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| Study Agricultural Marketing - Home Study Course
Develop your ability to market your produce. Learn about marketing plans, market analysis and other aspects of the farm marketing process. This course will help you to develop your ability to understand, analyse and manage marketing problems in an agricultural enterprise.
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 Good agriculture needs above all else, good soil. The quality of a soil can be judged in terms of both physical and chemical characteristics; and before you manage a soil you must first gain a sound understanding of the theoretical principles of soil chemistry and physics. This course provides that foundation as well as a familiarity with soil types in your region, and how to apply that understanding to achieve better outcomes on a farm.
Meet one of our Tutors:
Peter Douglas - Dip Animal Husbandry
Peter has over 45 years of experience in Agriculture and resources management. He is a former lecturer with the University of Queensland (Gatton), has managed his own properties and managered Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. He established and managed the wildlife park for Dreamworld, one of Australia's largest theme parks. Peter has both wide ranging experience in farming and wildlife management, and continues to apply that knowledge both through his work with ACS.
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 Online Training Course - Home Study Module
Learn about Animal Structure and Function. Develop a sound foundation knowledge of animal anatomy and physiology, as a basis to understanding care and/or management of animals in domesticated or wild situations. Topics include: cells, tissues, digestive system, cirulatory system, urinary system, respiration, reproduction, muscles, skeleton, endocrine system, growth, etc. This is the starting point for working with animals in any situation (farms, pets, zoos, wildlife, animal protection, etc.) |
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 Study Online - How to Control Animals
An understanding of animal behaviour is important in any situation where a person works with animals, from farmers to animal keepers at zoos, and from horse trainers to kennel owners. This is an excellent foundation course, and relevant to working with animals in any situation.
Graduate Comment
I found the course to be well written and explained. Any queries I had were answered quickly, and the staff to be very friendly and helpful. In all, the course has been invaluable. I am a little sad it is near the end as i have enjoyed the whole course.
S. Crosbie Ross |
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 Want to Breed Animals?
Plan and implement animal breeding programs using genetic theory, practical applications to daily husbandry practice, and management of animal breeding programs. This course includes a sound introduction to genetics. Relevant to any type of animal. Personal guidance from highly qualified and experienced animal scientists and practitioners. Topics covered include: introduction to genetics; selection; pure breeding; introduction to cross breeding; cross breeding and livestock improvement. using genetic theory, practical applications to daily husbandry practice, and management of animal breeding programs. Animal breeding can be anything from a serious hobby or part time business (eg. breeding and selling pets, or horses), through to a very serious and possibly highly sophisticated profession. This course provides an excellent starting point whatever level you plan to operate at. |
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Home study - online distance education  Evaluate feedstuffs and design production rations
Learn the composition of a range of feeds, including
pasture, fodder crops, grasses, cereals, seed, and other edible plants.
This course also explains the role of proteins, vitamins and minerals in
animal diets. It equips you with the skills required to evaluate
feeding and select appropriate feeds - for digestibility and nutritional
content - applicable to real life farming situation
Learn to manage food and nutrition for pets, farm animals or wildlife in zoos.
Comment from a student in this course:
“I think it is
absolutely brilliant. I have never come across such a friendly, helpful
staff and am so enjoying my course. I will definitely recommend ACS to
anybody who wants to study over the net.” T. Sadler
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Work in Animal Health Care, Veterinary Support or Animal Welfare.
Learn to care for the health of any type of animal (focus is on mammals and birds) and understand the scope of animal care services (eg. in a farm, zoo, veterinary practices, breeder, pet shop, wildlife reserve, etc).
Topics covered include: signs of ill health, symptoms, diagnosis, animal behaviour, first aid, safety, prevention, rehabilitation, euthenasia, desexing, veterinary services, aimal insurance, health administration, etc.
Student Comment: " I cannot praise the animal health care course highly enough. I have learned a great deal, far beyond my expectations" G. Kite
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Learn Fish Farming Online
Fresh Water Fish Farming is a growth industry and is likely to remain so for a long time into the future. Over the past 20 years aquaculture has grown into a very profitable business for large operations farming salmon and trout, and a few other selected species. The reason for this strong development has been the over exploitation of fisheries around the world resulting in lower numbers of catches in most of the classic fisheries (fishing grounds), coinciding with an increased demand for protein foods from fish and other water animals (crustaceans). According to the FAO report on global aquaculture (2006);
“Aquaculture, probably the fastest growing food-producing sector, now accounts for almost 50 percent of the world’s food fish and is perceived as having the greatest potential to meet the growing demand for aquatic food. Given the projected population growth over the next two decades, it is estimated that at least an additional 40 million tones of aquatic food will be required by 2030 to maintain the current per capita consumption”.
This timely course is primarily concerned with culture and care of fresh water fish and crayfish. Topics covered include production systems, water (e.g. source, purity, flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen), species (especially trout, barramundi and bass), stocking rates, spawning, checking stock, stripping, fertilization, hatching, growth stages, feeding, harvesting and more.
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 Learn to be a Farm Manager
- Open Learning Course -flexible, self paced
- Lots of options to specialize
- Start with a single module if you prefer, then transfer into this Associate Diploma after you are sure this is where you want to study
- Opportunity for personal mentoring from international experts based in both Australia and the UK -providing a unique international flavour to your education
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 Analyse and make decisions about the management requirements of beef cattle.
Beef cattle have a useful and necessary role in agricultural production. Beef provides protein and some minerals and vitamins which are necessary to human health and which balance other nutrients that are obtained from plant foods. Animal protein (meat) contains amino acids which are essential to the growth and development of humans. Beef cattle convert grass and roughage (which can't be eaten by humans) into high quality human food. Develop your abilities to analyse and make decisions about the management requirements of beef cattle.
The course is a comprehensive introduction to beef cattle production covering such things as Cattle Breeds; Beef Cattle Production Systems; Cattle Breeding; Diseases in Beef Cattle; Nutrition for Beef Cattle; Commercial Herd Management; Feed Lot Management; Stud Herd Management; Management, Economics and Marketing .
Student Comment:
"I find that I can apply my knowledge directly on the property. All assignments are relative to real life" C. Rowland Jones |
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detailed information and enrolment details]
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 Avoid costly lossesby learning correct calf management procedures
Select and raise calves for specific purposes such as: dairy replacement heifers, veal and stud breeding. Identify and deal with health and other problems that may occur along the way. On successful completion of this course you will be able to independently analyse and make decisions about the requirements of calves. Lessons cover: calving and culling; calving management; health management; rearing systems and calf housing; weaning and post weaning care.
“The subject is relevant to people in the dairy and veal industries or anyone who has to rear orphan calves” M. Cullen - Dip. LNR, A.D. Stock and Meat Inspection, B. Teaching, B. GS (Ling/Sci)
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 A flexible entry level qualification. The Certificate in Agriculture is a 600 hour course comprising 3 core modules and 3 electives. This certificate is a sound foundation for either a career or higher qualification. This course is accredited by the International Accreditation and Recognition Council.
On completing this course you may:
- Gain employment on a farm or in a related industry
- Use this as credit and a stepping stone toward an Associate Diploma or higher qualification through ACS or an affiliate college.
 Special Offer
Two reference books ("Farm Management" and "Profitable Farming") by our principal John Mason
(published by Kangaroo Press). A great supplement to this course.
Click here to order and save
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 Online Study Course
- For farmers wanting to explore alternatives
- For new Hobby Farmers
- For a foundation in the Agricultural Services Industry
This course provides a foundation for dealing with those changes, whether on your own farm, or in a broader sense. It allows you to develop skills and knowledge in alternative farming methods using materials which have a minimal impact on the environment. The compulsory modules cover sustainable methods of agriculture and organic farming (livestock, pasture, pest and disease management, soil management and crop nutrition). The elective modules cover a range of subjects specific to alternative farming including: aquaculture, herb production, hydroponics, and viticulture.
This course is relevant worldwide!
Accredited by International Accreditation and Recognition Council |
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Reduce your reliance on money, a secure job and a regular income
It can be a life changing and liberating experience to learn how to provide for your own needs and the needs of your family.
Self sufficiency is not an "all or nothing" proposition; and in reality, we will never be totally independent for one reason: it is in our nature to be social, and we all need to interact with other humans in order to be psychologically fulfilled. Many of the tutors in this course have however shown through their own lives that it is possible to grow your own food, produce your own energy and make many of the things you need in your day to day living.
When you study Self Sufficiency through ACS you are learning from people who are both academically trained (in things like farming) and who are applying aspects of self sufficiency to their own daily lives.
Why do this course?
•To become more self sufficient in your own life
•To help others become self sufficient, perhaps teaching or maybe by developing a "green" industry business. |
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 This is a practical foundation course for you if you want to learn about:
- Dairy breeds
- Managing anything from one cow to a large herd
- Dairy products (milk, cheese, cream butter etc)
- Dairy health and health management
- Dairy buildings and systems
The foundation course has been developed in collaboration with industry and by our team of experts (agricultural and animal scientists, veterinary surgeons etc). It is complements our course in Calf Rearing.
“A sound general course in Dairy cattle husbandry and management”M. Cullen - Dip. Landcare & Natural Resources, Assoc. Dip. SMI, B. Teaching - ACS Tutor
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 Study this course and gain a foundation that allows you to systematically investigate and determine health issues in animals.
Routine
disease investigations are based on clinical, pathological and
epidemiological evidence. If there is a need for conclusive
identification of a disease or condition, an accurate laboratory
diagnosis should be obtained. It is particularly important, especially
in the case of infectious diseases that the final diagnosis rests on
adequate aetiological evidence. In most cases disease investigations are
carried out by qualified government stock inspectors and/or
veterinarians. It helps for animal owners to understand and be able to
recognise diseases conditions that may affect their animals, so that
timely intervention can occur.
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 Foundation course in farm engineering
This course gives you the knowledge and develops your ability to independently manage the selection, operation and maintenance of tools and machinery used in professional gardening, agriculture and horticulture. |
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 IMPROVE YOUR ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE
This course complements Engineering I. It helps the student develop the understanding and skills required to apply appropriate and innovative engineering solutions, to improve efficiency and productivity in agricultural and horticultural situations. It covers topics such as surveying, earthworks, water management, environmental control (heating, cooling, ventilation etc), fencing, chemical applications, mechanisation of manual tasks, improving engineering efficiency/operations and developing engineering solutions to different workplace tasks/problems. |
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 Online course in Animal Health and Husbandry
A solid introduction to animal health, where you learn to assess animal health, explain a variety of conditions and identify appropriate treatments or responses to a range of more common complaints or illnesses. Specific topics include Signs & Symptoms of Diseases , Disease Classification, Causes of Disease, Inflammation, Fever and Immunity, Tissue Repair, Wounds and Cell changes (eg. death, cancers etc).
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 Learn online, to Increase Farm Efficiency
Farming is just as much about management as it is about animal or crop production. Unfortunately in today's world, the ability to produce a good animal or crop is no guarantee ofr success!
Through this course, learn to analyse, diagnose and make decisions related to management of a farm business. The course relates to managing all resources, including; production, staff, physical resources, and natural resources. You learn strategic planning, whole farm planning, and how to prepare a business plan.
This course was developed by a team of experts from Australia and the UK, under the leadership of John Mason, author of three Farm Management books (published by imprints of Simon & Schuster and CSIRO) |
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Introduction to horse care
Learn equine management for the daily requirements of a horse at grass, and how to handle horses using a range of different procedures Skills covered include: evaluation a horses conformation, understanding diet, grooming procedures, developing appropriate management procedures for a specific situation, and knowledge of commercial opportunities in the horse industry (including how to buy and sell horses). |
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| This course follows on from Horse Care I and, while it is relevant to horses at grass, it does focus more heavily upon care of the stabled horse. The course covers feeding, stabling, stable yard mangement, food care, bedding, tack and conditioning of the horse. This is designed as a stand-alone course and may be taken without Horse Care I as a pre-requisite. |
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 Learn to manage the health and well being of your horse
Manage the health and condition of horses in different situations. Learn to identify signs of poor condition and ill health, and address the problems appropriately. Understand the things that can stress a horse and increase susceptibility to problems. Learn how to manage situations to minimise risk factors. Also discuss: rugs, travelling to shows, showing, managing a horse event, and some issues involved in running a horse business.
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 Natural ideas for farming
Organic farming has been adopted by some farmers for economic reasons, others for ethical or sustainability concerns. Whatever the reason though for going organic, there is no doubt this method of farming is here to stay. Learn to manage both plant and animal production in a more natural and envioronmentally sensitive way. Develop a sound foundation for understanding how to set up an organic farm, or convert an existing farm to organic practices. |
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 Online study - pasture management
This is a suitable course for farmers, graziers, students of agriculture, seed producers, or farm supply company staff. Pastures are critical to farms; and with a sound understanding of pasture management it may be feasible to convert unprofitable farms into profitable enterprises. Whether a small or large property, this course provides a foundation for evaluating problems and generating solutions about the management of pasture for different purposes. |
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Learn to prepare plans for permaculture systems.
A "permaculture system" is unique landscape where plants and animals live balanced in a self sustaining ecosystem.
It commonly involves developing a garden or farm where the plants and animals are put together in such a way that they support each others growth and development. The garden or farm may change over years, but always remains productive, requires little input once established, and is environmentally sound.
Comment from a student:
Thank you for your support and help with this course. I have really enjoyed the assignments and I have learned a lot about the principles of permaculture. Ned -Permaculture Student |
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 Caring for pets - online study course
The perfect course for those wanting to learn how to better care for their pets, to assist in pet selection, or for those wanting to work with small animals. Covers the more common pets such as dogs, cats, fish and birds, as well as rodents, rabbits, reptiles and amphibians. Learn about pet selection, general husbandry, breeds, nutrition, housing, grooming, breeding, and health care with the guidance of professional tutors.
Ideal for people with little or no knowledge in this area, as well as being an ideal complement to further studies on animal behaviour, anatomy and physiology. An interesting and relevant course, recently updated and revised. |
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Pig management: for commercial production, self sufficiency or hobby
This course is relevant to all production systems Due to better breeding, stricter selection and scientific feeding the modern pig can produce good quality pork or bacon. The feeding system and age at slaughter will determine what the pig will produce. By studying this course you will learn about pig biology and production. You will cover topics such as: breeding and selection, feeding, diseases, boar management, managing the sow and litter, fattening pigs, record keeping and more. Follow the link for more detailed information on this course:
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 Study poultry online
Manage poultry on a small or large scale, for production of eggs, meat or young birds. This course covers all aspects of poultry care and management. Learn about: Terminology, Breeds , Nutrition, Diseases In Poultry, Layers, Broilers, Incubation, Brooding, Record Keeping, Economics & Marketing.
This is a very solid course appropriate for both for the amateur, or as a foundation study for anyone working in the poultry industry.
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 Learn online - protective environments for plants
Develop your broad understanding of practices and processes involved in successful plant cropping. It will develop a clear understanding of environmental control and plant growth within a protective environment, together with a practical knowledge of plant husbandry techniques. |
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 Learn to Farm Sheep, on a small scale, or large scale.
This valuable course aims to develop your ability to analyse and make decisions about sheep management. Dual purpose breeds can provide the farmer with two products - meat and wool. This spreads the farmers source of income should there be an overproduction one of the two products. Sheep can also be farmed for dairy and sheep cheese can be as popular as cows cheese in some parts of the world. Learn about: Breeds; Selection and Breeding; Nutrition of Sheep; Diseases of Sheep; General Management of a Commercial Flock; Care of the Lamb; Wool and the Marketing of Sheep and Sheep Products. |
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 Soil is the foundation for profitable farming.
There are many things that can be wrong with soil (e.g. poor nutrition, chemical imbalance, structural problems such as drainage, lack of microbial life etc). Often minor and relatively inexpensive treatments can make a huge difference to productivity, but the problems need to be identified first, and that requires a solid understanding of soil theory and management practice.
Learn about soil properties and requirements in agriculture, and how to apply that knowledge at a management level. |
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Established approaches to farming are changing. A modern farmer needs to be receptive to change to retain viability not only from a financial point of view, but environmentally. Develop your capacity to choose both what you farm and how you farm it, to have an improved long term viabilty. This course is relevant to any scale of farming, from small hobby farm to the largest enterprise.
Additional Reference Available:
Sustainable Agriculture 2nd edition by John Mason Principal of this school, published by Landlinks Press/CSIRO
John Mason examines and explains the concepts and long term benefits of sustainable farming systems such as permaculture, biodynamics, organic farming, agroforestry, conservation tillage and integrated hydroponics.
Click to order a copy
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