Course description

Students completing this course will explore the many roles of domestic animals and the importance of their interdependence with humans; appreciate the scope, diversity, and problems related to domestic animal systems; practice using scientific literature to research issues in sustainable agriculture. This intensive course includes 25 hours of lecture and 27 hours of hands-on laboratory/ demonstrations at various field sites and facilities all within a three-week period. Topics include domestication, sustainability, companion animals, sheep, goats, swine, beef cattle, dairy cattle, nutrition, genetics, grazing, dairy products, poultry, horses and draft animals, Third World limited-resource animal systems, toxicology and lab animals.

Outcome 1: Compare and contrast various domestic animal production systems.

Outcome 2: Apply basic knowledge of animal nutrition, genetics, reproduction, and physiology to domestic animal species.

Outcome 3: Research and critique various perspectives of issues related to sustainable domestic animal production systems using scientific journal articles.

Outcome 4: Produce a researched outline and debate an agricultural issue of interest in sustainable agriculture.

Outcome 5: Exchange scientific ideas with classmates.

Outcome 6: Synthesize a viewpoint on an issue in sustainable agriculture based on research and discussion.

This course is an elective and not required for Animal Science majors.

Summer 2025: Online course

Summer 2025: Ithaca campus

Summer 2025: Ithaca campus

by Shelley Preston,
Cornell Chronicle, 2022