Two people work in the dairy parlor

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

A truck dumps Cornell dining hall food waste at the university’s composting facility

Webinar

NYS Food Scraps Recycling Law - Opportunities and Challenges for On-Farm Use
The New York State Food Donation and Food Scrap Recycling Act will go into effect on January 1, 2022. This webinar will discuss various ways farms can utilize the potential availability of food waste through animal feed, composting, anaerobic...
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Animal Science
  • Dairy
four youth in dairy barn

Workshop

Youth Dairy Judging Contest
Entry for the Youth Dairy Judging competition is now open! The contest will be held on September 2nd during the colored-breed week during the New York State Fair. Registration is required and it is open to any New York youth ages 8 to 19 using...
  • Animal Science
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Youth and Families
Cornell University Dairy Science (CUDS) club

Webinar

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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

News

Quirine Ketterings standing in front of a poster outside speaking into a microphone

News

$10M grant funds study of dairy’s carbon footprint
The funding aims to help the U.S. dairy industry become carbon neutral while supporting farmers’ livelihoods and will measure greenhouse gas emissions at a working New York dairy.
  • Animal Science
  • Agriculture
  • Planet
A cow in the teaching barn

News

Future NYS dairy leaders bolstered by Chobani Scholarship program
Now majoring in animal science at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Cornell CALS), Swatling aspires to be in dairy management and help improve public understanding of the industry’s sustainable and humane practices...
  • Animal Science
  • Animals
  • Food
Lucas sitting on a horse outside

Field Note

The next generation of New York state dairy farmers: Lucas Walley ’24
Animal science major Lucas Walley ’24, originally from Walton, New York, is one of four CALS undergraduate students to be awarded a 2021 Chobani Scholarship.
  • Animal Science
  • Animals
  • Dairy

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