Animal Science is concerned with the science and business of producing domestic livestock
species, including but not limited to beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses,
poultry, sheep, and swine.
The
United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and
Agriculture reported in "Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in
Food, Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources, and the Environment United
States, 2015-2020" that the agricultural, food, environment and renewable
natural resources sectors of the U.S. economy will generate an estimated 57,900
annual openings for individuals with baccalaureate or higher degrees in food,
renewable energy, and environmental specialties between 2015 and 2020.
The
livestock industry and related fields are a major component of the United
States economy and career opportunities are excellent for both men and women
trained in animal science.
Animal
agriculture is a huge component in the American economy. It not only involves
livestock production, but also encompasses marketing, public affairs,
transportation, processing, research, companion animal management and a myriad
of allied specialties. Animal science is a challenging field with many employment
opportunities.
What is Animal Science?
Animal Science is concerned with the science and business of producing domestic livestock species, including but not limited to beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses, poultry, sheep, and swine.
An animal scientist applies principles of
the biological, physical, and social sciences to the problems associated with
livestock production and management.
Animal
Science is also concerned with foods of animal origin: meat, dairy foods, and
eggs. The food industry is one of the largest and most important industries in
the United States.
In
addition, animal science is concerned with aspects of companion animals,
including their nutrition, care, and welfare.
If
you are interested in efficient production of food animals, processing and
consumption of high-quality meats and dairy products, use of companion animals
for recreation or leisure purposes, or the maintenance of animal health and
well-being, then a career in one of the many animal sciences fields may be your
key to a rewarding future.
Professional
education and training in the animal sciences can prepare you for challenging
career opportunities in such areas as animal production, breeding, health
maintenance and disease control, marketing, processing, distribution, and numerous
allied service industries.
Additionally,
it is a convenient major for biologists interested in animals and an eventual
career after veterinary, medical, dental, or graduate school. Animal scientists
must have formal training and appropriate experience to learn and apply the
complex principles involved in animal production, care, and use.
Knowledge
of such basic subjects as animal behavior and management, genetics,
microbiology, nutrition, physiology, reproduction, and meat science is
essential to persons entering most animal sciences professions. However, a farm
or animal-related background is not required. Global forces are demanding more
from the agriculture industry.
A
growing world population with changing patterns of diet requires more food.
This food production must take place on a finite amount of land during climatic
change. It must be integrated with the needs of people and the environment.
The
complex challenges of the next century demand agricultural professionals who
can identify opportunities and devise innovative solutions. The broad knowledge
base in animal science prepares students for rewarding careers.
Animal Science Careers
Students
earning a B.S. degree with a major in animal science are qualified for a wide
variety of challenging careers.
In
fact, there are over 500 different job classifications for animal science
graduates. Graduates find employment in academic teaching and research,
industrial research in the food and feed industries, in laboratory research
programs with governmental and international agencies, private corporations,
and in industrial or institutional management positions requiring a high level
of scientific training.
In
government positions, graduates can help draft regulations governing the
agriculture industry, or work directly in research.
Other
traditional employment can be found with feed manufacturers, animal breeding
companies, meat packers, pharmaceutical companies, consulting firms,
universities, or in primary production.
An
agricultural science degree is also the gateway to a multitude of possibilities
in the growing agricultural biotechnology industry.
Animal Production &
Management
Livestock producers are concerned with production of cattle, sheep, goats, horses, swine and poultry. These individuals and the people they employ are the cornerstone of the animal industry.
They must be superb business people and be knowledgeable in meats, nutrition, genetics, behavior and physiology.
In
addition, they must know how to manage livestock and have marketing expertise.
Careers and
Jobs in Animal Production
Systems Management:
· Animal
Shelter Manager
· Animal
Waste Management
· Breeding/Farrowing
Manager
· Broiler
Manager
· Broodmare
Assistant Manager
· Broodmare
Manager
· Cattle
Feedlot Processor
· Companion
Animal Department Manager
· Dairy
Plant Manager
· Dairy
Young Stock Manager
· Diagnostic
Laboratory Manager
· Dog
Bakery Manager
· Doggy
Day Care Manager
· Elephant
Program Manager
· Equine
Boarding Stable Manager
· Farm
General Manager
· Herdsperson/Artificial
Insemination/Embryo Transfer
· Individual
Proprietor
· Laboratory
Animal Management
· Livestock
Ranch Manager
· Mammal
Conservation Manager
· Manage
Livestock Sales/Distribution/Marketing Systems
· Manage
Ranches/Farms/Feedlots
· Manage
Research Farms and Facilities
· Manage
Training/Boarding Facilities
· Managers
of Stud Farms/Livestock/Poultry Operations
· Parlor
Manager
· Pet
Store Assistant Manager
· Poultry
Hatchery Manager
· Ranch
Foreman
· Ranch
Manager
· Safety
Manager
· Stallion
Assistant Manager
· Stallion
Manager
· Supply
Chain Manager
· Swine
Section Manager
· Thoroughbred
Barn Foreman
· Veterinary
Practice Manager
· Wean-Market
Operations Director
· Yearling
Assistant Manager
· Yearling
Manager
· Zoo
Animal Care Manager
· Zoo
Assistant Manager
Food Processing
The food processing industry is a major employer of animal science graduates. This segment of the industry not only is concerned with marketing meat, milk and eggs in the usual sense.
It is also involved in fabrication of new products,
production of specialty food items and development of products that will appeal
to a health-conscious public.
This
progressive component of animal agriculture hires animal science graduates as
livestock buyers, quality control specialists, plant managers and sales
personnel.
Careers and
Jobs in Food Processing:
· Analytical
Microbiology Testing
· Consumer
Safety Inspector
· Corporate
Chef
· Culinary
Support Specialist
· Distribution/Warehouse
Manager
· Food
Compliance Officer
· Food
Pathogen Detector
· Instrumentation
Specialist
· Meat
Process Operation Manager
· Meats
District Sales Manager
· Meats
Project Specialist
· Meats
Team Leader Operations Manager
· Packaging
Supervisor
· Plant
Maintenance Supervisor
· Plant
Quality Manager
· Plant
Safety Supervisor
· Processing
Plant Supervisor
· Product
Development Manager
· Product
Development Specialist
· Product
Terminal Manager
· Production
Supervisor
· Quality
Assurance Assistant Director
· Quality
Assurance Chemist
· Quality
Assurance Director
· Quality
Assurance Inspector
· Quality
Assurance Supervisor
· Raw
Material Coordinator
· Research
& Design Chemist
· Safety/Processing
Manager
· Sensory
Testing Specialist
· Technical
Meat Application Specialist
· Technical
Service Manager
· Value-Added
Specialist
Animal Feed / Environmental / Health Industries
Pharmaceutical
organizations, livestock product companies and feed companies are constantly
seeking bright, energetic young people to enter sales/marketing forces and
consulting/technical services dealing with both commercial livestock production
and companion animals.
Animal
science students may also go into animal or human medicine and be involved in
health care.
Careers and
Jobs in Animal
Feed/Health/Environment Industries:
· Consultants
- Nutritionists, Geneticists, Biotechnologist, Housing, Environment, Management
· Quality
Control/Processing/Packing of Foods
· Milk/Feed/Food
Testing Services
· Dairy,
Meat and Seafood Technical Assistants
· Livestock
Equipment Representative
· Assistant
Product Marketing Manager
· Beef
Improvement Sales Representative
· Beef
Nutrition Sales Representative
· Breed
Association Marketing & Sales Representative
· Cattle
Buyer
· Cattle
Marketing Specialist
· Commodity
Merchant
· Director
of Marketing
· Dairy
Technical Sales Manager
· Equine
Feed Sales Representative
· Equine
Insurance Agent
· Equine
Products Sales Representative
· Large
Animal Pharm. Sales Representative
· Meats
Marketing Manager
· Pet
Care Brand Manager
· Pet
Insurance Agent
· Poultry
Equipment Sales Manager
· Pharm.
Regional Sales Representative
· Sales
Account Representative
· Show
Supply Sales Associate
· Swine
Equipment Sales Representative
· Pet
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
· Zoo
Development Director
· Veterinary
Zoologist
· Clinical
Pharmacologist
· Dental
Hygiene
· Dentist
· Laboratory
Animal Medicine
· Medical
Dietetics
· Medical
Doctor
· Optometrist
· Pharmacist
· Physical
Therapist
· Physicians
Associate
· Respiratory
Therapy
· Veterinary
Anesthesiologist
· Veterinary
Behaviorist
· Veterinary
Dermatologist
· Veterinary
Emergency Care
· Veterinary
Epidemiologist
· Veterinary
Geneticist
· Veterinary
Internal Medicine
· Veterinary
Medical Officer
· Veterinary
Microbiologist
· Veterinary
Nutritionist
· Veterinary
Ophthalmologist
· Veterinary
Pathologist
· Veterinary
Practitioner
· Veterinary
Public Health Inspector
· Veterinary
Radiologist
· Veterinary
Technologist
· Veterinary
Toxicologist
Communications and Service Organizations
Breed
associations, livestock commodity groups, artificial insemination services and
government agencies employ animal science students as representatives of their
organizations.
Likewise,
livestock publications, newspapers, television stations, advertising agencies
and public relations firms need talented people who can communicated about
agriculture.
Communication
skills are a necessity in all fields, and animal science students can turn
these skills into satisfying careers.
Other
service organizations such as banks, insurance companies, real estate agencies
and power companies employ agricultural representatives in positions that
require a background in animal agriculture.
Careers and
Jobs in communication and
service organizations:
· Association
Public Relations Manager
· Association Outreach Programs Director
· Breed
Association
· Advertising Manager
· Breed
Association Advertising Sales
· Breed
Association Accounts Manager
· Breed
Association Events Director
· Breed
Association Executive Director
· Breed
Association Industry Relations
· Breed
Association Foundation Director
· Breed
Association Operations Director
· Breed
Association Web Editor
· Breed
Magazine Assistant Editor
· Breed
Magazine Consultant
· Breed
Magazine Designer
· Breed
Magazine Editor
· Breed
Magazine Production Manager
· Breed
Magazine Writer
· Director,
Membership Services
· Equine
Photographer
· Livestock
Auctioneer
· Livestock
Photographer
· Livestock
Web Designer
· Pet
Photographer
· Poultry
Association Media Manager
· Zoo
Public Relations Manager
· Science
Writer/Illustrator
· Livestock
Management Services
· Humane
Animal Care Services
· Livestock
Investment Firms
· Product
Application - Sales and Services
· Government
Regulatory Agencies
· Agriculture
Journalist
Research
Research
designed to improve efficiency and quality of domestic animals and to solve
livestock-related problems is conducted by a number of agencies including the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH),
universities and private companies.
Therefore,
individuals with bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees in animal science
have an opportunity for rewarding careers in research.
With
recent advances in computer science and biotechnology, persons trained in these
areas will become even more competitive.
Careers and
Jobs in research:
· Administrative/Industry/Leadership
Positions
· Animal
Care Technician
· Animal
Modeling Lab Head
· Animal
Research Associate
· Animal
Research Attendant
· Animal
Research Operations Manager
· Animal
Research Technician
· Animal
Surgery Technician
· Biotechnology
or Pharmaceutical Industry
· Cell
Culture Specialist
· College/University
Teaching and Research
· Commercial
Research/Product Development
· Embryologist
or in vitro fertilization (IVF) specialist
· Equine
Orthopedic Researcher
· Food
Quality Control/Product Development Scientist
· Genetic
Manipulation Specialist
· Governmental
Research (USDA and NIH)
· Lab
Animal Technician
· Microbiologist
Molecular
· Biotechnologist
Nutritional R&D Associate
· Poultry
Center Research Assistance
· Practicing
Veterinarian/Research
· Veterinarian
Private Development of Animal Products/Services
· Reproductive
Biologist
· Research
Geneticist
· Research
Scientist, Research Associate, Senior Scientist
· Risk
Assessment Scientist
· USDA
Research Centers Faculty
Read on: INTRODUCTION TO ANIMAL AGRICULTURE
Education and Public Service
A student majoring in animal science may qualify to teach vocational agriculture in high school under a program of study cooperatively developed by the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education. Animal science majors may also find employment with Extension working as an educator or specialist.
People with advanced degrees in animal science are needed to teach in colleges
and universities.
All of these teaching fields will require animal science graduates to meet the needs of the future.
Careers and Jobs in education and public service:
· 4-H
Youth Development Educator or Specialist
· Ag
Lawyer
· Animal
Science Professor
· Beef
Extension Educator or Specialist
· Breed
Association Jr. Activities Coordinator
· Breed
Association Jr. Activities Director
· Companion
Animal Extension Educator or Specialist
· Cow-Calf
Extension Specialist
· Dairy
Cattle Extension Educator or Specialist
· Equine
Extension Educator or Specialist
· Equine
Youth Camp Instructor
· Politician
· Poultry
Extension Educator or Specialist
· Sheep
Extension Educator or Specialist
· Swine
Extension Educator or Specialist
· Vocational
Agricultural/Post-Secondary Educators
· Zoo
Bilingual Education Director
· Zoo
Camp Programs Supervisor
· Zoo
Education Curator
· Zoo
Education Director
· Zoo
Education Specialist
· Zoo
Presenter-Performer
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