Visit

Main Content Area

Animal Science students caring for a calf

Animal ScienceCertificates

Start or advance your career with a one-year animal science certificate at Aims. Certificates let you build credit toward a degree program or refresh and sharpen skills for your career.

These one-year certificate programs prepare you for entry-to-mid-level positions in the agriculture and meat industries working in dairy and feed yards or retail agricultural businesses.

Introduction to Animal Science Certificate

This introductory certificate teaches the basics of animal science theory and practice. Study livestock breeding and handling, feeds and feeding, and farm and ranch management.

Row Groupings Certificate Requirements: Credits
required

Covers the basic fundamentals of livestock production including the principles of nutrition, reproduction, breeding, genetics, health, and physiology of cattle, sheep, swine, horses, and other farm species. Trends and issues in animal science and animal agriculture are also discussed in this course. Course is not repeatable for credit.

3
required

Focuses on the basic nutrients, common feeds and feed additives, anatomy of digestsive systems, and basic feeding practices for beef, sheep, and dairy. The lab portion of the class is devoted to calculating and balancing rations to fulfill nutrient requirement for farm animals for growth, finishing, reproduction, lactation, work, and wool production. Explores least cost ration balancing on the computer. Course is not repeatable for credit.

Course Prerequisites

ASC 1100 with a grade of "C" or better

4
required

Provide students with practical experience in applying principles of economics, business, marketing, and finance to the management of a farm/ranch operation. Course is not repeatable for credit.

3
required

This course introduces basic computer terminology, file management, and PC system components. Provides an overview of office application software including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation graphics. Includes the use of a web browser to access the Internet. Course is not repeatable for credit.

3
Total Credits for Certificate 13

Animal Science Certificate

Learn the animal science fundamentals of livestock breeding and handling. Study farm animal anatomy and physiology, feeds and feeding, carcass evaluation and farm and ranch management.

Row Groupings Certificate Requirements Credits
required

Provide students with practical experience in applying principles of economics, business, marketing, and finance to the management of a farm/ranch operation. Course is not repeatable for credit.

3
required

Covers the basic fundamentals of livestock production including the principles of nutrition, reproduction, breeding, genetics, health, and physiology of cattle, sheep, swine, horses, and other farm species. Trends and issues in animal science and animal agriculture are also discussed in this course. Course is not repeatable for credit.

3
required

Focuses on the basic nutrients, common feeds and feed additives, anatomy of digestsive systems, and basic feeding practices for beef, sheep, and dairy. The lab portion of the class is devoted to calculating and balancing rations to fulfill nutrient requirement for farm animals for growth, finishing, reproduction, lactation, work, and wool production. Explores least cost ration balancing on the computer. Course is not repeatable for credit.

Course Prerequisites

ASC 1100 with a grade of "C" or better

4
required

Introduces students to the basic concepts of farm animal anatomy and physiology with emphasis on concepts relating to nutrition, reproduction, Immunology, and growth of the basic farm species. ~Anatomy and Physiology is taught in the context of applying basic principles to production practices in the industry including reproductive management, livestock nutrition management, and animal health practices. Course is not repeatable for credit.

Course Prerequisites

ASC 1100 with a grade of "C" or better

3
required

Explores meat carcass evaluation and the related yield and quality grading system. Emphasizes selection of breeding stock based on performance data. Covers comparative selection, grading, and judging of market and breeding classes of livestock based on knowledge of phenotype, performance, information, and/or carcass merit. Course is not repeatable for credit.

Course Prerequisites

ASC 1100 with a grade of "C" or better.

3
required

This course introduces basic computer terminology, file management, and PC system components. Provides an overview of office application software including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation graphics. Includes the use of a web browser to access the Internet. Course is not repeatable for credit.

3
Total Credits for Certificate 19