ANS Dairy Concentration

Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a Dairy Industry Concentration

The Animal Science Dairy Concentration is a program for students who aspire to work on a dairy farm or with businesses that support dairy production. Career areas include: dairy farm herdsperson, reproductive specialist, dairy nutritionist, ag finance, dairy marketing, ag sales representative, data and technology management, dairy cow welfare, and vet school. This program includes courses in general science, management of dairy animals and farms, agri-business, and various electives depending on the goals of each student. The program is founded on four core courses which include:

Core Dairy Courses.png

Students within the program will also be exposed to multiple hands-on practical experience throughout the program. Some of these courses include:

ANS 200C: Dairy Cattle Genetics an Evaluation
ANS 235: Dairy Herd Reproduction
ANS 235L: Dairy Herd Reproduction Lab
ANS 238: Dairy Health Management

Interested in studying dairy at Michigan State University? Request information about our programs and contact program coordinators today.

REQUEST INFORMATION

Scholarships

There are a variety of industry scholarships available for dairy students. These scholarships are offered by nutrition, reproduction, dairy marketing, milk cooperatives, and data technology companies throughout the industry and have varies due dates. Coordinators within the Dairy Education Program send out weekly updates to current students that include many scholarship opportunities.

Michigan Dairy Memorial Scholarship Foundation is one of the largest scholarship foundations at Michigan State University, which annually supports dairy students and programs within our department. All MSU dairy students are encouraged to apply for this scholarship.

Student Clubs and Teams

Dairy Challenge

The MSU Dairy Challenge contest allows 2 and 4-year undergraduate students to apply knowledge gained in the classroom in an evaluation of the management practices of commercial dairy farms. The MSU contest is held every fall with sponsorship by organizations and individuals in the Michigan dairy industry. Students who have participated in the MSU Dairy Challenge are eligible to be selected to represent MSU at the Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge and the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge.

Participants in Dairy Challenge contests do the following: 1) visit local dairy farms and gain knowledge of different farms' management practices; 2) evaluate herd records, and utilize knowledge of dairy herd management software and computer presentation tools; 3) critically evaluate dairy herd management practices and make recommendations for improvements; 4) employ their speaking, presentation, and problem-solving skills; 5) work as a team to build consensus and present in tag-team speaking formats; and, 6) meet and interact with potential employers from the dairy industry during the contest.

Teams of four undergraduate students critically evaluate a commercial dairy farm using herd records, a description of farm operations, and tour of the farm facilities. The farmer answers students’ questions pertaining to management of the farm. Teams give a 20-minute presentation that is scored on the description and assessment of the management practices and recommendations for improvements in management and facilities. This capstone experience allows students to interact with dairy farmers and representatives from the dairy industry, and expands their knowledge and skills gained during their academic career.

All students within the Dairy Education Program participate in local Dairy Challenge contests during classes within the program. Students who are interested in competing at the regional and national level have the opportunity to continue their education out of the classroom. Students can participate in the annual Mid-West or Northeast Regional contests or the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge National competition in which they develop their skills in practical dairy management evaluation, teamwork, data analysis and public speaking. For more information about the Dairy Challenge Program at MSU visit their website.

Dairy Judging

Students have the opportunity to become members of the MSU Dairy Judging team where they develop their dairy cattle evaluation, reasoning, and communication skills. The team competes at a number of intercollegiate judging contests throughout the year. Contests include:

All American Dairy Invitational in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin
North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Kentucky
Western National Spring Show in Richmond, Utah
Southwestern Exposition Livestock Show and Rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas

To learn more about the MSU Dairy Judging team and results from past years, visit their website. If you are interested in becoming involved, contact Joe Domecq (domecqjo@msu.edu).

Dairy Club

Students interested in dairy can join the MSU Dairy Club. With over 40 members, the MSU Dairy Club is a club that allows its members to experience the dairy industry beyond the classroom. It provides students with multiple educational, social and networking opportunities in various aspects of the dairy industry. The club strives to develop leadership skills while supporting and promoting the dairy industry with participation in dairy related events. In everything they do, the club’s focus is to continue to develop and grow the future generation of dairy men and women.