Serving Animal Industries

The Animal Science Department conducts its programs throughout the state to serve Nebraska animal and meat industries. It includes the general subject matter areas of breeding and genetics, meat science, nutrition (nonruminant and ruminant), and physiology. Species areas are beef cattle, swine, dairy cattle, poultry, sheep and goats, horses, and companion animals. Faculty and staff are located in Lincoln and at district research and extension centers.

Faculty members interact with scientists and industry leaders throughout the U.S. and around the world. UNL Animal Science faculty, staff, graduate students and collaborators have great positive impact on animal agriculture in Nebraska and beyond through dynamic networks of discovery and education.

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Comments from Dr. Larry L. Berger,
Marvel L. Baker Head of the Department of Animal Science

As the new Head of the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska, I am very proud of the excellence that characterizes the faculty, staff and students of this Department.  There are many definitions for excellence, but I like the simple definition of doing the common in an uncommonly good way.  This excellence is being expressed in our three-part mission of teaching, research, and extension.  For example, during this past summer: Dr. Bryan Reiling’s teaching excellence was recognized by the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture in granting him the Teacher Fellow Award.  Dr. Terry Klopfenstein received the Morrison Award, the highest award offered by the American Society of Animal Science, for his long-term excellence in research.  Dr. Galen Erickson received the American Society of Animal Science Early Career Achievement Award for his excellence in research and extension.  And, finally, Dr. Rick Rasby received the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Wendell Burgher Beef Industry Award of excellence in extension. These four awards reflect this faculty’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research and extension.

There is no doubt that excellence attracts outstanding students and this fall we have more of them than ever before.  The Department of Animal Science has 275 undergraduate students, the highest number ever recorded!  This achievement has been the result of a team effort by the faculty, staff, students and alumni, all getting the word out that the University of Nebraska Department of Animal Science is a great place to get an education that offers limitless opportunities.  With a weak economy, scholarships are more important than ever.  This past year, students received at least 120 scholarships and awards from the Department of Animal Science.  We are greatly indebted to our alumni, commodity groups, and other supporters who have generously donated to our scholarship funds.

Our faculty work hard to provide the highest quality educational experience for our undergraduate and graduate students, despite shrinking budgets.  We take seriously our role to help develop the human capital that will be needed to replace those retiring from Nebraska’s livestock industries. The cost of maintaining livestock and equine has increased substantially over the past few years just as it has for the livestock industry, at large. Again, we want to express our sincere appreciation to alumni and friends who, through their donations, have enabled us to provide a first-rate learning experience for the future leaders of the livestock industry.

Research generates the information essential to keeping Nebraska livestock and poultry producers ahead of the competition.  Our research program is becoming increasingly integrated as we try to provide answers to many of the complex problems facing Nebraska animal agriculture.  We are committed to a balance of applied research that can provide answers for immediate application and basic research that is needed to solve many of the developing challenges facing the livestock industry.

The experts are predicting that we will need to double food production in the next 50 years and that 70% of that increase will have to come from new technology.  As a Department of Animal Science, we are excited about our role in helping Nebraska’s livestock industry to be able to seize the opportunities that are on the horizon.