a young woman in a cornell sweatshirt pets a pig

Animal Science

Advancing understanding of animal biology and addressing the animal industries' most pressing problems.

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

Upcoming Animal Science Events

Cornell University Dairy Science (CUDS) club

Webinar

CUDS Seminar Series
In this seminar series hosted by the Cornell University Dairy Science Club, we will have the opportunity to hear from industry professionals regarding various topics in the dairy industry. All students are welcome to join, and there will be a Q...
  • Animal Science
  • Dairy
Clinical research in the pet food industry: From OTC to therapeutic diets

Seminar

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Current Topics on Cat and Dog Nutrition Seminar Series
Clinical research in the pet food industry: From OTC to therapeutic diets Speaker: Dr. Brittany Vester Boler, Nestle Purina Come and join via Zoom, Friday 04-30-2021 from 11:20 to 12:10.
  • Animal Science
  • Health + Nutrition
  • dogs
Different animals

Workshop

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4-H Animal Crackers Virtual Workshops
Animal Crackers 2021 “All Creatures Great and Small” to take place virtually via Zoom on Tuesday and Thursday evenings during the month of May. There will be 8 sessions. Each session will begin at 6 pm and will last approximately 45-60 minutes...
  • Animal Science
  • Youth and Families
  • Animals
The 2019 Chobani Scholars (from left to right) Blake Wadsworth '23, Emily Starceski '23, Caroline Lafferty '23, and Cassandra Wilbur '23, interact with cows at the Cornell University Dairy Research Center

Workshop

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Dairy Discovery Virtual Workshops
The annual Dairy Discovery program provides New York youth with fun, science-oriented learning experiences on dairy production and management topics aimed at youth 14 to 19 years of age. This year, we are offering a virtual workshop each...
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Dairy
  • Youth and Families
a red dairy barn

Webinar

Disruption to Key Personnel on the Farm: Developing Contingency Plans
Presenters: Jason Karszes, Dairy Farm Business Management Specialist, Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY, and Richard Stup, PhD, Agricultural Workforce Specialist, Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development Scenario and Disaster Planning Worksheets Watch...
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Animals
  • Agriculture

News

News

Michael L. Thonney, sheep management expert, dies at 71
Michael L. Thonney, professor in the Department of Animal Science and director of graduate studies in the field of animal science, died April 23 in Ithaca. He was 71. Over a Cornell career that spanned more than 45 years, Thonney made numerous...
  • Atkinson Center
  • Animal Science
  • Animals
A rabbit sitting on a bench outside

News

Big Red Bun inspires community, promotes well-being
When Finn hopped into the life of Erin Scannell ’21 in February 2019, she found herself taking a lot of photos of the lovable Holland Lop bunny. With floppy ears, long whiskers and distinctive orange fur, Finn quickly captured the hearts of Scannell’s friends and classmates, too — inspiring Scannell to create the Big Red Bun Instagram account. Two years later, Finn’s account has surpassed 10,000 followers and has become a source for Cornellians worldwide to follow his adventures on campus and find messages in support of COVID-19 safety and mental health and well-being.
  • Animal Science
  • Animals

News

Pioneering animal scientist Van Soest dies at 91

Van Soest’s pioneering work permanently changed the chemical and in vitro analysis of feeds and the understanding of herbivore nutrition. His novel and revolutionary methods of analysis created the standard for how researchers measure the...

  • Animal Science
  • Agriculture
  • Animals

Animal Science Kudos & Awards

Graduate Students take 1st and 3rd Place in ARPAS Research Contest

The Northeast Chapter of #ARPAS held a Graduate Student Research Contest in conjunction with the 2020 PennState Virtual Dairy Cattle Nutrition Workshop in November. To find out more and view the presentations.

 

The ARPAS announcement

Students at ASA - SSSA- CSSA Annual Meeting Receive Awards

Jason Cho, MS student in Animal Science and Ben Lehman received awards for their presentations at the annual meeting held November 9 - 13th 2020.

Learn more about their presentations

Students Awarded During 82nd Annual Cornell Nutrition Conference

Three Animal Science graduate students received awards during the 2020 Cornell Nutrition Conference. Held virtually this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Cornell Nutrition Conference provides industry leading research and information across the spectrum of animal nutrition to feed industry professionals and nutritional consultants.

Learn more about the awards

2020 Cargill Global Scholar

Brianna Green - Animal Science Class of 2023

Global Scholars are those who demonstrate exemplary academic achievement and leadership potential and study in a field relevant to Cargill’s world of food, agriculture and risk management. Including Green, nine Cornell University students in total have been selected as Cargill Global Scholars finalists since the program’s inception. 

Learn more about Cargill Global Scholars

Ewa Bachminska

Graduate student Ewa Bachminska received a grant from Cornell Institute for European Studies to research conservation education in Poland in the summer 2019. It will help her include more wildlife conservation in the classes that she teaches at Cornell.

 

View more kudos & awards

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: anscinfo [at] cornell.edu