Specific content information

First semester

Module 1: Pig Specialist and Advisor

In this module, you will learn how to act as a consultant or an advisor in the pig farming sector. This includes communicating with farmers, gathering farm data, analysing this data and the formulation of advice with farmers’ objectives. You will write an advisory report and present this in an advisory meeting to an actual farmer. For a solid background in giving advice, you will gain knowledge on pig nutrition, pig genetics, pig health and current issues. 

In this module you will:

• Learn how to make an applied farm analysis and translate this into economic results
• Gain in-depth knowledge on nutrition, health, welfare, breeding, and feed management, and learn how to put this into practice
• Receive practical training on the job (understand, advise and optimize in practice)

Module 2: Entrepreneur

Decisions that farmers have to make are becoming more and more complex. That is why, in this module, you will learn the right competencies to develop ideas and calculate the economic effects of operational, tactical and strategic options that you have in mind for your farm or the farms belonging to your clients. In this module you will learn to develop new ideas, explore the possibilities for improvement of farm management and develop new ideas for farm development. There are classes in: farm economics, strategic management, marketing and sales, world agricultural policy, HRM and international pig production. And you will write an strategic advisory report and present this in an advisory meeting to the farmer.

In this module you will:

• Learn to understand markets and consumer demands
• Learn to deal with cultural differences and eating habits
• Learn about Human Resource Management in different circumstances

Competency management

At Aeres university of applied sciences (UAS) we do not only focus on practical and theoretical knowledge, but on personal growth as well. In this module, called APL4iL, we will reflect on your development and prepare you for your professional career.

Here you will learn about:

• Intercultural communication
• Personal development

Second semester

Module 1: Applied livestock research

Here you will learn how to:

• Prepare a research proposal
• Analyze data from pig farm research
• Translate research findings into practical recommendations 

Company placement

The company placement is in pig advisory, business, or applied research, or on a more complex pig farm. This placement will be in the Netherlands. In the past, students have been placed with feed companies, large-scale pig farms and specific international advisory organisations

Thesis

Students choose their own subject for the thesis report. Most of the time, this subject is related to the focus of their company placement. In their thesis reports, students demonstrate their ability to do applied research at a bachelor’s degree level.