Animal Science

Welcome to the Department of Animal Science

The Department of Animal Science offers undergraduate and graduate programs on the biology and management of food, laboratory and companion animal species. Our research programs advance our understanding of animal biology and address local and global issues facing animal industries today. Our goals are to discover and develop new techniques and information to benefit animals, agriculture and human health. Our internationally recognized faculty have diverse interests in animal management, breeding, genetics, physiology, nutrition, growth biology and microbiology.

Major in Animal Science

Animal science majors learn from internationally recognized professors in all aspects of domestic animal biology: breeding, genetics, nutrition, physiology, growth, behavior and management.

Animal Science Major

Learn more about what an animal science major can do for you.

Undergraduate Studies

International Opportunities

Check out the international opportunities available with the animal science major.

Learn more about undergraduate opportunities

Graduate Studies

Approximately 40 graduate students from a variety of disciplines belong to the Department of Animal Science, most of them in the field of animal science.

Graduate Field of Animal Science

Undergraduate research

Discovering new genes

Cameron Xu ’26 is using biometry and statistics to help Cornell CALS animal science professor Vimal Selvaraj identify new genes. Together, they’re investigating how steroid hormones regulate the body’s processes, uncovering new knowledge that could advance cancer research and solve other human health challenges.

Explore synthetic biology at CALS

Play

News

a man and a woman dressed in panda onsies stand by slide projection on the genetics of pandas

Field Note

May 5, 2026

From veterinarians to dairy farmers: This core class is relevant to all

by Angelina Tang ’28 Students dressed in panda onesies to present a research proposal on the genetic quality of giant panda semen isn’t something you see in every class. But it’s a fun sight to behold in ANSC 2210: Principles of Animal Genetics...

Animal Science
Genetics

a croup of teenagers stand in a line holding ribbon awards

News

May 1, 2026

First New York State 4-H Livestock Bowl Held at Cornell

The inaugural New York State 4-H Livestock Bowl took place on Saturday, April 25, at Cornell University. The event marked an exciting new opportunity for youth across the state to showcase their knowledge and skills in livestock science. To...

Animal Science

A photo of a corn field row (left), a yield monitor (top), and tile drainage (middle, bottom).

Field Note

April 27, 2026

Research reveals tiling may boost corn silage, corn grain & soybean yield

Installing artificial drainage in farm fields is an ancient concept that remains relevant today. While its benefits are well-known among farmers, the increasing use of yield monitors means that we now have access to the data necessary to measure...

Agriculture
Field Crops
Water

More news

Sign up for our newsletter

Get The Feed, Cornell Animal Science Department's monthly newsletter. Full of the latest news, events, and comings and goings, The Feed is your portal to all things animal science.

Sign up now!

a woman in a lab coat looks at a beaker of liquid — Diana Reyes Gomez prepares samples of SeaGraze, a product developed by Symbrosia based on the seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis, for a shelf stability trial. Photo provided.

Contact us for more information

Thank you for your interest in Animal Science at Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Reach out through the information below, or find a more direct point of contact for your inquiries.

149 Morrison Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-4801
Phone: (607) 255-2862
Fax: (607) 255-9829
E-mail: ansc_mainoffice [at] cornell.edu (ansc_mainoffice[at]cornell[dot]edu)