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Department of Animal & Food Sciences

Animal Sciences at the University of Kentucky has a long and interesting history. It started as part of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station (KAES) in the late 1800s. As the teaching program in Agriculture grew after the A&M College was established, the employees of the KAES developed courses in the Animal Sciences dealing with meat animals, dairy, poultry, and horses. Early courses related to Veterinary Science were taught under one of the umbrellas of Animal Husbandry.
As research and teaching programs evolved, Extension programs were developed under the direction of T.R. Bryant. The Department has had several types of organization. Originally the functions of the KAES and College were officially separate, even though the research group taught classes. This gradually changed, and in 1912 the College and Experiment Station merged into a joint teaching-research unit; most faculty had joint teaching-research appointments. Extension faculty and staff were included later.
Department Policies & Procedures for employees
Social Media
Department News & Events
Upcoming Events
- April 26 - Small Ruminant Bootcamp
- April 29, 30 - 2025 Kentucky Beginning Grazing School
- Meat Cutting School
> May 13-15 - Pork Processing Workshop
> June 16-18 - Beef Processing Workshop
> July 14-16 - Beef Processing Workshop - Beef Management Webinar Series
> April 8 - Health Update and Internal Parasite Field Study Results - CPH45 Feeder Calf Sales
> April 25 - Owensboro, KY - Poultry Webinars
> April 1 - Sprouting grains for poultry diets
> May 6 - Alternative grains for poultry diets - KY Master Small Ruminant Nutrition Course
- Small Ruminant Profit School
News
- From the Horse's Mouth (March '25)
KY 4-H Horse Program Newsletter
- Dr. Camargo, Anna Draeger
3/21•KY 4-H Horse - Introduction to Bale Grazing
(Drs. Jeff Lehmkuhler, Greg Halich)
3/20•UK Beef Bits Podcast - Selling vs. Marketing
(Kevin Laurant)
3/19•Cow Country News - That First Calf Heifer Is Not Mature Cow - So Why Would We Treat Her Like One?
(Dr. Katie VanValin)
3/19•Cow Country News - Creating the Right Diet for your Horse
(Dr. Laurie Lawrence)
3/18•The Horse - General poultry nutrition and mixing your own feed
(Drs. Jacquie Jacob, Wilmer Pacheco)
3/18•Jacquie Jacob YouTube - Organizing the Breeding Season
(Dr. Les Anderson)
3/17•UK Beef Cattle Extension - Timely Tips (Beef Cattle)
(Dr. Anderson, right side)
3/14•Cow Country News - New and Underused EPDs Can Improve Your Herd
(Dr. Darrh Bullock)
3/14•Cow Country News - ‘We have come a long way’: UK Ag Equine Programs celebrates 20 years of equine excellence
(Dr. Mary Rossano)
3/14•UK M-G CAFE News - 2025 Hippology Clinic - Stephanie Meredith
3/12•Kentucky 4-H Hose Program - Off the Hoof (March 2025)
(Drs. Anderson, Arnold, Burdine, VanValin, Teutsch, and Kevin Laurent)
3/11•UK Beef Extension - Winter 2025 Wildcat Canter
(Dr. Camie Heleski)
3/10•Ag Equine Programs - Postweaning Value Added Program
(Dr. Lehmkuhler, Kevin Laurent)
3/7•Beef Bits Podcast - Transmission of HPAI virus?
- Dr. Jacquie Jacob
3/6•eXtension - Small and Backyard Poultry - Spring 2025 Beef Cattle Marketing Opportunities
(Drs. VanValin, Burdine, Kevin Laurent)
3/5•UK Beef Cattle Extension - PVAP Results and Current Market
(Kevin Laurent)
3/5•UK Beef Cattle Extension - 2025 Cattle Market Outlook and Opportunities
(Dr. Kenny Burdine)
3/5•UK Beef Cattle Extension - Building a Balanced Mare and Foal Diet
(Dr. Laurie Lawrence)
3/3•The Horse - University of Kentucky hosts successful Pre-Veterinary Experience Day
(Dr. Amber McNamara, Colette Tebeau)
3/3•UK M-G CAFE News - Pre-Vet Experience Day 2025
(Colette Tebeau)
3/3•UK M-G CAFE YouTube - What do horse owners want and why?
(Dr. Bob Coleman)
2/27•KY Forages YouTube - Do you know what you are feeding?
(Dr. Katie VanValin)
2/27•KY Forages YouTube - ASC-268: Managing and Mitigating Equine and Nuisance Wildlife Interactions
(Dr. Fernanda Camargo)
2/25•UK M-G CAFE Publications - In pursuit of the best protein bar
(Dr. Youling Xiong)
2/24•Wisconsin Public Radio - Extension Beef Programming through the years with Dr. Roy Burris
2/24•Kentucky Ag Matters - From the Horse's Mouth (February '25)
KY 4-H Horse Program Newsletter
(Dr. Camargo, Anna Draeger)
1/21•KY 4-H Horse - Celebrating 160 years of the University of Kentucky — rooted in agriculture, service to the Commonwealth
2/21•UKNOW