About the Department
The Department of Animal Science at Penn State has one of the oldest and best programs in the country.
Penn State Animal Science is a national leader for animal science teaching, research, and extension programs. Our small-school atmosphere facilitates a warm, welcoming, intellectually stimulating, and professional environment.
We’re industry focused and connected. We boast state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty with years of working experience in their fields. The best faculty in their respective disciplines are recruited from around the globe to push students to excel and move the needle on critical research. Our facilities are best in class and uniquely close to the heart of the Penn State experience. Barns, research plots, and laboratories are just steps away, including the new Animal, Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences Building.
Student success drives the department. Our undergraduate programs offer students hands-on science with real-world applications, excellent internship experiences, robust scholarship opportunities, and high job placement.
Our graduate programs offer master of science and doctoral degrees. Graduate students receive in-depth training in core science and management disciplines, conduct groundbreaking research, and teach classes.
Student success and cutting-edge, well-funded research are the lead departmental drivers. Students are encouraged to participate in meaningful research from the first semester of their freshman year.
Current Animal Science research areas include animal products and human health, dairy, deer, equine, livestock, meat science and muscle biology, nutrient management and environmental stewardship, poultry, quality and safety of animal foods, and reproductive biology and fertility.
Meet our faculty, staff, and students, and see why we are one of the premier animal science hubs in the country.
Latest News
June 24, 2024
Penn State Excels at 2024 ADSA Student Meetings
Nine undergraduate students represented Penn State at the 2024 American Dairy Science Association—Undergraduate Student Division (ADSA-USD) meetings held in West Palm Beach, Florida, from June 15-18.
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June 11, 2024
Study suggests Holstein dairy cows not harmed by producing beef crossbred calves
Facing economic challenges, dairy farmers are increasingly crossbreeding some of their Holstein cows with beef breed bulls to add value to surplus calves born in their herds. In an analysis of almost 40,000 cows, a team of Penn State researchers found that carrying and birthing the larger crossbred beef calves generally does not negatively affect dairy cow health.
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June 7, 2024
Q&A: What do I need to know about avian flu?
Multiple states since March 2024 have reported dairy herds displaying symptoms caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza, raising questions about how the virus spreads, how producers can protect their animals, the risk of infection in people, and the safety of milk and meat supplies. Extension veterinarian Ernest Hovingh, clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences, answers these and other questions related to the this avian flu outbreak in dairy cattle.
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June 4, 2024
Mushroom stump waste could be inexpensive, healthy chicken feed supplement
Feed costs for producing broiler chickens accounts for 60% to 70% of total production costs, and stump waste from the production of button mushrooms comprises nearly 30% of total mushroom weight. Marrying the two has the potential to reduce both cost and waste, especially in Pennsylvania, which is a national leader in the production of broiler chickens and button mushrooms. To learn whether the two are compatible, a team of Penn State researchers conducted a new study to determine how supplementing the feed of broilers with mushroom stump waste affected the growth and health of the chickens.
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Department of Animal Science
Address
109 AVBS BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802
- Email AskDAS@psu.edu
- Office 814-865-1362
- Fax 814-863-6042