威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校

Animal science students focus on the biology of domesticated animals, including cattle, goats, horses, poultry, sheep, swine, as well as meat derived from the traditional meat animal species. Some attention is directed toward the companion animal species, including dogs and cats. The major emphasizes integration of biological principles from the gene to the organ to the herd or flock. Core courses in the major include animal breeding, veterinary genetics, animal physiology, reproductive physiology, comparative animal nutrition, animal health, and meat science. Additional courses include career orientation, animal handling, assessing animal welfare, biology of companion animals, composition of meat animals, human/animal symbiosis, ruminant nutrition, monogastric nutrition, sheep production, beef cattle production, swine production, equine business, livestock production in agricultural development, and laboratory techniques in mammalian gamete and embryo biology.

The major offers a science track which includes math, physics, organic chemistry and biochemistry for students with interests in postgraduate work in veterinary medicine, medicine, animal science or other graduate programs. The major also offers a business emphasis which includes economics, accounting, marketing, farm management, commodity markets, agricultural finance, and other courses from the School of Business.

Career opportunities exist in the meat, artificial insemination, feed, agri-business, and agri-marketing and biotechnology industries. Occasionally, students have found positions within zoos. Many students pursue graduate education in veterinary medicine, animal science, medicine, or other programs.

A student majoring in animal sciences is placed in the Bachelor of Science degree program. Completion of the degree program in four years is the norm.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and comprehension. Our students develop the working vocabulary of an animal scientist, a working knowledge of the basic anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, and genetics of animal and meat biology, and the applied nutrition, breeding, product harvest and processing skills, necessary to manage animal production systems. Students demonstrate their knowledge through rigorous examination and demonstration through hands-on instructional laboratory activities.
Analytical processing. Our students develop the ability to reduce complex datasets and scientific information into meaningful relationships and correlations, and using the scientific literature, they can develop hypotheses to test the cause of predicted relationships using the scientific method. Students demonstrate these skills through a senior capstone experience and through individualized research opportunities and instructional activities.
Integration for application. When faced with real world problems which they have never confronted, our students are able to apply their knowledge to develop solutions. In addition, our students are capable of identifying problems yet to be investigated and in need of advanced study.
Critical thinking. Students find their sources of information using peer reviewed research articles. They learn not only to question popular press, but understand that even in the scientific literature there are contradictory findings. They have the capacity to synthesize scientific literature such that they can communicate a position backed with strong scientific support.