Objectives and content
Compulsory programme
Active participation in the two weeks course Monday-Friday including presentation of own project.
The aim is to give students an overview of the carbohydrates in feeds in relation to nutrition and intestinal health of non-ruminant animals.
Learning outcomes and competences
After finalizing the course, the student:
1. Can categorize the different classes of carbohydrates and describe how they can be analyzed.
2. Can identify the carbohydrates present in different feedstuffs with special emphasis on grains and legumes.
3. Can describe the influence of processing on digestion and functional properties of carbohydrates.
4. Can differentiate between the type of carbohydrates digested by enzymes in the small intestine and fermented by microbes in the large intestine.
5. Can explain the hormonal regulation and metabolism of carbohydrates.
6. Can describe fundamental aspects of how carbohydrates may influence intestinal health.
Compulsory programme
Active participation in the two weeks course Monday-Friday including presentation of own project.
Course contents
The course will consist of theoretical lectures, laboratory work, and practical problem solving based on literature cases.
The course aims to answer the following questions:
· What do we actually mean by “carbohydrates” in animal nutrition and why is it so hard to define them consistently?
· How do different analytical methods shape what we think carbohydrates are?
· What determines whether a carbohydrate is actually digested and absorbed?
· How does processing change carbohydrates and can we measure those changes reliably?
· Why do fiber methods give different answers and which one should we trust?
· How much of carbohydrates are actually utilized by the animal and what limits that?
· Why do some carbohydrates dramatically affect gut function and energy utilization?
· How do carbohydrates shape the gut ecosystem and why does that matter for health?
· How can we link carbohydrate structure to real biological outcomes in practice?
· Can we predict animal responses to carbohydrates and what are we still missing?
Participants are expected to deliver 160 working hours divided between
· Course: 10 working days, including lectures and participant presentations.
· Preparation: Literature, own presentation.
· Brief written report including practical problem solving’s based on literature cases after finalizing the course.
This course targets PhD students and researchers within science, agricultural, veterinary and health sciences working with carbohydrates in relation to nutrition and intestinal health.
