Animal science departments of the future

Departments of animal science were established in agricultural colleges of public universities just over 100 yr ago, shortly before the founding of today's American Society of Animal Science. These departments and colleges have been remarkably resilient, changing little structurally. Yet, the future portends significant changes in these departments and colleges in response to shifts in how public higher education is financed and how society views the roles of animals in providing food and companionship. Funding for public higher education will continue to decline as a percentage of government appropriations. Public universities will garner more funding from gifts, endowments, grants, contracts, and tuition but will be held more accountable than today by public officials. Departments of animal science will retain strong constituencies and will be major units of most agricultural colleges; however, their students and faculty will be more diverse. Departments of animal science will focus on more species of animals and on a greater role of animals in society. Disciplines of faculty members in departments of animal science will become broader, and research projects will be more complex and have longer horizons, ultimately focused more on sustainability. Departments will share more resources across state and national boundaries, and there will be less duplication of effort regionally. Departments of animal science will continue to be important academic units of universities into the 22nd century.     

The Animal Sciences Academic Quadrathlon: history, current status, and recommendations

The Animal Sciences Academic Quadrathlon (AQ) provides opportunities for teams of undergraduate animal and dairy science students to participate in regional American Society of Animal Science (ASAS)/American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) meetings and to collectively exhibit their knowledge and talents competitively in 4 categories: 1) solving practical, hands-on, laboratory-type problems; 2) providing written answers to essay-type questions about principles and concepts; 3) preparing and communicating orally and extemporaneously topics of current animal science interest; and 4) quickly responding to short-answer questions provided in the form of double-elimination quiz bowls. Each team is selected by winning the local AQ at their university. Overall and individual category winning teams are recognized, but team rankings are not emphasized. The ASAS/ADSA members provide leadership for organizing and conducting the AQ, and ASAS and each university provide travel expenses for students. The ultimate purpose is to stimulate academic excellence among undergraduate students and for the students to attend ASAS/ADSA regional scientific meetings to meet faculty and students and to attend scientific research presentations. The purpose of this document was to provide a history of the event and to make recommendations for its improvement. The AQ was conceived in 1967. During the next 10 yr, an ASAS committee developed procedures for a trial AQ held in 1980 at the ASAS Midwestern Section, Kansas State University-Manhattan, and in the next year the first official AQ was held at the ASAS Midwestern Section at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Starting in 1985, AQ programs were initiated at the other 3 ASAS sectional meetings, and an estimated 50,000 students representing 60 universities have participated in AQ programs since that time. If the AQ is to continue its improvement over time, it will greatly depend on sustained ASAS/ADSA faculty interest and support, as well as greater adherence to the original AQ procedures.     

动物科学专业本科生对《畜产品加工学》双语教学的需求分析

《畜产品加工学》是动物科学专业学生重要的专业核心课.长期以来,该课程所采取的中文教学内容和方式已经难以适应培养现代化和国际化动物科学人才的要求,必须进行相应的改革.但是在教学改革之前了解学生需求是必不可少的过程,笔者对扬州大学动物科学专业本科生《畜产品加工学》双语教学的需求进行分析,以期为该课程双语教学的实施提供依据,...     

Animal welfare education: development and prospects

Animal welfare has developed rapidly as a scientific discipline since the 1980s. Concepts have been refined, methodologies for assessment developed, and links made to other areas of science. Changes in the subject and in its teaching are required. Since 1986, a series of senior academic teaching posts in the subject have been created, especially in the last 10 years. Veterinary and animal science students should receive a specific course on animal welfare, in addition to mention of the subject in other courses. In the future, more allusion to developments in understanding of welfare in relation to disease and brain measures of welfare is likely. The central role of animal welfare in veterinary and animal science teaching will become more firmly established.     

《家畜环境卫生学》教学内容和教学方法改革

《家畜环境卫生学》是动物科学专业、动物医学专业的一门专业基础课.该文提出通过创新教学内容和教学方法加强这门课程的实用性和适用性.教学内容应与时俱进,体现生产需要;教学方法上,利用多媒体和网络平台等多种手段,采用以问题为基础的教学法、双语教学等多种形式,并利用大学生创新平台推进教学方法改革,提高学生的综合素质.     

ASAS Centennial Paper: The future of teaching and research in companion animal biology in departments of animal sciences

Departments of animal sciences must be relevant to a society in which a small number of people can raise almost all the food animal products needed. The declining number of people involved in animal agriculture has decreased enrollment of students interested in food animals in many departments of animal science. However, several departments welcomed students from a diverse background and began research on animals other than food animals. In many states, the undergraduate enrollment is made up primarily of students interested only in companion animals. A benefit of this is that we have recruited new students into animal agriculture and they have gone on to excellent careers. We have a new challenge now: how to maintain and expand the efforts in teaching, research, and outreach of companion animal science. Departments wishing to expand in teaching have examples of successful courses and curricula from other departments. Some departments have expanded their teaching efforts across their own university to teach about pets to a wider audience than their own majors; other departments can follow. In research, a small number of faculty have been able to establish extramurally funded projects on pets, including horses. But it will be difficult for more than a handful of departments to have a serious research effort in dogs, cats, birds, fish, or exotic animals. Departments will have to make a concerted effort to invest in such endeavors; joint ventures with other universities and colleges of veterinary medicine (or medicine) will probably be required. Funding sources for "traditional" efforts in nutrition, reproduction, and physiology are small and inconsistent; however, with the progress of the equine, canine, and feline genome projects, there should be opportunities from federal funding sources aimed at using animal models for human health. In addition, efforts in animal behavior and welfare can be expanded, perhaps with some funding from private foundations or animal-supportive organizations.     

Problems and possibilities into the next decade involving beef cattle breeding research in the southern region: experiment station herds.

Opinions on expected support of animal breeding and genetics research into the next decade were requested from heads of Departments of Animal Science and directors of agricultural experiment stations in the Southern Region and from directors of agricultural experiment stations outside the Southern Region. A majority of administrators in all three groups expect a reduction in assignment of state appropriated funds for beef cattle breeding research compared with total support available. Cattle numbers and land areas assigned to breeding and genetics research may be more limited in the future. Directors of agricultural experiment stations expect animal breeding scientists to work more closely with scientists in biotechnology and to become more involved in multidisciplinary research to reduce the costs associated with maintaining large herds of cattle. Departments of Animal Science do not expect to reduce significantly the number of animal breeding positions, but they may reassign some that come open to balance departmental opportunities. Animal breeding scientists will be needed to educate graduate students, teach classes, and handle research responsibilities as in the past.     

Shrinking membership in the American Society of Animal Science: does the discipline of poultry science give us some clues?

Concerns have been expressed by the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) leadership about the declining membership in ASAS. I present the viewpoint that the history of the Poultry Science Association (PSA) membership and the elimination of poultry science departments from many land grant universities could be an indication of what the future holds for animal science. I suggest that the industrialization of poultry production has led to a decline in the demand for traditionally trained poultry scientists. Industrialization of swine production is proceeding rapidly, with other animal-based industries showing the same trend. If maintaining a large ASAS membership is indeed a priority, new opportunities must be developed. Equine and companion animal programs offer such possibilities, tapping into a high level of student interest.     

《畜牧学概论》课程的教学改革探索

 畜牧学概论是为非动物科学专业设置的课程。通过教学理念更新、课程内容调整、增强学生对课程的感性认识、采用互动教学方式、畜牧小项目设计、多媒体课件制作以及考评方式优化等方面的教学改革,有效地改善了教学效果。     

开放式教学模式在《动物繁殖学》课程中的应用

动物科学专业培养具备动物科学方面的基本理论、基本知识和基本技能,具有从事动物科学研究能力的高级专业技术人才。动物繁殖学是一门重要的专业基础课程。通过改革和探索教材编排模式、理论教学模式、实验教学模式、实习教学模式,并充分利用现有实践教学资源,以期建立《动物繁殖学》开放式的教学体系,充分调动学生的积极性,强化学生的综合素质和能力,提高课程的教学效果和质量。     

Teaching animal welfare at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Veterinary Science

Animal welfare is part of the Mission Statement of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney and is taught throughout the undergraduate curriculum. Two units of study have a particular focus on animal welfare: Professional Practice in years 1, 2, and 3 and Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science in year 3. There is an emphasis on the refinement and development of alternatives to the use of animals in teaching. With a conscientious objection policy in place, these elements of our approach demonstrate the increasing importance of ethical teaching in the faculty. Undergraduate students have recently founded a vibrant special interest group called Veterinary Students for Animal Welfare. The faculty is advised on matters relating to animal welfare by its Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, chaired by the Sub-Dean for Animal Welfare. With the development of a Faculty Animal Welfare Policy, the faculty is progressing to a more proactive and public profile on animal welfare issues.     

多种教学模式在《羊生产学》课程中的应用

《羊生产学》是动物科学专业本科生必修的一门重要基础课,该课程与畜牧生产密切相关,具有较强的实践性。随着现代经济的不断发展、人们生活及生产方式的改变,传统教育方式的弊端日益凸显,使得当代大学生对羊及羊产业缺乏足够的认识,这在一定程度上增加了本课程知识传授的挑战性。本文针对传统教学中存在的不足,充分考虑到该课程的实际应用性,从教学方法、教学内容和实践技能训练等方面入手,尝试对《羊生产学》课程中教学内容覆盖范围不合理、理论与生产实践脱节等难题进行探究性改革,从而提高教学质量,为培育高素质专业技术人才奠定良好基础。     

ASAS centennial paper: Landmark discoveries in swine nutrition in the past century

During this centennial year of the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), it is of interest to look back over the history of our Society and, in particular, to the many contributions made by researchers in the area of swine nutrition. A great number of basic and applied research studies involving the nutrition of weanling, growing, and finishing pigs, and gestating and lactating sows have been conducted by swine nutritionists during the past 100 yr. Most of these studies were conducted at universities by animal scientists or by the graduate students under their leadership. Others were conducted by nutritionists in the feed and pharmaceutical industries and government scientists at ARS/USDA research centers. Contributions were also made by animal scientists beyond our borders. Much of the research was published in the Journal of Animal Science during its 66 yr of existence. Before the first issue of the journal was published in 1942, some of the earlier studies were reported in the Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Society of Animal Production, the forerunner of ASAS. These research studies have progressively led to a better understanding of the role and utilization of dietary energy, protein, AA, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins by pigs and have helped to quantify the nutrient requirements of pigs for various stages of growth, for sows during gestation and lactation, and to a limited extent, for boars. Determining the nutritional value of a wide array of feedstuffs, evaluating feeding strategies, and assessing the value of growth-promoting and carcass-enhancing agents have been important research contributions as well. To identify the particular studies that were among the most instrumental in contributing to our present knowledge of swine nutrition is, to say the least, a daunting assignment. To aid in this task, a survey of swine nutritionists was conducted in which they were asked to identify and rank the 10 most significant findings in swine nutrition during the past 100 yr. The results of that survey are presented in this paper.     

澳大利亚高校教学方法对吉林农业科技学院学生动物实验技能提高的启示

在生命科学研究领域,实验动物和动物实验起着非常重要的作用,为了提高本科生动物实验技能的训练,以适应就业岗位的需要,结合澳大利亚高校教学方法,对吉林农业科技学院动物科技学院相关专业实验动物技术课程进行理论和实验教学内容及方法的调整与改进,在教学理念方面强调“以学生本”,理论教学采用小组合作式和以问题为导向的教学模式;实验教学以项目法结合教师科研以提高学生动物实验技能为目的,多种教学方法相互融合以提高教学效果,旨在提高该校本科生动物实验技能,提高科技创新能力及就业竞争力。     

高职农业院校家畜育种学课程教学内容和方法的实践与探讨

家畜育种学是动物科学专业必修的专业基础课。根据养殖企业人才需求及本科和专科学生的特点,实践开展了匹配专科畜牧兽医和本科动物科学专业（4＋0）共享的家畜育种学课程,从重新组织编排教学内容到合理组织教学策略,即突出有用性、适用性和新颖性;采用丰富的教学方法和手段,合理安排理论和实训课程;通过多样的考核方式,综合评定教学效果。以培养学生科学思维为出发点,熟练掌握一线实践技能为落脚点,逐步提高学生的综合实践能力,并获得了良好的教学效果。     

提高《科技写作》课程教学效果的探索

针对目前西藏大学农牧学院动物科学专业《科技写作》教学中存在的主要问题,提出应对措施并总结实施后的教学效果,以探索提高该课程教学效果的方法,从而提高学生的科技论文写作能力。     

ASAS-NANP SYMPOSIUM: Review of systems thinking concepts and their potential value in animal science research

Worldwide, our collective research and policy institutions, including the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), are calling for more systems-based research and analysis of society’s most pressing and complex problems. However, the use of systems analysis within animal science remains limited and researchers may not have the tools to answer this call. This review thus introduces important concepts in systems thinking methodology, such as policy resistance, feedback processes, and dynamic complexity. An overall rationale for systems thinking and analysis is presented, along with examples of the application of these concepts in current animal science research. In order to contrast systems approaches to more frequently employed event-oriented research frameworks, both frameworks are then applied to the ASAS’ identified “Grand Challenge” problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in order to compare these two kinds of analyses. Systems thinking stresses the importance of underlying system structures that lead to persistent problem behaviors vs a focus on unidirectional cause-and-effect relationships. A potential systems framework for animal production decisions to use antimicrobials is shown that more explicitly accounts for AMR in a way that can lead to different animal production decisions than the event-oriented framework. Acknowledging and accounting for fundamental system structures that can explain persistent AMR will lead to different potential solutions to this problem than would be suggested from more linear approaches. The challenges and benefits of incorporating systems methods into animal science research are then discussed.     

The Equine Science Society: From the 1st to the 25th Symposium

In 1968, the group currently known as the Equine Science Society hosted its first symposium. At the meeting, there were 27 participants representing about a dozen institutions and 23 research presentations were given. In 2017, the Society is hosting its 25^th Symposium and will have over 200 presentations from individuals representing about 120 institutions. Throughout the history of the Society, the objectives have been to promote quality equine research, establish communication amongst those involved with equine research, teaching, extension, and production, conduct periodic symposia, and cooperate with other organizations having similar interests.     

动物生物化学实验教学改革初探

针对动物生物化学的学科特点及传统实验教学不利于培养学生创新思维和动手能力的实际问题,河南科技大学动物科技学院课程组在动物生物化学实验教学中,分别从采用自主性教学模式、优化实验教学内容、考核方式的合理化以及综合应用能力的培养等方面进行了探索和尝试,并取得了一定的效果。