a young man crouches in a field with two dogs

Animal Science

Advancing discovery and innovation in animal biology and management to support sustainable food systems and animal care.

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 goals are to discover and develop new techniques and information to benefit animals, agriculture and human health. We seek to accelerate solutions that support sustainable animal systems, and to translate scientific discovery, data-driven insight and innovative technologies into real-world practice. Our internationally recognized faculty have diverse interests in digital agriculture, animal nutrition, environmental sustainability, physiology and metabolism, forage and nutrient management, and genetics, genomics and reproduction.

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 international 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 CALS Undergraduate Research Experience: Cameron Xu '26

News

a red dairy barn

News

Financial and environmental planning assistance available
Financial and environmental assistance planning grants are available through the Dairy Advancement Program (DAP). DAP is designed to enhance long-term viability of New York dairy farms while maintaining a commitment to environmental stewardship...
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • Cornell Dairy
  • PRO-DAIRY
students on a tour in front of calf hutches

News

PRO‑DAIRY opens applications for 2026–2027 Junior DAIRY LEADER class
Cornell CALS PRO‑DAIRY is now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Junior DAIRY LEADER (JDL) program, a yearlong leadership and career‑development experience designed for motivated 16‑ to 19‑year‑old students in 11th or 12th grade who are...
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • Cornell Dairy
  • PRO-DAIRY
embryo freezing

News

Improved embryo freezing technique could preserve endangered species

The new freezing method – 30 times faster than current protocols – could be used to improve assisted reproduction in humans or animals or to conserve biodiversity.

  • Animal Science

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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)