INTERNATIONAL MASTER IN ANIMAL NUTRITION

Current edition: 1st part: October 2025 – June 2026 / 2nd part: October 2026 – July 2027

Animal nutrition is an essential element of livestock production. It is estimated that the cost of feeds represents over 50 % of the total expenses of livestock production systems. Besides being a major economic cost, animal nutrition also has a direct impact on production performance, animal welfare, safety and quality of animal-derived products and the environment. Thus, it is important to count on experts able to develop nutrition and feeding programmes for a profitable and sustainable livestock production. Similarly, research on this topic is essential in order to find new methods to increase efficiency in livestock production systems. 

The main objective of this Master is to train experts able to assume technical responsibilities and to develop high-impact research in the field of animal nutrition and feeding. 

Specific objectives of this Master are to provide:

• an understanding of the scientific basis and fundamental mechanisms of modern animal nutrition;
• knowledge to characterize different feed categories and their nutritional composition and to implement feed safety control methods;
• criteria and skills to integrate different components of an animal nutrition programme in a variety of livestock species;
• experience for planning and developing experimental procedures to test innovative ingredients or feeding programmes;
• skills to manage and discriminate available scientific and technical information on nutrition-related topics;
• ability to communicate findings, reasoning and conclusions of research work through written reports and oral communication.

The Master is organized by the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (CIHEAM Zaragoza) of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) and the University of Zaragoza (UZ), with the collaboration of the Spanish Foundation for the Development of Animal Nutrition (FEDNA) and the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM).

Duration:

• First part (first academic year): October-June, 60 ECTS
• Second part (second academic year): 10 months, 60 ECTS

For further information on the syllabus and study guides please refer to the academic webpage of the Master and the web page of the University of Zaragoza.