in livestock and their treatments.

6.differentiate between the available drugs to treat gastrointestinal conditions.

7.describe the immune system and how a vaccine works.

8.differentiate the presenting signs and discuss treatment and prevention of the most common livestock diseases.

9.be competent with drug administration and health evaluation of cattle and sheep.

Required Resource Materials:
None

Optional Resource Materials:
Reference Text:

Blowey, R. W. (2016). The veterinary book for dairy farmers (4th ed.). 5M Publishing.

Conduct of Course:
This is a 42-hour lecture course and one hour of lab per week.

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports.

Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours will be required to withdraw and will automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade.).
An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

NOTE: Any exceptions to the above attendance policy (e.g. timetable conflicts, work-related issues) must be approved in writing by the Department Chair prior to the beginning of the course.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, exams or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:

Rational Drug Use
Drug Administration
Drug Distribution, Elimination and Dosing
Antibiotics
Antiparasitic Drugs
Steroids and Hormones
Gastrointestinal Drugs
Vaccines
Livestock Diseases
Competency-Based Labs

Course Assessments:

Laboratory	25%
Assignments, Projects, and Quizzes	25%
Midterm Exam	20%
Final Exam	30%
Total	100%

Official final grades will be available on My Lakeland. Grades posted in D2L should be considered interim grades.
“Lakeland College is committed to the highest academic standards. Students are expected to be familiar with Lakeland College policies and to abide by these policies. Violations of these policies are considered to be serious and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.”

Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course.

Letter	F	D	D+	C-	C	C+	B-	B	B+	A-	A	A+
Percent Range	0-49	50-52	53-56	57-59	60-64	65-69	70-74	75-79	80-84	85-89	90-94	95-100
Points	0.00	1.00	1.30	1.70	2.00	2.30	2.70	3.00	3.30	3.70	4.00	4.00

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.

Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this course outline is accurate at the time of publication. Lakeland College reserves the right to change courses if it becomes necessary so that course content remains relevant.

In such cases, the instructor will give students clear and timely notice of changes.

No part of this course outline may be reproduced in any form or resold without written permission from Lakeland College.

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