Forerunners of the present Department of Dairy and Animal Science included the animal nutrition, animal husbandry, and dairy husbandry units. The respective department heads were:

Animal Nutrition

  • H. P. Armsby 1887-1921
  • E. B. Forbes 1922-1946
  • R. W. Swift* 1947-1959

In 1960, Animal Nutrition and Animal Husbandry combined to form the Department of Animal Industry with Russell Miller as chair. The latter name was changed to the Department of Animal Science in 1965.

Animal Husbandry/Industry/Science Chairmen

  • Thomas Mairs 1905-1907
  • William Cochel 1907-1913
  • W. H. Tomhave 1913-1925
  • F. L. Bentley 1925-1953
  • W. L. Henning 1953-1955
  • Glenn R. Kean 1955-1959
  • Russell Miller 1960-1965
  • Thomas B. King 1965-1970
  • B. R. Baumgardt** 1970-1976

Dairy Husbandry/Science Chairmen

  • William Caldwell 1888-1894
  • Harry Hayward 1894-1902
  • Thomas Mairs 1902-1905
  • Herbert Van Norman 1905-1913
  • Carl Larson 1913-1915
  • Fred Putney 1915-1916
  • Fred Rasmussen 1916-1919
  • Andrew Borland 1919-1948
  • Donald Josephson 1948-1975

Dairy and Animal Science Department

In 1976, Dairy Science combined with Animal Science to form the Department of Dairy and Animal Science with B. R. Baumgardt as head. Since that time, the following people have been the department leaders.

  • Bill R. Baumgardt 1976-1979
  • Don L. Ace 1979-1980
  • Paul J. Wangsness 1980-1989
  • C. William Heald 1989-1990
  • Stanley E. Curtis 1990-1995
  • Daniel R. Hagen 1995-1998
  • Terry D. Etherton 1998-Present

Author: Larry W. Specht, Professor of Dairy Science