The Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences is the home of undergraduate and graduate programs in animal sciences and dairy science. It has a long and proud history of groundbreaking discoveries in animal nutrition, physiology, genetics, management, and muscle biology, which are coupled with excellence in the emerging fields of animal welfare, digital agriculture, and animal biologics to generate new knowledge and solve practical problems. The department is interdisciplinary, and the interests and skillsets of our faculty and graduate students range from molecular biology to animal care and management. Virtually all of our work happens in a biological context, with an eye toward advancing our understanding of animal biology, improving the lives of domestic animals, enhancing the sustainability of animal agriculture, and improving human health and nutrition.
The department was formed as a merger of the Department of Animal Sciences and the Department of Dairy Science in 2020 as a culmination of a long-standing, interdependent relationship that includes sharing the Animal Sciences Building at 1675 Observatory Drive, cross-listing and co-teaching many core courses, and collaborating on countless research projects and outreach programs.