Dairy Science

The dairy science program at UW-River Falls is one of the three largest undergraduate dairy science programs in the U.S., with approximately 125 students enrolled. Our program is housed within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Dairy science is an applied science that prepares students for all aspects of dairy cattle production, including feeding, breeding, health and management. Our students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to manage a dairy enterprise, pursue a career with a business or organization that serves the industry, or continue their education in veterinary or graduate school. The curriculum focuses on genetics, health, nutrition, production and animal welfare. Our faculty are here to provide support and guide students toward a career that best suits their interests and abilities. Students receive a well-rounded education and learn just how closely disciplines such as agricultural business, agricultural engineering and crop science work together within the dairy industry.

Our Dairy Learning Center is a state-of-the-art teaching laboratory and farm located minutes from campus. This facility allows our faculty to engage students in a hand-on learning environment, helping our graduates easily transition into the working world.

The dairy science major offers two program areas, which guide students in choosing appropriate course work for their career path:    

• Management emphasis: The management emphasis focuses on the development of business skills needed in today's dairy industry and allows flexibility for students to pursue additional avenues of interest.
• Science emphasis: For those interested in graduate work or veterinary medicine, the science emphasis includes the necessary hours of chemistry, mathematics, physical and biological sciences.

Why Dairy Science at UWRF?

Students are drawn to the dairy science program for several reasons:  

• Employ-ability. Employers consistently look to hire our graduates.   
• A shared love for the dairy industry and immediate sense of belonging.
• Involvement in the Dairy Club and dairy cattle judging.     
• Connections with the dairy industry allow students to secure internships, engage in mentorship programs, and learn about cutting-edge research.

Faculty

The Animal and Food Science Department offers a major in dairy science as well as an animal science major (options in equine, meat animal, companion animal or veterinary technology). Our faculty and staff consists of about 18 full-time members, allowing more experts to teach within their discipline. In addition, our faculty possess a broad base of experience with all farm animal species. Three of the current faculty members have won the campus-wide "Distinguished Teacher of the Year" award.

Facilities

CAFES maintains two laboratory farms. Both the Mann Valley Farm and the Campus Farm are heavily utilized for course work by the animal science faculty. These farms include dairy, beef, swine, sheep, poultry and equine enterprises. In addition, the department operates an on-campus dairy manufacturing plant and a fully-equipped meat processing facility.