The Animal Science: Dairy Management major at UNH prepares you for diverse careers in the agricultural sector. By integrating comprehensive technical and classroom learning with experience-based training at UNH's on-campus dairy research and teaching center, you’ll be quipped to excel in dairy production, agribusiness and animal health fields.
What is dairy management?
In dairy management, students learn all the fundamentals of running a dairy farm, from caring for the animals to managing the business end of the operation. Core courses in animal science give students a strong foundation in biology, animal health, nutrition, genetics and reproduction. Further, students in the dairy program take electives in agribusiness finance, personnel management and public relations, all critical to success in this field.
Why study dairy management at UNH?
Our students have exceptional access to hands-on learning opportunities through UNH’s modern dairy facilities, the Fairchild Dairy Teaching and Research Center and the Burley-DeMerritt Organic Dairy Research Farm. UNH also provides Dairy Management students the opportunity to run a portion of the Fairchild herd through the Cooperative Real Education in Agricultural Management program, better known as CREAM. Students in the year-long course practice principles learned in class directly on the farm, from personnel management to balancing diets, gaining critical experience for future career success.
Potential Careers
- Agribusiness
- Agricultural technologies
- Communications (e.g. Journalist)
- Extension Specialist
- Herdsperson or Farm manager
- Milk quality and testing
- Nutritionist or feed sales
- Pharmaceutical sales or development
- Product sales
- Reproduction and genetics
- Research technician
- Veterinarian
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UNH Students tour dairy farmsIn January 2025, University of New Hampshire (UNH) students and faculty joined peers from six New England land-grant universities on a weeklong tour of 16 dairy farms across the northeastern U.S. and Canada, beginning with visits to UNH’s own Fairchild Dairy Teaching and Research Center, to gain firsthand insights into diverse dairy management practices and innovations.Learn More -
Dairy science students attend the 2019 American Dairy Science Association Annual MeetingFour UNH dairy science students and Prof. Pete Erickson recently attended the 2019 American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) annual meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio.Learn More
Curriculum & Requirements
The Animal Science: Dairy Management option is designed to provide students with solid training in areas important to the successful management of a dairy enterprise, for employment in related agribusinesses (e.g., pharmaceutical and feed industries), or for those wishing to pursue additional training leading to the M.S. or Ph.D. degree in dairy science or its related disciplines. Dairy management students receive training in areas such as nutrition, reproduction, diseases, genetics, lactation physiology, forages, agribusiness finance, personnel management, computer science, and public relations. Students in the Dairy Management Option will be able to practice hands-on skills on our two modern dairy facilities; the on campus Fairchild Dairy Teaching and Research Center milking 100 Holstein cows and the Burley-DeMeritt Organic Dairy Research Farm in Lee milking 50 Jersey cows.
Sample Degree Plan
This sample degree plan serves as a general guide; students collaborate with their academic advisor to develop a personalized degree plan to meet their academic goals and program requirements.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| AAS 425 | Introduction to Dairy Herd Management | 4 |
| BIOL 411 | Introductory Biology: Molecular and Cellular | 4 |
| CHEM 403 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| ENGL 401 | First-Year Writing (or Discovery) | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| AAS 423 | Dairy Selection (Little Royal) | 2 |
| ANSC 406 | Careers in Animal Science | 1 |
| BIOL 412 | Introductory Biology: Evolution, Biodiversity and Ecology | 4 |
| CHEM 404 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| ENGL 401 | First-Year Writing (or Discovery) | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| AAS 432 | Introduction to Forage and Grassland Management | 3 |
| ANSC 511 | Animal Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| ANSC 612 | Genetics of Animals | 4 |
| ANSC 650 | Dairy Industry Travel Course | 1 |
| Discovery course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANSC 512 | Animal Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| ANSC 543 | Technical Writing in Animal Sciences (WI) 1 | 2 |
| ANSC 548 | Agricultural Business Management | 4 |
| BIOL 528 | Applied Biostatistics I | 4 |
| Discovery course | 4 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ANSC 625 | Animal Diseases | 4 |
| ANSC 698 | Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management (CREAM) | 4 |
| BMS 503 & BMS 504 | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 5 |
| Discovery course | 4 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANSC 609 | Principles of Animal Nutrition | 4 |
| ANSC 627 | Animal Health Applications | 4 |
| ANSC 698 | Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management (CREAM) | 4 |
| BMCB 501 | Biological Chemistry | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ANSC 715 | Physiology of Lactation (or Discovery course) | 4 |
| ANSC 727 | Advanced Dairy Management I | 4 |
| Discovery course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANSC 602 | Animal Rights and Societal Issues (WI) | 4 |
| ANSC 710 | Dairy Nutrition | 4 |
| ANSC 724 | Reproductive Management and Artificial Insemination (or Discovery course) | 4 |
| ANSC 728 | Advanced Dairy Management II (WI, capstone) | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 130 | |
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ENGL 419, ENGL 501, ENGL 502 and ENGL 503 may be substituted.
Degree Requirements
All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.
Major Requirements
GPA requirements for all students in Animal Science: Students will be required to earn a C- or better in the foundation courses and all required courses for the animal science major to receive credit toward graduation. Students failing to do this will need to retake the course in order to receive credit.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | ||
| BIOL 411 | Introductory Biology: Molecular and Cellular | 4 |
| BIOL 412 | Introductory Biology: Evolution, Biodiversity and Ecology | 4 |
| CHEM 403 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 404 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| BIOL 528 | Applied Biostatistics I | 4 |
| BMS 503 & BMS 504 | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 5 |
| Select from the following: | ||
| BMCB 501 | Biological Chemistry | 4-5 |
| or BMCB 658 & BMCB 659 | General Biochemistry and General Biochemistry Lab | |
| Requirements for All Animal Science Majors | ||
| ANSC 406 | Careers in Animal Science | 1 |
| ANSC 511 | Animal Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| ANSC 512 | Animal Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| ANSC 543 | Technical Writing in Animal Sciences (or equivalent) 1 | 2 |
| ANSC 602 | Animal Rights and Societal Issues | 4 |
| ANSC 609 | Principles of Animal Nutrition | 4 |
| ANSC 612 | Genetics of Animals | 4 |
| ANSC 625 | Animal Diseases | 4 |
| Total Credits | 56-57 | |
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ENGL 501 Introduction to Creative Nonfiction, ENGL 502 Professional and Technical Writing, ENGL 503 Persuasive Writing, or ENGL 419 How to Read Anything.
Students are responsible for the completion of the animal science foundation courses and the requirements for all animal science majors (both lists of courses above).
Students interested in graduate school should take two semesters of Organic Chemistry and one semester of Biochemistry.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Management Option Requirements | ||
| AAS 423 | Dairy Selection | 2 |
| AAS 425 | Introduction to Dairy Herd Management | 4 |
| AAS 432 | Introduction to Forage and Grassland Management | 3 |
| ANSC 548 | Agricultural Business Management | 4 |
| ANSC 627 | Animal Health Applications | 4 |
| ANSC 650 | Dairy Industry Travel Course | 1 |
| ANSC 698 | Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management (CREAM) (two-semester course) | 8 |
| ANSC 710 | Dairy Nutrition | 4 |
| ANSC 715 | Physiology of Lactation | 4 |
| or ANSC 724 | Reproductive Management and Artificial Insemination | |
| ANSC 727 | Advanced Dairy Management I | 4 |
| ANSC 728 | Advanced Dairy Management II (will also fulfill the Capstone requirement) | 4 |
| Total Credits | 42 | |
Program Learning Outcomes
Students will gain a fundamental knowledge of the animal science related disciplines of:
Anatomy & Physiology
- Students will be able to recognize the complimentary relationship of anatomic structure and function and accurately describe the basic physiologic processes of mammalian organ systems.
Nutrition
- Students will be able to identify, compare, contrast, and link different concepts regarding animal feeding and metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and protein in major livestock species and equine.
Genetics
- Students will understand basic principles and applications of inheritance, the difference between qualitative genetics, and be able to discuss the various disciplines within genetics.
Disease
- Students will understand the modes of transmission of infectious diseases, recognize signs of illness associated with notable diseases in livestock species, and be able to appropriately apply general concepts of disease prevention and biosecurity to a variety of management situations.
Reproduction
- Students will comprehend the mechanisms and endocrine control of gametogenesis, fertilization, pregnancy, and lactation and understand the variety of factors that can influence reproductive success.
Animal Ethics
- Students will recognize the numerous ways that humans use, benefit from, and conflict with non-human animals and have an awareness of the variety of motivations and influences that drive these relationships.
Critical Analysis & Communication
- Students will be able to develop critical questions that facilitate their independent investigation of topics related to animal science and demonstrate an integration of discipline specific knowledge through engaging in experiential education opportunities.
- Students will be able to conduct literature searches using relevant databases to critically evaluate both academic and popular press resources pertinent to the animal sciences.
- Students will be able to construct well-supported, effectively organized written arguments to express informed perspectives on animal science related topics. These writings will demonstrate professional style, appropriate mechanics (grammar, punctuation, and spelling), and the correct use of citations.
Explore Program Details
CREAM is a student-run cooperative in which 25 UNH students operate and manage a small business consisting of a registered Holstein dairy herd. CREAM is a yearlong course that gives students the opportunity to gain hands on experience in working with the dairy cows. Each fall, the herd is passed on to a new group of students with the help of a transition team of student advisors, as well as dairy center personnel, and faculty advisors. CREAM has been operating at UNH since 1997 and has progressed as a program each year due to the dedication and commitment of the students, faculty, and dairy center staff.
Students interested in the Animal Science: Dairy Management major may also be interested in the following advanced degrees at UNH. Students in the program also have the opportunity to participate in the UNH accelerated master’s program.
Natural Resources and the Environment M.S.
Natural Resources: Ecosystem Science M.S.
Natural Resources: Environmental Conservation and Sustainability M.S.
Natural Resources: Environmental Economics M.S.
The University of New Hampshire participates in the New England Board of Higher Education’s New England Regional Student Program where New England public universities and colleges offer a number of undergraduate curricula with reduced tuition to students from other New England states. The Animal Science: Dairy Management major qualifies for this program for certain New England states. See here for more information: New England Regional Student Program (NERSP)
