Animal Management Concentration

Students who choose to follow a career in Animal Management will have a well-structured and strong curriculum that can make them highly competitive in the market place, preparing them for both large-scale and small-scale farming with domestic animals, that is, “backyard to industrial”. The ‘buy local’ movement is expected to increase available jobs in New England for those schooled in this field. The Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences offers a series of courses that formalize the curriculum and accessory courses are taken in ancillary departments to provide expertise in non-domesticated animal management (wildlife, zoo, exotics) or for a career in teaching agriculture.  Students have access to a number of animal species at our associated farms including a herd of Belted Galloway cattle, herds of Boer meat goats and Dorset sheep, as well as poultry and horses on which to learn management skills.  We also partner with a local dairy farm where students care for the dairy calves and learn management skills.  The Department also partners with a local business to offer a Service Dog Training course. The Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences emphasizes animal ethics of food animal production as well as the impact of farming techniques on the environment.

Suggested schedule of classes:

*  Note: Students need to have completed Math 104 or equivalent or have a score of 20 or better on part A of the Math placement test to enroll in Chemistry 111.
** Note: Students must complete NATSCI 387 - Writing in the Sciences during their Junior or Senior year.

In addition Animal Management students must complete I, II and III below.

I. Complete one laboratory course from this list
      ANIMLSCI 365 - Fundamentals in Veterinary and Biomedical Laboratory Techniques (Fall)
                               3 credits
      ANIMLSCI 385 - Introductory Biotechnology Lab (Spring) 4 credits
      ANIMLSCI 366 - Veterinary Microbiology (Spring) 2 credits
      ANIMLSCI 390E - Fundamental Vertebrate Embryology (Spring) 3 credits
      ANIMLSCI 390R - Canine Tumor Project 2 credits (Fall & Spring)
      BIOCHEM 421 - Elementary Biochemistry Lab (Fall) 2 credits

II. Complete 8 credits from the list below
     ANIMLSCI 231 - Dorset Sheep Management I  2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 251 - Dorset Sheep Management II  2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 232 - Belted Galloway Management I  2 credits
      ANIMLSCI 252 - Belted Galloway Management II  2 credits
      ANIMLSCI 233 - Boer Goat Management I 2 credits
      ANIMLSCI 253 - Boer Goat Management II  2 credits
      ANIMLSCI 234 - Poultry Management I  2 credits
      ANIMLSCI 254 - Poultry Management II  2 credits
      ANIMLSCI 236 - Equine Management I 2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 256 - Equine Management II 2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 297DC - Dairy Calf Management I  2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 297D - Dairy Calf Management II  2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 298V - Techniques in Veterinary Nursing  2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 455 - Research Animal Management I  4 credits
     ANIMLSCI 456 - Research Animal Management  II  4 credits

III. Complete 3 credits from the list below
     ANIMLSCI 297L - Livestock Classic  1 credit
     ANIMLSCI 297P - Livestock Classic  Management & Coaching  2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 297B - Artificial Insemination AI Certification (Spring Break) 1 credit
     ANIMLSCI 301 - Equine Learning and Behavior  3 credits
     ANIMLSCI 373 - Equine Diseases & Health Management  3 credits
     AMIMLSCI 398D - Service Dog Training  3 credits
     ANIMLSCI 398S - Equine Enterprise I  3 credits
     ANIMLSCI 401 - Management of the Equine Athlete  3 credits
     ANIMLSCI 432 - Advanced Nutrition  3 credits
     ANIMLSCI 445A - Equine Reproduction Lab  1 credit 
     ANIMLSCI 454 - Dairy Herd Management 4 credits with lab
     ANIMLSCI 497L - Winter Travelling Dairy (Winter Break) 1 credit
     ANIMLSCI 296T - Intro to Teaching in Animal Science 1-2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 396T - Intermediate Teaching in Animal Science 1-2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 496T - Advanced Teaching in Animal Science 1-2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 291C -  Biotech Research – Cellular and Molecular I  1 credit
     ANIMLSCI 291M - Biotech Research – Cellular and Molecular II  2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 391C - Biotech Research – Cellular and Molecular III  3 credits
     ANIMLSCI 391M - Biotech Research –AnimaI Models I  1 credit
     ANIMLSCI 491C - Biotech Research – AnimaI Models II  2 credits
     ANIMLSCI 491M - Biotech Research – AnimaI Models III  3 credits

These specialty courses emphasize the breadth of information needed for animal management which spans into areas such as food science, laboratory diagnostics, genetics and environmental impact of agriculture. Skills will include genetics techniques that allow farmers to make decisions about breeding to increase production or prevent diseases. Health skills will include understanding the principals of vaccination, administration of pharmaceuticals to treat infections by bacteria and parasites, testing for infection, principals related to reproduction such as semen analysis and storage and in vitro fertilization and cloning, nutritional analysis of feed from various sources and diet construction for various breeds. Students also have the opportunity to work in the laboratories of nationally and internationally recognized scientists who study problems related to agricultural animal health and reproduction in cows, goats, horses, pigs, poultry, and sheep.

FARMING - courses recommended for students interested in a career related to farming
       RESEC 103 - Microeconomics (3 credits) Spring semester
       STOCKSCH 105 or 106 Soil (3 credits), pre-requisite for STOCKSCH 350 - Spring semester
       STOCKSCH 201 - Equipment Operations (2 credits) - Spring semester
       STOCKSCH 211 - Pasture Management (3 credits) Fall semester
       STOCKSCH 350 - Sustainable Soil & Crop Management (3 credits) Fall semester
       MGMT 241 - New Venture Creation (GenEd) (4 credits) Spring semester

TEACHING - courses recommended for students interested in a career related to teaching
       ANIMLSCI 296T, 396T, 496T - Introduction to Teaching Animal Science (1-2 credits) both semesters
       STOCKSCH 290AE - Introduction to Teaching Agricultural Education (3 credits) Fall semester
       STOCKSCH 390VO - Vocational Agricultural Education Seminar (3 credits) Spring semester

WILDLIFE - courses recommended for students interested in a career related to wildlife
       note - students must meet with an advisor in the Department of Environmental Conservation for permission to register for these courses
       NRC 260 - Fish Conservation and Management (3 credits) Fall semester
       NRC 261 - Wildlife Conservation (3 credits) Spring semester
       NRC 564 - Wildlife Habitat Management with lab (4 credits) Fall semester