ANSC 417: Beef Cattle and Sheep Production

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	Department of Animal & Food Sciences 044 Townsend Hall 531 S. College Ave. Newark, DE 19716 302/831-2524

Animal and Food Sciences
ANSC 417: Beef Cattle and Sheep Production
4 credit hours

Course Objectives:

To provide students with a basic knowledge and understanding of the management and production of beef cattle and sheep in the United States.
To improve written and oral communication skills.
To improve group work skills.
To improve problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Course Policy
This course should tie together all of the core courses in Animal Science and relate them to the production of beef cattle and sheep. The course has a considerable out-of-class time commitment, and many small assignments. Participation and cooperation are essential to the success and enjoyment of both lecture and laboratory. I hope that you will welcome the opportunity to learn a great deal outside of the classroom, both from the on-farm work and from your classmates.

Lecture Topics

Introduction	Feeder Lamb Management
Industry Structure	Production Management - Cattle
Selection Principles and Breeding Systems	Production Management - Sheep
Beef Cattle Improvement	Marketing Cattle and Sheep
Breeding Systems	Housing and Handling Facilities
Reproduction in Beef Cattle	Behavior of Sheep and Cattle
Ruminant Nutrition Review	Growth and Development
Pasture and Forage Management	The Conversion of Muscle to Meat
Health Management in Sheep	Beef and Lamb Grading
Management of Suckling Calves	Wool
Management of Suckling Lambs	Feeder and Finisher Cattle Management

Lab Topics

Lamb-Watch Information	Cow Body Condition Score
Baby Lamb Care and Management	Forages, Pasture Management
Lambing Difficulty	Fencing
CD&T Vaccines	Computer Record-Keeping
Pregnancy Toxemia	Identification
Calf Processing and Management	Parasite Control
Shearing Sheep	Cattle Auction

Lab topics are added to the syllabus as "real life" management issues/problems arise.

Undergraduate Teaching Assistants
There are opportunities for seniors who have done well in ANSC 417 to gain experience as an undergraduate teaching assistant, assisting the instructors in lab. You must have permission of the lead instructor in ANSC 417 before you register for ANSC 399: Undergraduate Teaching Experience . See Dr. Griffiths before you register for courses.