The course provides students with basic knowledge of the connection between plant secondary metabolites and their active roles in feed and food. It offers insights into active compounds in feed or their natural-identical equivalents and the resulting quality of animal-derived food, reporting practical examples.

Relevant quality traits of milk, meat and eggs a well as the influencing factors and the evaluation methods are taught in the form of lectures and laboratory training. Effects throughout the whole chain from production on farm via processing to the products ready for sale are covered, with special emphasis on economically relevant issues.

The course provides the scientific basis of the central aspects of reproduction and nutrition physiology of ruminants, and of the implications for animal health, product quality, and breeding programs. Means of knowledge transfer include interdisciplinary approaches, disciplinary parts, web-based learning and self-study.