AGRI11007 - Plant and Livestock Breeding Strategies

Showing: 2026 HE Term 2
General Information

Unit Synopsis

In this unit, you will be provided with a framework for the development and application of agricultural breeding strategies, and application of modern genetic selection tools. You will be introduced to a broad overview of genetic selection tools, whilst learning how to select, monitor and evaluate a breeding program. Finally, you will consider the ethical and social implications of genetic modification and how this might influence management decisions.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 1
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 1
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites There are no pre-requisites for the unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School Compulsory Residential School
View Unit Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2026

Term 1 - 2027 Profile
Bundaberg Emerald Mixed Mode Rockhampton

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Online Quiz(zes) 20%
2. Presentation and Written Assessment 50%
3. Portfolio 30%

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

Previous Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: SUTE data
Feedback:
 Connected content to real-world applications

Recommendation:
 Continue to include industry relevant speakers in the live tutorials to complement more theory based lectures.

Action Taken:
 Industry relevant speakers were invited to live tutorials.
Source: SUTE data
Feedback:
 Encouraged students to interact

Recommendation:
 Continue to encourage students to network within the cohort and with industry.

Action Taken:
 Students interacted with each other and with industry at the residential school. Live tutorials were also opportunities for interaction, particularly with industry.
Source: SUTE data
Feedback:
 Showed passion and enthusiasm for the discipline

Recommendation:
 Continue to provide relevance and opportunity to students for the discipline.

Action Taken:
 Weekly live tutorials were excellent opportunities to engage with students on a networking level as well as discipline level.
Source: SUTE data
Feedback:
 Make sure your feedback is clear and useable

Recommendation:
 Provide feedback that is obvious and relevant to the rubric and for future assessment.

Action Taken:
 More detailed feedback for Assessment 2 was provided to include mark breakdown and areas that required improvement.
Source: Student feedback from residential school.
Feedback:
 The residential school was really interesting and a great way to connect with other students

Recommendation:
 Continue offering research and industry relevant residential schools

Action Taken:
 The residential school offered field trips to farms and researcher engagement at both Belmont and CQIRP. Group activities allowed for greater connectivity of students.
Source: SUTE
Feedback:
 Visiting producers was highlight as we saw the real world application of the work we were doing.

Recommendation:
 Continue to include industry relevant speakers in the residential school as well as the live tutorials to complement more theory based lectures.

Action Taken:
 In Progress
Source: SUTE
Feedback:
 The res school in particular Thom, did a fantastic job of explaining EBVs.

Recommendation:
 Continue to include research relevant speakers in the residential school, live tutorials to complement more theory based lectures.

Action Taken:
 In Progress
Source: SUTE
Feedback:
 The introduction to genetics coding was a little disengaging at times

Recommendation:
 Continue to review and edit content and format of assessment, including residential school to provide an engaging, learning environment.

Action Taken:
 In Progress
Unit Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Select appropriate tools for a genetic improvement plan
  2. Develop a breeding program based on heritability and economic returns
  3. Monitor and evaluate a breeding program
  4. Critique the social and ethical implications of genetic modification.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Online Quiz(zes) • •
2 - Presentation and Written Assessment • •
3 - Portfolio • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication • • • •
2 - Problem Solving • •
3 - Critical Thinking • • • •
4 - Information Literacy • • •
5 - Team Work • •
6 - Information Technology Competence • • •
8 - Ethical practice •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10
2 - Presentation and Written Assessment • • • • •
3 - Portfolio • • • • • • •
1 - Online Quiz(zes) • •