Title: Identify environmental issues and regulations pertaining to the animal industry.
Course: Introduction to Animal Systems (18101) > Section: Exploring the Animal Industry

Identification should include

- waste management
- pasture and land management best practices
- manure management
- watershed land management best practices (e.g., regarding ammonia, nitrogen, phosphorus, organic matter, micronutrients, disease causing organisms)
- effects related to climate change
- air quality effects (e.g., methane, ammonia, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide)
- microbial breakdown of organic compounds and how it affects water quality and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
- water use (e.g., options for handling milking center and feedlot wastewater)
- antibiotics in the environment and antibiotic resistance
  - prescription
  - over-the-counter
  - water soluble
  - feed

- stray voltage
- invasive species risk assessment.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What are the waste management regulations in your area?
- What are the environmental concerns and implications of each type of contamination?
- What are bio aerosols? How do they become airborne? How do they cause human and animal diseases and microbial toxins?
- How does the anaerobic decomposition of manure during storage produce methane, a greenhouse gas?
- How can water use be reduced?
- What is the argument against antibiotic use in the animal industry?
- What regulations are instituted on local farms during drought?
- How should pastures with given livestock (e.g., cattle, sheep) be managed to mitigate environmental issues?