College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Dairy Science

Overview

The purpose of the dairy science program is to offer students the opportunity to prepare themselves for a wide variety of careers by developing both their technical and interpersonal skills. Key factors in achieving this purpose are a challenging yet flexible curriculum that can be individualized to meet the educational needs and interests of each student, counseling to assist each student in designing individual programs, and extracurricular activities to enhance development of interpersonal skills.

Students may select from three curricula: production business management; science/biotechnology/pre-veterinary; and dual major. All options provide students with the opportunity to acquire a broad education in the sciences, social sciences, economics, mathematics, and communications while learning the basic principles of dairy science.

Dairy Enterprise Management Option

This is the most flexible curriculum, with at least 30 credits of electives. Suited to students with an interest in various fields of dairy production (herd manager, farm manager), allied agri-business industries (feed, artificial insemination, equipment), agricultural communications, public relations, extension, breed fieldperson, and a variety of other positions. Graduates in this option have also gone on to careers in college instruction, elementary school instruction, bank investment management, feed sales, and milk marketing, to name a few.

Biotechnology/Pre-Vet Option

This option is recommended for students who plan to continue into graduate or professional school or who plan a career in quality control, laboratory work, or research and product development. It provides an excellent base in chemistry, mathematics, physics, biology and biochemistry for advanced study in many areas.

Dual Emphasis Option

This option is recommended for students who plan to concentrate in more than one academic area as they prepare for future careers. A few of the popular minors and double majors that students may earn while completing their Dairy Science degree requirements include: Agricultural Economics, Animal and Poultry Sciences, Biology, Computer Sciences, and Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences.

Opportunities to Excel

Dairy science students may elect to dual major or minor in animal science, agricultural economics, or any of many other departments. Students are also encouraged to actively participate in extracurricular clubs and judging teams.

Active participation in research projects in lactation, genetics, nutrition, reproduction, and management provide qualified students valuable research experience with departmental scientists as well as part-time employment opportunities. These opportunities are available to students in all options and enhance their preparation for advanced study and provide a better understanding of the research process.

The dairy science honors program offers outstanding students the opportunity to enrich and broaden their academic programs. Honors students work closely with individual faculty members in choosing honors classes, colloquia, independent study, and research projects. Graduation "in honors" requires successful completion of university honors requirements, a comprehensive oral examination, and an honors thesis.

Graduate programs of study leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. also are offered (see Graduate Catalog).

Course Requirements

All curricula for the various options contain a core of courses to assist students in developing knowledge and ability in natural sciences (biology and chemistry), computational skills (math and computer science), writing and communication (English, communications, and seminars), as well as animal physiology and production, nutrition and genetics, farm finance, food science and dairy sciences. A list of courses specified for each option may be obtained upon request from the department. In the following listing, semester hour credits are shown at the right.

Dairy Science Major	credits
DASC 2474/Dairy Science & Industry	2
DASC 2484/Dairy Cattle Evaluation	*3
DASC 3274/Applied Dairy Nutrition	*3
DASC 4475-4476/Dairy Enterprise Mgt.	*6
DASC 4174/Applied Dairy Genetics	*3
DASC 4304/Applied Reproduction	*2
DASC 4074/Senior Seminar	3
DASC 4374/Physiology of Lactation	3
ALS 2304/Animal Phys. & Anatomy	4
ALS 3104/Animal Genetics**	4
ALS 3204/Animal Nutrition**	4
ALS 4304/Phys. of Reproduction**	4
Any Food Science Course	3
Total:	44

* Must complete two of these for the Biotechnology/Pre-vet Option.
** Must complete two of these for Dual Option or Dairy Enterprise Management Option.

Math & Natural Sciences
Chemistry	6-8
Mathematics	6
Biology	8
Microbiology	4
Total Credits:	24-26
Social Sciences & Humanities
Agric. Econ. or Economics	6
English	6
Humanities, Global, Aesthetics or U.S. History core	10
Total Credits:	22
Elective credits (minimum):	28-30
Total credits for graduation:	120

Requirements for Minor

The department offers a minor in DASC. Requirements include DASC 2474 (2 cr.), DASC 3474 (3 cr.), DASC 4374 (3 cr.), and DASC 4475 or DASC 4476 (3 cr.). Nine additional credits in DASC electives are also required.

Satisfactory Progress

After completion of 72 semester credits (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing and credit by examination, "satisfactory progress" will include the following:

• completion of 24 semester credit in any area of the University Core
• completion of 9 semester credits in required in-major courses

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (ALS)

1004: AGRICULTURE, THE ARTS AND SOCIETY
Introduction to the relationships among agriculture, society, and the arts, all of which are integral components of civilization. Pass/Fail only. (1H,1C) I, II.

1504: INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES
Concepts and issues important for early orientation of all students considering a career in agriculture and life sciences, and a review of state, national, and international agricultural issues will be covered in relation to majors in the College. (1H,1C) I.

1514: MICROCOMPUTERS IN AGRICULTURE
Microcomputer course designed primarily for agriculture students. Emphasis is put on learning the basic skills needed to solve agricultural problems with a microcomputer. Topics include: hardware, electronic spreadsheets, word processors, data base management systems, computer graphics, and communications. (1H,3L,2C) I,II.

2304: ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
Anatomy and physiology of domestic animals including cell, neural, musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, urinary, and endocrine systems. Pre: BIOL 1106. (3H,3L,4C) I,II.

2404 (BIOL 2404): BIOTECHNOLOGY IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY
Introduction to the world-wide impact of biotechnology and molecular biology, including applications to plants, animals, and microorganisms. Explores basic concepts of genetic engineering, scientific and ethical issues, and public concerns related to biotechnology. Topics include: environmental release of genetically engineering organisms, bioremediation, safety of genetically engineered food products, transgenic plants and animals, gene therapy, and genetic screening. Pre: BIOL 1005, BIOL 1006 or BIOL 1105, BIOL 1106, CHEM 1015, CHEM 1016. (3H,3C) II.

2504: ANIMALS IN SOCIETY
Overview of animal well-being and behavior, human-animal interactions, responsibilities to animals, animal care, behavior, disease and pain recognition and current topics concerning companion animals, domestic animals and wildlife. (2H,3L,3C) II.

2964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3104: ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS
Principles of genetics related to improvement of domestic farm animals. Molecular, cellular and physiological genetics, estimation of breeding values, selection, heritabilities, genetic correlations, relationships, in-breeding, heterosis, genetic abnormalities. Pre: BIOL 1106, MATH 1015. (4H,4C) I.

3134: LIVESTOCK AND THE ENVIRONMENT
This course addresses environmental issues associated with animal agriculture. Topics covered include nutrient contamination of water resources, odor emission from livestock farms, environmental regulations affecting animal agriculture, and management practices to reduce the environmental impact of farms. Students will visit area livestock farms implementing various nutrient management practices, and will develop nutrient management plans for case-study farms. This course is targeted to students intending careers in production agriculture, to provide them with understanding of management practices to reduce the impact of livestock farms on air and water quality. Junior standing required. Pre: BIOL 1005, BIOL 1006 or BIOL 1105, BIOL 1106. (2H,2C) II.

3204: ANIMAL NUTRITION AND FEEDING
Characteristics, sources, digestion, absorption, and metabolism of water, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Feedstuffs, diet formulation, and feeding systems for livestock and poultry. Pre: 2304, (CHEM 1016 or CHEM 1036). (4H,4C) I,II.

3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.

4304: PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
Physiological mechanisms that control and affect reproductive processes in domestic animals, birds, humans, and selected other species. Pre: 2304. (3H,3L,4C) I,II.

4404 (GEOG 4404) (NR 4404) (UAP 4404): APPROACHES TO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
An introduction to issues relating to international development. The course will focus on areas to help students better understand the interdependencies between countries and how institutions and organizations can foster effective working relationships on global projects of mutual interest between countries. (1H,1C) I.

4504: NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION
Designed primarily to train elementary and secondary teachers, supervisors, and administrators in natural resource conservation. A three-week course. Emphasis is placed on soils, water, geology, forestry, wildlife, and marine life. Available for graduate credit except to agronomy, forestry, and wildlife majors. (3H,3L,4C) III.

4524: FARMING SYSTEMS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Characteristics of extensive and intensive farming systems in developing countries. Comparison with U.S. small farming systems. Methods of multi-disciplinary team organization, informal team surveys, grouping farm households, and design and analysis of on-farm trials. Introduction of these methods into developing country and domestic research and extension systems. (3H,3C) I.

4554 (BIOL 4554): NEUROCHEMICAL REGULATION
Neurochemical transmission within the vertebrate brain will be examined. Emphasis will be placed on the chemical coding underlying the control of various behaviors and how these systems can be modified by various drugs or diet. Pre: (2304 or BIOL 3404), CHEM 2535. (3H,3C) II.

4574 (BIOL 4574): SOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF BIRDS AND MAMMALS
Animal behavior from the viewpoint of group organization during the life cycle of the organism. Emphasis is on adaptive mechanisms as they relate to the behavior-physiology-genetic interaction. Pre: BIOL 1106. (2H,2C) II.

4614: WATERSHED ASSESS, MGT, POLICY
Multidisciplinary perspectives of assessment, management and policy issues for protecting and improving watershed ecosystems. Topics include: monitoring and modeling approaches for assessment, risk-based watershed assessment geographic information systems for watershed analysis, decision support systems and computerized decision tools for watershed management, policy alternatives for watershed protection, urban watersheds, and current issues in watershed management. Pre: Two 4000 level courses in environmental/natural resource science, management, engineering, and/or policy in BSE, CEE, FOR, GEOL, LAR, CSES, ENT, BIO, GEOG, AAEC, UAP or equivalent. (2H, 2C). II. (2H,2C)

4964: FIELD STUDY/PRACTICUM
Variable credit course.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

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Undergraduate Course Descriptions (DASC)

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