A historical perspective of the meat industry together with major changes in body type and composition in both the live animal and its end product meat. Students will evaluate live market animals (swine, cattle, sheep), harvest the market animals, and follow their carcasses and cuts through fabrication and distribution channels. Major topics of discussion will focus on growth and development, inspection, grading, physical and chemical composition of meat and postmortem changes that affect meat quality.

Selection principles of purebred and commercial beef cattle, sheep, swine and meat goats. Evaluation of live animal and carcass characteristics of beef cattle, sheep, swine and meat goats. Emphasis placed on oral reasons.

Further consideration of the factors involved in selecting, grading and evaluating carcasses and wholesale cuts of beef, pork, and lamb. Emphasis will be placed on writing reasons.

Advanced study of conformation, performance and breeding value in the horse. Selection of horses based on conformation, breed characteristics and movement. Emphasis will be placed on developing a knowledge of industry standards for evaluating horses for different uses.

Selection and advanced evaluation principles of purebred dairy cattle for type characteristics. Emphasis placed on oral reasons and contest procedures.

An introduction to the functional anatomy and physiology of major body systems in domestic animals. Emphasis will be on how these systems interact to regulate circulation, gas exchange, acid-base balance, digestion and metabolism, locomotion and adapting to environmental changes.

A fundamental study of nutrition for livestock and poultry, including the study of nutrients, their classification, function, and deficiency symptoms. Includes the digestive and absorptive processes that nutrient undergo in the gastrointestinal tracts as well as the post absorptive use of the nutrient as it relates to ruminant and non-ruminant animals.

Application of animal nutritional requirements and the chemical composition of common feedstuffs to the development of feeding programs for livestock, poultry, and horses.

History and importance of the sheep industry; application of the principles of selection, breeding, feeding, and management of sheep for efficient lamb and wool production. Laboratory, 3 hours per week; Lecture, 3 hours per week.

Scope and importance of the beef cattle industry; roles of the major cattle breeds and organizations associated with the beef cattle industry; application of equipment, identification, nutrition, reproduction, genetics, health, marketing, taxation and management principles to beef cattle production; impact of current economic, social and environmental issues on the beef cattle industry.