Animal Science

ANIMAL SCIENCE

Chair: Richard N. Thwaits
Graduate Coordinator: Richard O. Kellems
353 WIDB
Provo, UT 84602-5182
(801) 378-4220

THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES

The Animal Science Graduate Program is designed to train students in the following areas: breeding and genetics, meat and muscle biology, molecular biology, reproduction, monogastric and ruminant nutrition, management, and international production.

The master of science (MS) degree in animal science is designed to prepare a student to pursue a PhD degree or provide the student with additional technical skills beyond the BS degree to be successful as a livestock operation manager or as a scientist involved with technical support or international livestock production.

The Animal Science Department offers one degree: Animal Science—MS. The department also offers Molecular Biology—MS as an interdepartmental program.

Areas of specialization within the animal science degree: Genetics, Nutrition, Reproduction, Management, Meats, Animal Health.

Animal Science, Molecular Biology—MS

The molecular biology program is a multidepartmental program in the College of Biology and Agriculture that allows students to learn modern procedures and techniques used in research at the molecular level. Students who successfully complete the MS degree in this discipline are fully qualified to compete for a PhD graduate program in the same discipline at another university. Students should apply to the molecular biology program in the college and designate animal science as the study specialization. Refer to the Molecular Biology section of this catalog for a program description.

Admission and Entry.

• Semesters of entry and application deadlines: fall, winter, spring, February 1 (U.S. and international).
• Entrance examinations: GRE general test and the general animal science exam.
• Prerequisite: for animal science, baccalaureate degree in animal science or in a closely related field. For molecular biology, baccalaureate degree in molecular biology, physical science, biological science, or animal science. This would include one year of general university physics, mathematics equivalent to Math 119, one semester of biochemistry, and one year of cell biology and genetics equivalent.

Requirements for Degree

• Credit hours:

Thesis Option (30 hours): minimum 24 course work hours plus 6 thesis hours (AnSc 699R).

Project Option (36 hours): minimum 30 course work hours plus 6 project hours (AnSc 698R).

• Thesis (required for thesis option): completion of the thesis in standard university format or in scientific journal format.
• Project (required for project option): completion of a scholarly project report.
• Required courses:

Animal Science: AnSc 507, 510 or 574, 692R (each semester of residence); Stat 501; Zool 503; plus additional elective courses as required by the student's graduate committee.

Molecular Biology: Chem 481, 582, 586 or Mcbio 442; Stat 501; and two of AnSc 507, 510, or 574 plus additional elective courses as required by the student's graduate committee. Students may be required to take other undergraduate-level molecular biology courses if they have not completed the courses as part of their BS degree program. Check with the departmental molecular biology coordinator.

• Examinations: (A) written and oral examination on course work; (B) oral defense of thesis.
• Minor (optional): agronomy, horticulture, botany, chemistry, computer science, food science and nutrition, microbiology, statistics, or zoology (emphases in agribusiness and animal science are available).

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Teaching and research assistantships are offered on a competitive basis by the department.

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Agriculture Station. The station encompasses several sites, all of which support research in basic and applied agriculture. Station facilities in Spanish Fork include a 793-acre farm, a 425-cow dairy, a 60-head beef herd, and a 70-sow swine unit. The 9,228-acre BYU Skaggs Research Ranch is located in Malta, Idaho, and consists of a cropping operation, beef cow operation, and feedlot. Campus livestock facilities consist of the Ellsworth Meat Laboratory and horse, poultry, and sheep units.

Ellsworth Meats Laboratory. Equipped for performing chemical, microbiological, and meat tenderness analyses, the laboratory researches aspects of meat emulsions and cured meat quality, among other things.

Molecular Laboratory. Protein and DNA isolation, separation, and characterization facilities for vaccine development and working with pathogenic organisms at the class 2 level are available, as is equipment for the production of transgenetic embryos.

Nutrition Facilities. Facilities are available for conducting metabolism trials (sheep, poultry, rabbits) as well as a well-equipped nutrition laboratory for evaluating feed and biological samples.

Reproduction Laboratories. Laboratories are located on campus and at the BYU Agriculture Station for conducting basic and applied research. These labs are equipped to handle sample collection and processing, radioisotopes, chemical and biological analyses, small and large animal surgery, embryo manipulation and culturing, and tissue and cell culture. Diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, and surgical facilities are available.

For a more detailed description of the graduate program requirements, send for a copy of the department's bulletin.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Class Schedule

501R. (AgHrt-AnSc-FSN) Village Agriculture and Nutrition in Latin America. (1)

Prerequisite:  experience in Latin America and/or in issues relative to the seminar.

Problems, successes, failures, and challenges facing those who work in agricultural research, training, and development related to small-scale farmers.

507. Advanced Animal Nutrition. (4)

Prerequisite: AnSc 207; Chem 152, 181.

Functions of nutrients in metabolism; methods for assessing nutrient utilization and requirements.

510. Advanced Reproductive Physiology. (4)

Prerequisite: AnSc 310 or equivalent.

Molecular, biochemical, and hormonal regulation of processes controlling reproduction in mammalian species.

520. Case Studies in Animal Production. (3)

Prerequisite: BS in animal science with agribusiness emphasis.

Case studies that require students to solve problems in animal production dealing with nutrition, reproduction, genetics, health, and product processing.

525. Case Studies in International Animal Production. (3)

Prerequisite: BS in animal science with agribusiness emphasis.

Case studies in international animal production on both village and large-scale farms dealing with nutrition, reproduction, genetics, health, and product processing.

530. Management of National Animal Industries. (2)

Prerequisite: BS in animal science with agribusiness emphasis.

Incorporation of accounting, finance, marketing, and human relations principles with animal science principles in solving managerial problems in animal industries.

535. Management of International Animal Industries. (2)

Prerequisite: BS in animal science with agribusiness emphasis.

Incorporation of accounting, finance, marketing, and human relations principles with animal science principles in solving managerial problems in international animal industries.

545. Essentials for Animal Research. (1)

Prerequisite: instructor's consent.

Regulations for use of laboratory animals. Animal care and use relative to husbandry, blood sampling, drugs, and anesthesia.

574. (AnSc-Botny) Introduction to Population Genetics. (3)

Prerequisite: introductory courses in genetics and statistics.

Quantitative study of factors influencing changes in gene frequencies in natural and domestic animal and plant populations.

591R. Selected Topics in Animal Science. (0.5-3)

Prerequisite: instructor's consent.

595R. Special Problems in Animal Science. (0.5-2)

Prerequisite: instructor's consent.

599R. Cooperative Education. (2-9)

Prerequisite: department's or cooperative education coordinator's consent.

On-the-job experience in livestock or meat production practices, veterinary medicine, or research. On- or off-campus opportunities.

692R. Seminar. (1)

698R. Master's Project. (1-9)

699R. Master's Thesis. (1-9)

FACULTY 

JOHNSTON, N. PAUL, Professor. PhD, Oregon State University, 1971. Nutrition, Poultry and Small Animal; Reproduction and Light Interaction Poultry.

KELLEMS, RICHARD O., Associate Professor. PhD, Oregon State University, 1976. Ruminant Nutrition; Alternative Feedstuff Development and Evaluation; Nutrient Utilization.

KNOWLES, JOHN E., Assistant Professor. DVM, Colorado State University, 1991. Animal Health; Reproductive Physiology and Equine Medicine.

ORME, LEON E., Professor. PhD, Michigan State University, 1958. Growth and Body Composition; Livestock Evaluation and Selection.

PARK, ROBERT L., Professor. PhD, Cornell University, 1962. Animal Breeding and Genetics; Molecular Genetics; Swine and Livestock Production.

ROBINSON, TODD F., Assistant Professor. PhD, Cornell University, 1996. Cell Growth; Biology Metabolic Processes; Meats.

ROEDER, BEVERLY L., Associate Professor. DVM, Ohio State University, 1982; PhD, Pennsylvania State University, 1990. Anatomy; Physiology; Medicine and Surgery; Animal Health; Prevention and Diagnoses of Metabolic Disorders.

SILCOX, ROY W., Assistant Professor. PhD, North Carolina State University, 1986. Reproductive Physiology; Management; Regulation of Ovulation; Superovulation; Embryonic Development.

THWAITS, RICHARD N, Associate Professor. DVM, Colorado State University, 1981; PhD, University of Georgia, 1991. Anatomy; Veterinary Technology; Molecular Biology; Medicine and Surgery; Physiology.

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