Animal Health, Breeding and Livestock Production

Specialisation in Animal Health, Breeding and Livestock Production

ENROL

Director: Professor Valentina Virginia Ebani

Deputy Director: Professor Maurizio Mazzei

Field: Animal Health
Area: Veterinary Medicine

Administrative Headquarters: Department of Veterinary Sciences

A specialist in Animal Health, Breeding, and Livestock Production must acquire both theoretical and practical knowledge in the management of farms and animal health. Specifically, they should gain expertise in housing, nutrition, reproduction, welfare, and ethology, as well as basic computer skills for economic and health management. Furthermore, they must deepen their understanding of diseases, diagnosis, and prevention, with particular attention to zoonotic risks, and possess knowledge of legal and economic aspects.

Admission

Pending the issuance of the decree allocating the resources provided by the 2025 Budget Law for the funding of scholarships for veterinary residents, the admission announcement for the school is suspended.

Admission is through a call for applications available on the University of Pisa website.
The number of available positions will be specified in the call.
The University website also provides procedures, forms, and past examination papers from previous years.

Maximum number of students per year: 10

Additional students allowed (subject to available capacity): 3

  1. Military veterinarians: 1
  2. Veterinarians with fixed-term contracts in the Tuscan Regional Health Service: 2

The functioning of the school is governed by its Regulations.
The School’s training program spans three years and includes both classroom-based and professional training activities, with mandatory attendance. The professional internship takes place at facilities accredited by the School.

Access requirements

The following requirements are mandatory for admission to the competitions; failure to meet them will result in exclusion.

  • A specialist or single-cycle master’s degree in Veterinary Medicine (class 47/S or LM-42), or a five-year degree under the previous system in Veterinary Medicine, and a license to practice as a veterinarian in Italy.
    If the license has not yet been obtained, it must be acquired by the date set for the start of academic activities.
  • Single-cycle Master’s degree qualifying for the profession of Veterinarian (class LM-42), introduced by Ministerial Decree no. 653 of 05-07-2022.
  • Foreign degree equivalent to the Italian academic qualification required for admission. For the evaluation of the degree, a legally recognized certificate and additional declarations specified in the admission announcement are required.

Educational Objectives

  • Recognition of the main infectious and parasitic diseases, with particular regard to those included in the Veterinary Police Regulations and in the OIE lists.
  • Notions of laboratory diagnosis of diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites in animals;
  • Knowledge of breeding and feeding technologies for livestock; knowledge of the aetiology and pathogenesis of animal diseases, with practical skills in the identification of macroscopic and microscopic morphopathological features.
  • Notions of veterinary drugs, toxic substances used in agro-livestock, residues in food and the protection of food safety and the environment;
  • Acquisition of the knowledge necessary to perform a clinical examination and to set up an appropriate treatment protocol also on the basis of instrumental and laboratory diagnostic knowledge;
  • In-depth knowledge of the medico-legal aspects of the veterinary profession in the field of animals, including the laws and regulations governing health and zoiatric care;
  • In-depth study of surgical and obstetrical techniques;
  • Knowledge of the epidemiological study of animal diseases.

Educational Offer

First year

MODULEACTIVITIESSCIENTIFIC-DISCIPLINARY SECTORECTS
Principles of Public and Administrative LawLIUS/09 – Institutions of Public Law2
Principles of Agricultural Economics and PolicyLAGR/01 (new sector AGRI-01/A) Rural Economics and Valuation3
Feed TechnologyLAGR/18 (new sector AGRI-09/B) Animal Nutrition and Feeding2
Nutrition and DieteticsL+TAGR/18 (new sector AGRI-09/B) Animal Nutrition and Feeding2
Applied Ethology and Animal WelfareL+PAAGR/19 (new sector AGRI-07/B) Specialised Animal Husbandry1+1
Livestock Farming Technologies and Milk QualityL+PAAGR/19 (new sector AGRI-07/B) Specialised Animal Husbandry1+1
Breeding technology and meat qualityLAGR/19 (new sector AGRI-07/B) Specialised Animal Husbandry2
Animal Housing Design and HygieneLAGR/10 (new sector AGRI-04/C) Rural Buildings and Agroforestry Land3
Development CooperationLAGR/01 (new sector AGRI-01/A) Rural Economics and Valuation3
Animal nutritionTAGR/18 (new sector AGRI-09/B) Animal Nutrition and Feeding10
Livestock Farming TechnologyTAGR/19 (new sector AGRI-07/B) Specialised Animal Husbandry9
Pharmacovigilance and ToxicologyTVET/07 (new sector MVET-04/A) Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology10
Animal Production Analysis LaboratoryTAGR/19 (new sector AGRI-09/C) Specialised Animal Husbandry2
Applied Microbiology for Animal ProductionTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals2
Toxicology LaboratoryTVET/07 (new sector MVET-04/A) Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology2
Elective ActivitiesTAGR/18 (new sector AGRI-09/B) Animal Nutrition and Feeding3

Legend:
L=Lectures
PA=Practical Activities
T=Internship

Second year

MODULEACTIVITIESSCIENTIFIC-DISCIPLINARY SECTORECTS
Reproductive HygieneL VET/10 (new sector MVET-05/B) Veterinary Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic2
Medical Pathology of LivestockLVET/08 (new sector MVET-04/B) Veterinary Medical Clinic2
Veterinary Pharmacology, Pharmacodynamics, and PharmacovigilanceLVET/07 (new sector MVET-04/A) Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology2
Veterinary ToxicologyL+TVET/07 (new sector MVET-04/A) Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology1+1
Veterinary HygieneL+TVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals1+1
Poultry Hygiene and TechnologyL+TVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals2+1
Pathology of Rabbits and Game AnimalsL+TVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals1+1
Tropical PathologyLVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals2
Veterinary EpidemiologyL+PAVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals2+1
Biosafety in Livestock FarmsTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals12
Farm HygieneTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals12
Serology LaboratoryTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals5
Virology LaboratoryTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals5
Bacteriology LaboratoryTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals5

Legend:
L=Lectures
PA=Practical Activities
T=Internship

Third year

MODULEACTIVITIESSCIENTIFIC-DISCIPLINARY SECTORECTS
Diagnostics of Infectious DiseasesL+T+PAVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals1+1+1
Pathology and Prevention of Major Bacterial DiseasesLVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals2
Pathology and Prevention of Major Viral DiseasesLVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals2
Animal Health Regulation and Livestock LegislationL+TVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals1+1
Pathology and Prevention of Major Parasitic DiseasesL+PAVET/06 (new sector MVET-03/B) Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases of Animals2+1
Pathology and Prevention of Major Fungal DiseasesLVET/06 (new sector MVET-03/B) Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases of Animals2
Auditing Techniques and Certification SystemsL+TVET/04 (new sector MVET-02/B) Inspection of Food of Animal Origin1+1
Risk Analysis in Primary ProductionL+PAVET/04 (new sector MVET-02/B) Inspection of Food of Animal Origin1+1

Prevention of Parasitic Diseases

TVET/06 (new sector MVET-03/B) Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases of Animals10
Prevention of Infectious DiseasesTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals10
Parasitology LaboratoryTVET/06 (new sector MVET-03/B) Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases3
Elective ActivitiesTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals12
Laboratory for the Analysis of Feed for LivestockTAGR/18 (new sector AGRI-09/B) Animal Nutrition and Feeding3*
Nutrition and Quality of Animal ProductsTAGR/18 (new sector AGRI-09/B) Animal Nutrition and Feeding3*
Veterinary Public HealthTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals12
Animal Health RegulationTVET/05 (new sector MVET-03/A) Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals12
Final Exam9

Legend:
L=Lectures
PA=Practical Activities
T=Internship

Career opportunities

The specialisation diploma provides access to professional opportunities in veterinary public health.

1) In the public sector, the specialist can access competitions in the areas provided for Veterinary Managers of the National Health System:

  • Local Health Authorities (ASL)
  • Experimental Zooprophylactic Institutes
  • Border Checkpoints
  • Ministry of Health

2) In the private sector, the Animal Health Specialist acquires knowledge and skills useful in the technical-health assistance and management of livestock production farms.

Class schedule

Teaching activities are generally concentrated in two days a week.

Timetable 2025/2026