PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This certificate program is designed to allow women and men the opportunity to specialize in the area of beef cattle management with a one year intensified program. It provides students greater knowledge and experience in the management of both cow/calf and feedlot enterprises. Students interested in gaining additional information for the family farm or seeking employment in the industry will benefit from this new one-year program. The Beef Cattle Management Program gives students the opportunity to take courses from faculty and staff in the Department of Animal Science and work "hands-on" with one of the most notable purebred herds in the U.S. and the feedlot at MSU's Beef Cattle Research Center.
Students may choose to participate in the Block and Bridle Club, Rodeo Club or the Livestock Judging Team. Additionally, students have the opportunity to become involved in some of Michigan's most important events for beef cattle, the Michigan Beef Expo and the Michigan Cattlemen's Bull Test.
This one-year program is centered around "hands-on" clerkships at the MSU Beef Cattle Teaching Center and the MSU Beef Cattle Research Center. Students are required to get involved in the day-to-day management of these two working beef cattle enterprises. Students from a rich or limited beef cattle background will benefit from the experience of learning how cow/calf farms and feedlots operate with knowledgeable managers of these two facilities. Students will complete the program with an internship in the industry. For many students, this will come at the end of the second semester.
In addition to the clerkship classes, students are required to complete courses in reproduction, feeds and feeding, live animal and carcass evaluation, farm business management, beef cattle management and principles of animal environments. In many cases, students will be receiving the same information as baccalaureate degree students. Students may choose from a number of elective areas that include courses in agricultural economics, crop and soil science, agricultural engineering and animal science. Students also are introduced to basic concepts regarding swine, sheep and other areas of animal science in courses that bring together students from other programs.
