The Agrifood Training Partnership (AFTP) is offering vets and SQPs an opportunity to study ruminant nutrition at a leading agricultural university.

Harper Adams University, in Shropshire, will tutor the ‘Principles of Ruminant Nutrition’ as a continued professional development (CPD) course starting on November 25. It is one of four modules that together offer the opportunity to gain a valuable postgraduate certificate in ruminant nutrition.

The course has been endorsed by both Rumenco and the XL Vet Group who were part of the validation panel. The panel congratulated the course team for “creating a unique programme that offered progression opportunities and a flexible mode of study, which considered the needs of both students and employers.”

AFTP spokeswoman Deborah Kendale said: “The Postgraduate Certificate in Ruminant Nutrition’ has been developed from our existing ‘Diploma in Ruminant Nutrition’ and is designed for technical specialists in the feed industry and vets undertaking CPD.

“Over the last few years approximately 50 students, including SQPs, vets and farmers, have undertaken the programme, and we expect numbers to be high again this academic year.”

The ‘Principles of Ruminant Nutrition’ module is one of four that address ruminant nutrition and ruminant feeding systems. Feed ingredients, ruminant physiology and digestion, forage production, voluntary food intake and feed and forage analysis are the five content areas covered by the module.

The course will be taught at Harper Adams from November 25-29.