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Animal Science - Sustainable Livestock Production Specialization

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General Information

The undergraduate Animal Science specialization at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo started in 1975. In 1990, the Animal Science Production curriculum was developed, which evolved into Sustainable Livestock Production. UH Hilo has relatively small class sizes which allows for more faculty-student interaction and individual attention. All Animal Science classes have lectures and hands-on lab periods. UH Hilo has a 110-acre farm with various enterprises including a livestock operation with beef cattle, hair sheep, horses, meat goats, poultry and swine. Students have the chance to work with these animals in labs.

Why Study Sustainable Livestock Production?

Livestock has been used throughout history for producing food and fiber. Because of pollution and dwindling natural resources, more farmers and ranchers are adopting sustainable production methods. If properly managed, livestock help to preserve the land and environment for future generations.

The Animal Science Sustainable Livestock Production curriculum helps to prepare students to work with livestock on farms and ranches or to obtain positions in the livestock industry or related fields. The Big Island of Hawai‘i has some excellent livestock operations including Parker Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the U.S. Former Animal Science students have taken positions at farms, dairies, ranches, equestrian centers, experiment stations, quarantine stations, veterinary clinics and zoos. Positions also exist with companies that sell feed, food products, livestock products and supplies.

Requirements for Graduation

To earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture with a specialization in Animal Science Sustainable Livestock Production, a student must complete a minimum of 123 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0. The course work must be in the following areas:

General Education Requirements (40 hrs)
(see UH Hilo General Education Requirements)

In the Agriscience and Supplemental Requirements sections, some of the required courses also qualify as General Education Requirements. Because of this, students need to complete only 15 hours of courses in this section.

Title/Courses Credits
English Composition:
Eng 100 or Eng 100T or ESL 100
3 hrs
Quantitative Reasoning (100 or 200 level Math, except 199 or 299)
Math 121 taken under the Supplemental Requirements also applicable here.
3 hrs
World Cultures:
TWO courses
Ag 230 or Anth 100 or Eng 253 or Eng 254 or Eng 275 or Geog 102 or Hist 151 or Hist 152 or KInd 240
Ag 230 taken under the Agriscience Requirements also applicable here.
6 hrs
Humanities:
THREE 100 or 200 level courses in different disciplines.
Com 100, 151, 200, or 251 and Eng 225 taken under the Supplemental Requirements also applicable here.
9 hrs
Social Sciences:
THREE 100 or 200 level courses in different disciplines.
AgEc 201 taken under the Agriscience Requirements also applicable here.
9 hrs
Natural Sciences:
THREE 100 or 200 level courses in different disciplines.
Including 1 credit hour of laboratory.
Courses taken under the Agriscience & Supplemental Requirements also applicable here.
10 hrs

Requirements for Major (including GE courses, 123 hrs)

Course Title Credits
Agriscience Requirements (64 hrs)
Ag 230* Sustainable Agriculture 3 hrs
Ag 497
Senior Seminar 1 hr
AgBu 110
Introduction to Microcomputing for Agriculture 3 hrs
AgEc 201*
Agriculture Economics 3 hrs
AgEc 221*
Agricultural Accounting and Records Analysis 3 hrs
AgEc 322 or
AgEc 330
Marketing Agricultural Products or
Farm Management
3 hrs
AgEn 231
Introduction to Agricultural Mechanization 3 hrs
Agrn 410
Soil-Plant-Herbivore Interrelations 3 hrs
AnSc 141*
Introduction to Animal Science 3 hrs
AnSc 244* Fundamentals of Animal Nutrition 3 hrs
AnSc 321 Feeds and Feeding 3 hrs
AnSc 350 Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals 3 hrs
AnSc 445 Animal Breeding and Genetics
3 hrs
AnSc 450 Reproduction of Farm Animals 3 hrs
AnSc 453 Animal Diseases and Parasites I 3 hrs
AnSc 454 Animal Diseases and Parasites II 3 hrs
AnSc 490 Animal Science Internship 3 hrs
AnSc 342 or
AnSc 351 or
AnSc 353 or
AnSc 354 or
AnSc 355
Animal Science Production Courses:
THREE Courses
9 hrs
Hort 262* Principles of Horticulture 3 hrs
Soil 304 Tropical Soil 3 hrs
Supplemental Requirements (27 hrs)
Biol 175 & 175L* Introductory Biology I and Lab 4 hrs
Biol 176 & 176L* Introductory Biology II and Lab 4 hrs
Chem 124 & 124D & 124L* General Chemistry I and Discussion and Lab 5 hrs
Chem 125 & 124D & 125L* General Chemistry II and Discussion and Lab 5 hrs

Com 100* or
Com 200* or
Com 251*

Human Communication in a Diverse Society or
Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication or
Public Speaking
3 hrs
Eng 225* WI/Writing for Science and Technology 3 hrs
Math 121* Introduction to Statistics and Probability 3 hrs
Electives (17 hrs)

Some suggested electives are other Animal Science courses not listed as requirements, other agricultural courses and other science courses. Additional science courses (Biol 270, Biol 275, Biol 380, Biol 410, Biol 466, Chem 241/242, Phys 106/170L, Phys 107/171L, Math 104) would be useful if you decide later to apply for M.S. or D.V.M. program after graduation.

NOTE: AnSc 141 must be completed before taking other Animal Science classes. Ag 497 may be taken before senior year.

*Can be used for General Education Requirements, if courses are from lower division.

EFFECTIVE FALL 2006 (rev 08/06)

Animal Science - Sustainable Livestock Production Curriculum Sheet