ANS 1203 ZOOLOGY AND ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
Lecturer:
Dr. Constantine Katongole: BSc.(Agric) - Makerere University; MSc. (Agric.) - Makerere University;
PhD – Makerere University
Course Type:
CORE for BSc. Agric. I
1. COURSE STRUCTURE
Course Credits (CU):
3 CU i.e. 45 Contact Hours i.e. 30 LH, 15 PH
Course Duration: 15 weeks (45 hours)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Defining the terms Zoology and Physiology; Characteristics of living things; Taxonomy; The Kingdom Animalia;
Taxonomy of phyla that cause financial losses to man and livestock; The cell as the foundation of the animal body;
The Blood tissue; The Muscle tissue; The Nervous tissue; The Connective tissue; Body fluid compartments; The
Reproductive system; The Endocrine system.
2. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The overall objective of this course is to equip the student with the knowledge about the system of classifying
animals, and animal life mechanisms so that the student is able to better appreciate animal life.
The specific objectives
By the end of this course, the students should be able to:
a) cite reasons why it is necessary to study zoology and animal physiology
b) explain the Linnaeus classification scheme
c) describe the life cycles of common economically important parasitic organisms of man and livestock
d) describe the general structure of an animal cell and functioning of the animal body
3. RECCOMENDED REFERENCES
a) Boolootian, Richard A. and Stiles, Karl A. 1981. College zoology. 10th Edition. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.
b) Frandson, R.D., and Spurgeon, T.L. 1992. Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, 5th Edition, Lea and
Febiger, Philadelphia.
c) Hill, Richard W. and Wyse, Gordon. 1989. Animal physiology. Harper Collins Publishers.
4. COURSE CONTENT, METHODS OF INSTRUCTION, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
TOPIC
CONTENT
1. Introduction to 
the terms Zoology
and Physiology

2. Characteristics of 
living things

3. Taxonomy

METHOD
OF TOOLS
/
INSTRUCTION / Time EQUIPMENT
allocated
NEEDED
Chalk/BB or Markers
Definition of the terms Zoology and Interactive lecture
1/2 hour
/ Flip charts
Physiology
Reasons why an agriculture student
needs to study zoology and animal
physiology
Interactive lecture
Chalk/BB or Markers
Definition of life
1/2
hour
/ Flip charts
Characteristics of life
Chalk/BB or Markers
Definition of the terms Taxonomy and Interactive lecture
2 hours
/ Flip charts
Species



4. Introduction to 
the
Kingdom 
Animalia









5. Phyla that cause 
financial losses to 
man and livestock










6. The Cell as the 
Foundation of the 
Animal body
Distinguishing characteristics/features
(Homology; Analogy; Symmetry;
Metarmerism; Cephalization; Polarity;
Body cavities)
History of scientific Taxonomy
Carolus Linnaeus
Major taxa of the Kingdom Animalia
Taxonomy of common farm mammals
(man, goat, sheep, cattle)
Characteristics of the Phylum
Chordata
Characteristics of the Sub-phylum
Vertebrata
Introduction to the Class Mammalia
Brief description of mammalian orders
Distinguishing
characteristics
of
mammals
Introduction to the Class Aves
Brief description of Aves orders
Distinguishing characteristics of birds
Taxonomy of common farm birds
(chicken, turkey and ducks)
Definition of parasitology
Helminths (Trematodes; Cestodes;
Nematodes) and their control
Taxonomy of common Trematodes
and their life cycle (Fasciola and
Schistosoma)
Taxonomy of common Cestodes and
their life cycle (Taenia)
Taxonomy of common Nematodes and
their life cycle (Haemonchus contortus
and Ascalis lumbricoides)
Ectoparasites
Ticks (One host, two host and three
host ticks)
Description of tick-borne diseases
(East Coast Fever, Red water, Heart
water and Gall sickness)
Description
of
Protozoans
(Sarcomastigophora, Sporozoa and
Ciliophora)
Life cycle of Trypanosomes
Life cycle of Malaria parasites
Human malaria control
Structural units of the animal body
General cell structure and function
(Plasma membrane; Nucleus; Nuclear
membrane; Cytoplasm; Endoplasmic
Interactive lecture
3 hours
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts
Interactive lecture
3 hours
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts
Handouts
Laboratory work on cycles
worms
and
tick
identification ( 6 hours)
Interactive lecture
3 hours
on
life
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts


7. The Blood tissue
8. The Muscle
tissue
9. The
tissue





















Nervous 





10. The connective 
tissue

11. Body fluid 
compartments


12.
The 
Reproductive

system

reticulum; The Golgi apparatus;
Mitochondria; Lysosomes)
Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells
Transport across plasma membranes
(Passive diffusion; Facilitated diffusion;
Active transport; Bulk transport)
Definition and Functions of blood
Plasma
Red blood cells
White blood cells
Platelets
Haemopoiesis (Erythropoiesis)
Anemia
Blood groups
Haemostasis and blood clotting
Anti-clotting mechanisms
Abnormalities of Haemostasis
Muscle types
Skeletal muscle
Muscle fibre
Muscle organization
The thick and thin filaments
Skeletal muscle contraction (Control;
Energetics)
Rigor mortis
Muscle fibre types
Smooth muscle
Cardiac muscle (Energetics)
Description of the nervous tissue
The central nervous system
The peripheral nervous system
The neurone (Myelinated and Nonmyelinated)
Synapse and neuromuscular junction
Reflex arc
Brief description of the constituents of
the connective tissue (Reticular
connective tissue; Adipose tissue;
Areolar connective tissue; Dense
connective tissue; Cartilage and bone)
The epithelial tissue
Extracellular
fluid
(ECF)
and
Intracellular fluid (ICF)
Ionic composition of the body fluids
Regulation of Na+ and K+
General introduction
Male reproductive system
Male secondary sex characteristics
Interactive lecture
3 hours
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts and
Handouts on blood
clotting factors
Interactive lecture
3 hours
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts
Handouts on microLaboratory work on structure of muscle
muscle
structure, fibres
organization
and
development ( 3 hours)
Interactive lecture
2 hours
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts
Interactive lecture
1 hour
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts
Interactive lecture
2 hours
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts
Interactive lecture
4 hours
Chalk/BB or Markers
/ Flip charts



13. The endocrine 
system





Erection,
Ejaculation
and
Spermatozoon
Female reproductive system
The human menstrual cycle vs. The
oestrus cycle
Endocrine and Exocrine glands
(Examples of each type)
Nervous vs. Endocrine control
The chemical nature of hormones
Mechanisms of hormone action
Hormone receptors
Gastrointestinal hormones
5. SUMMARY OF TIME NEEDED
Interactive lectures covering theory
Laboratory-based practicals
30 hrs
15 hrs
45 hrs
6. OVERALL COURSE EVALUATION
Continuous Assessment Tests
Laboratory Write-ups
Final examination
30%
10%
60%
Laboratory work on
describing reproductive
systems of goat and
swine ( 6 hours)
Interactive lecture
Chalk/BB or Markers
3 hours
/ Flip charts