2024-2025 Academic Catalog
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Survey of systems of livestock and poultry production including: concepts and terminology pertaining to management and marketing; types and breeds of livestock and poultry; and an introduction to nutrition, genetics, physiology, and management of beef cattle, horses, sheep, swine and poultry.
Management practices and concepts related to efficient livestock and poultry production and marketing are taught through demonstrations and hands-on experience.
Orientation course for freshman and transfer APSC students providing skills, resources and fundamental knowledge to enhance learning experiences and support success. Skills, resources, opportunities, curriculum, and career planning. Emphasis on inquiry, problem-solving skills, critical thinking and integration of ideas and experiences to encourage life-long learning.
Beginning work in equitation, the science of horseback riding. The five natural aids of the rider and rein aides. Secure positions of the rider’s leg and seat at the walk, trot, and canter. Basic leg and seat position for jumping. Concepts of horse welfare, health, behavior, and communication pertaining to horseback riding. The German training scale, including rhythm, relaxation, connection, impulsion, straightness, and collection of the horse. Use of small cavaletti obstacle courses to improve horse strength and straightness. Grooming techniques, hoof care, and tack conditioning for equitation horses. Position emphasis will be on the forward riding seat and elementary dressage movements. COURSE FEE $1,500
Identification of primary and secondary career objectives for Animal and Poultry Science majors; planning for completion of a capstone learning experience in the major. Identification of curricular and extracurricular activities to increase career opportunities. Improvement of professional and technical writing skills applicable to the animal sciences field.
Anatomy and physiology of birds including species-specific specializations in anatomical structure and body composition, musculoskeletal, respiratory, reproductive, endocrine, digestive and urinary systems. Relationship of these concepts to growth and egg production. Includes handling live birds.
Safety in livestock handling; animal behavior; care, housing, and managerial practices related to beef cattle, sheep, and swine taught through experiential activities.
Stable management, haltering and leading horses, equine vital signs, and hoof care. Identification of horses by coat colors and markings. Breed characteristics of horses. Equine behaviors. Types and amounts of feed and forages commonly fed to horses. Anatomical parts of the horse. Careers in the horse industry and sports in which horses participate. Involvement with daily management and handling of the campus equitation and breeding horses.
Brief history of companion and laboratory animals. Outline of the major anatomical and physiological characteristics, first aid and basic care. Principles of husbandry and handling techniques. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee training.
Introduction to the horse and equine industry. Survey of breeds and conformation; breeding, management, equipment, facilities, and marketing of the successful horse operation.
Intermediate work in horseback riding with special emphasis on development of the forward seat and skills required for jumping. Elementary dressage movements. COURSE FEE: $1,500.
Behavioral systems, social behavior, learning, and cognition of domesticated animals. Ethological and psychological approaches to, and ultimate and proximate methods of, studying behavior. Evolutionary processes and natural selection, genetics and epigenetics, and neural and physiological mechanisms of behavior.
Introduction of jumping skills for the unskilled as well as review of jumping skills for experienced riders. Rider should have skills at trot and canter. COURSE FEE: $1,500.
Design methods, interpretation, and historical context of precision animal agriculture systems, including technologies, networking, sensors, and data analytics. Elements of animal production systems designed with precision animal agriculture technologies. Advantages and disadvantages of traditional and technology-enhanced production systems. Impacts of precision system design on economics and environmental impacts of animal agriculture and wellbeing. Data acquisition, pipelines, and analytics that link data with decision making. Design of connected systems.
Evaluation of equine conformation as related to locomotion, athletic performance and soundness. Basic understanding of breed standards, gaits, and rules and regulations pertaining to various equine sports disciplines, from both domestic and global perspectives. Investigation of current scientific literature regarding equine conformation and biomechanics.
Management of horses at maintenance, in light work, and breeding stock. Conformation, forages and concentrate requirements, common diseases and health conditions, health maintenance, vaccination and deworming protocols, behavioral modification and training practices, facility management, breeding practices, and welfare. Career paths in the horse industry. Emphasis on application and analysis of case studies.
Comparative aspects of companion and laboratory animals including physiology, anatomy, nutrition, genetics and reproduction. Normal behaviors along with techniques of behavior modifications.
Environmental issues associated with animal agriculture. Nutrient contamination of water resources, odor emission from livestock farms, environmental regulations affecting animal agriculture, and management practices to reduce the impacts of livestock farms on air and water quality.
Muscle biology and biochemistry, fresh meat processing, meat merchandising, processed meats, food safety, meat cookery, and regulations.
Harvesting of livestock, carcass fabrication into wholesale and retail cuts, fresh meat processing and cookery. Handling, processing and displaying fresh and processed beef, pork, and lamb. Applications of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and food safety concepts to meat processing environments.
Products obtained from animals (meat, eggs, dairy, by-products). Effect of production and processing of food animals upon product safety and quality.
Historical overview of animal welfare and bioethics. Animal welfare issues in farm and companion animals with respect to their use and treatment in the United States and in the global community. The influences of animal protection organizations, consumer groups, politicians, the scientific community, and other stakeholders on the development and enforcement of policies. Pre: Junior Standing.
Microbes and their physiology in animal production. Host-microbe interactions at a cellular/system level. Microbial pathogenesis, microbiome, and metabolism in animal health. Cellular responses to microbe colonization of its animal host. Relate microbial metabolism with diet and animal growth and development. Examine the underlying mechanism behind disease or health resulting from microbe interactions.
Avian embryology and physiological systems, poultry genetics, microbiome, diseases, biotechnology, health and welfare. Social and economic issues facing the poultry industry.
Establishment of sound jumping skills. Continuation of more advanced flat work. Study of hunter courses and cross country jumping. COURSE FEE: $1,500.
Advanced methods and techniques for jumping and precision riding. COURSE FEE: $1,500.
An advanced, variable-content course which explores a topic in the animal sciences such as a significant contemporary issue; an emerging research area of interest to undergraduates; or a semester-long project involving a small group of students. May be repeated for up to three credits, no more than two credits per term.
Selection of market and breeding animals based on subjective and objective methods of evaluation. Basic understanding of evaluation principles, form-to-function, expected progeny differences, and performance records of beef cattle, swine, and sheep. Involves accurate decision making and oral reason presentations.
A comprehensive study of the principles and activities involved in successfully promoting and merchandising livestock. A livestock auction (Hokie Harvest Sale) is held at the conclusion of the course to provide experiences in advertising, salesmanship, livestock photography, facility development, sale management, and budgeting. Pre: Junior standing or consent.
Application of fundamental behavioral concepts and principles to the training of horses in routine handling and groundwork. Preparation, marketing and presentation of horses for show and sale.
Applying critical thinking, ethical reasoning and problem solving in order to make ethical decisions in regard to important contemporary issues in animal agriculture and other areas of the animal sciences; discourse through oral and written communication.
A contemporary analysis of the development, utility and application of high-resolution methods for the study and manipulation of the complete genomes of organisms. The use of new techniques for genomic, metabolic and protein engineering (functional genomics), including high-throughput methods and nanotechnology, will be emphasized.
Comparative aspects of companion animals including physiology, anatomy, nutrition, genetics, reproduction and well-being. Normal and aberrant behaviors along with techniques of behavior modification and pharmacological intervention. Critical evaluation of current legal and ethical issues in the companion animal industry. Limited to dogs, cats and caged birds. Pre-requisite: Junior Standing required Pre-requisites may be waived with permission of instructor.
Application of principles needed to effectively monitor and manage equine herd health. Focus on information synthesis, situation assessment and decision-making skills to develop preventative care protocols and treat illness. Practical application of horse health care techniques for routine and minor emergency situations.
Analysis, formulation, and improvement of diets fed to horses in different physiological stages and metabolic statuses. Nutrient digestion, absorption, and utilization of nutrients. Computer-based ration formulation for horses. Applying economic principles to ration formulation and communicate equine nutrition concepts.
Comprehensive study of conditioning the equine athlete using the principles of exercise physiology, energetics, kinetics, and sports medicine. Anatomy and physiology as it relates to exercise, conditioning and fitness assessment; exercise intolerance; performance nutrition; and medical practices used to support equine athletics.
Idiosyncrasies and conformities of digestive systems and metabolic characteristics of cats, dogs, reptiles, small mammals, birds, and fish. Nutrient requirements by life-stage of cats, dogs, reptiles, small mammals, birds, and fish. Food ingredients, software-based pet food formulations, pet food labels, and regulatory frameworks. Modifications of pet food formulations for life stage and physiological conditions. Attributes of food ingredients that impact quality and nutritional value. Pet food packaging nutritional claims. Evaluation of newly emerging information and scientific literature regarding nutritional requirements of cats, dogs, reptiles, small mammals, birds, and fish.
Principles and techniques in reproductive physiology and herd management related to health, record keeping, estrus detection and synchronization, uterus and ovary condition. Ovarian function and superovulation, semen handling, artificial insemination and pregnancy detection are also considered.
Principles and techniques in equine reproductive physiology and endocrinology. In-depth examination of equine reproduction strategies combined with practical techniques leading to synthesis and evaluation of breeding decisions. Anatomy and physiology of the mare and stallion, estrus detection and manipulation, artificial insemination, semen handling and processing, parturition and early care of neonates will be covered. Other topics will include selection of breeding stock and mating decisions.
Production, management, and reproduction of meat- and egg-type chickens and turkeys. Emphasis is on the application of basic poultry science principles as they relate to commercial poultry enterprises. Advanced topics of economic analysis, program management, and problem solving used in decision making processes in integrated poultry operations.
Study of the commercial and purebred beef cattle and sheep industries. Principles and applications for successful and profitable beef and sheep production.
Reproduction, genetics, nutrition, herd health, planning and economics of private and commercial horse farms, and current issues in the horse industry.
Principles for commercial and seedstock swine production; current management practices, housing and marketing; issues and challenges in the swine industry. Experience in husbandry, research, and other management techniques obtained during laboratory.
Animal health, management, well-being, and government regulation in the maintenance, use and enjoyment of companion and laboratory animals.
Meat animal growth and development processes, micro and gross anatomy, stem cell biology and growth, body and carcass composition with application to animal and carcass evaluation.
Application of principles needed to manage profitable and sustainable beef cattle, sheep, and swine enterprises. Use of techniques to develop and evaluate strategies resulting in sound livestock enterprise management decisions. Focus on advanced animal management protocols, enterprise analysis, resource allocation, marketing options and risk management.
Review and critique of scientific literature related to equine science. Focus on creative and critical thinking. Principles and practice of information analysis, synthesis and evaluation through discourse and technical writing. Practical application of research and communication skills.
Relationship of diet and nutrients to animal behavior and neurobiology. Nervous system control of feeding behavior and metabolism to regulate whole body energy homeostasis in companion, livestock, and poultry species. Interactions of dietary formulations and nutrients affecting brain physiology and pathology.
Student-defined learning experience that utilizes knowledge and skills already learned to acquire new skills, synthesize information and solve problems in the animal sciences. Requires approval from the department before commencement of the experience, and a final report at its conclusion. Open to APSC majors only. Completion of 75 credits towards the APSC degree required.
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