Why I chose this programme

I wanted to study something related to production animals because of my background in poultry farming. While doing research into different universities, I came across this programme. What made me choose it was mainly the practical side, we visit different farms and companies that are active in the sector. Also, I’ve always had an interest in the business part of animal production, because I know that I don’t want to become a farmer myself, but I do want to work closely with them. The combination of business and animal-related courses made me choose this study programme, and I don’t regret it at all.

Study highlights and memorable experiences

For me, the most valuable moments were the advisory projects we did on real farms with real problems. These gave us the chance to apply all the knowledge we got from lectures, especially nutrition and health, which are the topics I’m most interested in. I remember during my third-year project, the farmer was actually happy with our advice and wanted to use it, that made us really proud as a group.

One experience that really stood out was in my second year, when we worked on an innovation project. At first I thought it would be easy, but I quickly realised it was more complicated than I expected. We had to come up with a new, realistic innovation that farmers would actually want to buy. It took a lot of brainstorming and idea development, but in the end we created a great sow-cleaning machine and even made a 3D model of it, which we presented at the business fair. This experience taught me that things might seem impossible at the beginning, but once you get started, it becomes manageable.

What the programme has brought me

This programme gave me a lot, starting with personal growth. Working in different situations helped me learn how to adapt and how to take initiative when things didn’t go as planned, especially in group projects. Also, the wide range of subjects we had helped me become more confident in the area I’m most interested in, which is dairy advisory. Subjects like nutrition, health and breeding, combined with the advisory projects, really helped me build my knowledge.

Right now I’m doing my thesis with Lely, working on a project about their automatic feed pusher. It’s a good combination of business and practical aspects of the industry. The programme prepared me for this by offering courses in marketing and finance, which helped me understand these topics better. The fact that this programme brings together both animal and business aspects makes my research at Lely match really well with what I’ve learned.

Advice for future students

If you're interested in animal production and also like the business side of things, and you enjoy a practical study, then this is the right programme for you. You’ll have a wide range of subjects, starting with the basics in the first year like biology, animal health, statistics, finance, and more. Later you’ll move on to more advanced topics such as animal nutrition, breeding and innovation. You’ll also apply what you learn in practical projects that deal with real problems. All of this will prepare you for different career options depending on your interests – whether that’s as an advisor, farm manager, marketing specialist, or something else.

Animal Husbandry Velp

Information about the Animal Husbandry programme in Velp can be found on the pages of the two programmes:

• Animals, Society and Business
• Equine Sports and Business