This fall the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences launched a new undergraduate major – Dairy and Food Animal Management (DFAM) – that builds on the 159-year legacy of the university’s Dairy Science program by adding key improvements in response to industry partner feedback. The new major, which takes the place of the Dairy Science major, is designed to better prepare students for the expanding array of impactful careers across animal agriculture – including dairy, meat science, and other animal species – now and into the future.
Animal agriculture has changed tremendously in recent years, and challenges are abundant: consolidation at the farm, processor, and retailer levels, changing consumer preferences, critical environmental concerns, complex global supply chains, and labor shortages, to name a few. Despite these challenges, countless opportunities exist for well-trained, forward-thinking students. For years, ADS had been hearing the same consistent message from alumni and stakeholders: that graduates need stronger business and management training and more effective interpersonal skills to tackle today’s challenges and embrace tomorrow’s opportunities.
The Dairy and Food Animal Management major provides students with that critical training; it is designed to open the door to those opportunities. All the courses, student experiences, and training that were available to past dairy science students continue to be available within DFAM – and so much more. Students take introductory courses in animal science, agricultural economics, agricultural finance, and farming systems management. Building on that foundation, students choose additional courses from three focus areas:
- Animal sciences, the underpinnings of farm animal biology – includes courses in animal nutrition, physiology, genetics, health, and welfare
- Food and animal agriculture, the broad array of topics students will face in today’s fast-paced world, includes courses in dairy herd management, commercial meat processing, digital agriculture, forage management, soil ecosystems, and international agriculture
- Business, economics, and management, the skills they will need to lead a company or organization effectively – includes courses in commodity markets, accounting, food supply chain management, and human resources
Learn more about the DFAM major, including career paths, research and internships, and student organizations such as our Dairy Challenge team, Saddle and Sirloin Club, and Badger Dairy Club to name a few.
Launching the DFAM major is the most recent step towards expanding the department’s research, teaching, and outreach portfolio. In fall 2023, ADS transitioned the Animal Sciences major into the Animal and Veterinary Biosciences major, which has seen rapid growth in enrollment.
Questions? Please contact Eric Ronk at eronk@wisc.edu.