10 Things the Animal Science Department Wants You to Know

Faculty, staff, and students in the Animal Science Department at Cornell University not only conduct research but also contribute to the development of practical tools that help farmers all over the world make better management decisions.

• Quirine Ketterings

Land and water use, and methane production per billion pounds of milk produced have decreased 50% to 90% since the 1940s because of advancements in cow genetics, nutrition, and management.

• Joe McFadden

Research and extension efforts around optimizing the quality of homegrown forages for cattle have provided the opportunity for farmers to reduce the need to purchase feed ingredients from other places, benefiting the farm both environmentally and economically.

• Joe Lawrence

We highly encourage experiential learning, and around 70% of our students participate in some capacity of research while enrolled. Whether in a formal lab, field, or internationally, students learn practical research skills and critical thinking that can be applied to the future.

• Lindsay Irene Glasner

Animal Science is a large umbrella of disciplines with a collective goal of generating science-based solutions to raise livestock humanely, safely, and sustainably to feed the world. 

• Nathalie Trottier

Outreach and 4-H youth programs that focus in the Animal Science field build a foundation in youth development.  It is an opportunity to learn about the science, biology, and management of animals with concepts that are applicable across all animals that provide food, fiber, labor, and companionship.  Youth not only build their animal science knowledge, but learn important life skills in responsibility, decision making, character, and dedication in a connected environment.

• Deborah Jean Grusenmeyer

4-H alumni often find their way to the Animal Science Department as the undergraduate program offers so many opportunities to gain more experience and skills that meet student career goals. Once immersed in the collegiate environment, students thrive as department lab assistants, work-study students, community volunteers, and leaders of undergraduate clubs and organizations.

• Dana Palmer

America imports 80 to 90% of the seafood it consumes. Half of all seafood is farmed. Done right, aquaculture is the most sustainable form of animal production.

• Eugene Won

Horses are an important part of New York State agriculture; the state has over 154,000 horses, 1.3 million acres of agricultural land used for horse-related purposes, and the equine industry has a total employment impact of over 42,000 jobs in the state.

• Lindsay Goodale

We’re working hard to share the stories that matter. Effective science communication can make a lasting impact and the implementation of innovation begins when we have an informed and engaged public.

• Nicole Rossi

More than half of our professors are female, in a field that has been traditionally male dominant. Additionally, our undergraduate program is predominantly female so our faculty is beginning to reflect that statistic. We far exceed Cornell campus averages and also Animal Science programs at peer institutions in terms of female representation among our faculty. 

• Tom Overton

Daniella is a physics freshman College of Arts and Sciences and student writer for Cornell CALS Department of Animal Science.