Animal Science (ANSC)
ANSC 140 Introduction to Animal Science 3 Hours
An introduction to the animal industry on a state, national and global basis, basic principles of reproduction and endocrinology, breeding and genetics, animal products and diseases. Emphasis is placed upon farm animal classification.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026
ANSC 232 Fundamentals of Horsemanship and Riding 3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
For students with little previous experience in horsemanship. Basic disciplines of hunt seat and stock seat horsemanship and selection, care and use of horses and equipment are included.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026
ANSC 240 Livestock Management 2 Hours
A general animal science course offering hands on experience in management of beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, swine, and horses.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140
Corequisite(s): ANSC 241
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 241 Livestock Management Laboratory 1 Hour
A laboratory course correlated with ANSC 240.
Corequisite(s): ANSC 240
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 310 Principles of Meat Science 3 Hours
This course provides a comprehensive foundation in the scientific principles underlying meat quality, safety, and nutritional value. Students will also learn about the steps involved in animal slaughter and biochemical transformations that occur as muscle is converted into meat.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANSC 321 Comparative Anatomy 4 Hours (repeatable max of 4 hrs)
A comparative study of the morphology and relationships of the organ systems of some typical vertebrates.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140 and BIOL 120 and BIOL 121
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
ANSC 330 Horse Production 2 Hours
Principles of animal science as they relate to the horse and equine industry, characteristics of breeds, anatomy, nutrition, genetics, reproduction, behavior, training, health, breeding, management, and marketing concepts are presented. Note: Approval of instructor may be required.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140
Corequisite(s): ANSC 331
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
ANSC 331 Horse Production Laboratory 1 Hour
A laboratory course correlated with ANSC 330.
Corequisite(s): ANSC 330
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
ANSC 333 Horse Training 3 Hours
The student is assigned a horse to train. Techniques for halter-breaking, gentling, grooming, lunging, saddling, driving and riding the untrained horse are included. Note: Approval of instructor may be required.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 232
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2025
ANSC 336 Conformation and Performance Evaluation of Horses 3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)
Evaluation and selection of horses based on conformation and athletic ability, and oral and written defense of evaluations. The importance of environment, records, genetics, and conformation in selection are discussed. Note: Permission of instructor required.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANSC 338 Introductory Livestock Evaluation and Selection 3 Hours
Fundamental selection criteria utilized in evaluating beef cattle, hogs, sheep, dairy cattle and horses. Oral and written evaluations are included. Note: Consent of instructor may be required.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 340 Meat Evaluation and Merchandising 3 Hours
This is a hands-on course that focuses on carcass grading, fabrication, and retail cut identification from beef, pork, lamb, goat, and poultry. Students will also learn about meat packaging and merchandising practices for retail and wholesale operations.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 342 Advanced Riding Maneuvers and Collection 3 Hours
Collection of a horse and application of certain advanced maneuver techniques, such as the side pass, spin, lead changed, sliding stops, and jumping.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 232
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2026
ANSC 345 Principles of Animal Nutrition 3 Hours
Principles of nutrition basic to animal feeding; chemistry and physiology of nutrition: nutrient requirements for normal body functions.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140 and BIOL 120 and (CHEM 107 or CHEM 222)
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 347 Animal Pathology 3 Hours
Distribution, nature, manner of dissemination, methods of control, prevention and eradication of infectious and parasitic diseases of domestic animals are discussed.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140 and BIOL 120
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
ANSC 352 Applied Horsemanship 3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Application of horsemanship skills within the equine industry. Field trips are required with this course on predetermined dates. Through theoretical knowledge and practical application, students will develop the riding skills, horsemanship, and competition strategies necessary to excel at the collegiate level.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 232 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANSC 360 Equine Events and Facilities Management 3 Hours
Fundamentals of managing equine and other livestock events. Involves active participation in preparing for and conducting WKU equine events. Lecture/lab. Discussion of various types of equine facilities and their proper management. Hands-on activities associated with private, public, and event management will be incorporated into lecture material.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANSC 420 Meat Processing 3 Hours
This course focuses on the principles and practices of meat processing, including product formulation, preservation technologies, food safety, ingredient functionality, and regulatory compliance.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 310
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANSC 430 Parasitology of Livestock 3 Hours
Introduces students to internal and external parasites affecting livestock including cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses and poultry. Emphasis is placed on parasite biology, life cycles, host-parasite interactions, and the impact of parasitism on animal health. Students will explore principles of parasite control, integrated parasite management, and anthelmintic resistance with a focus on practical applications in modern livestock systems. The hands-on lab sessions provide foundational training in diagnostic techniques used in clinical and field settings. Students will learn to identify parasites, conduct fecal exams and fecal egg counts, and prepare control and prevention strategies utilizing the livestock housed at AREC.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140 with a minimum grade of C and BIOL 120 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
ANSC 431 Dairy Production 2 Hours
Principles of nutrition and management and their practical application to commercial dairy herds are emphasized.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 345 and ANSC 140
Corequisite(s): ANSC 432
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2026
ANSC 432 Dairy Production Laboratory 1 Hour
A laboratory course correlated with ANSC 431.
Corequisite(s): ANSC 431
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2026
ANSC 437 Reproductive Physiology 2 Hours
Endocrinology and physiology of reproductive systems; anatomical, physiological and biochemical bases of reproduction; factors affecting means of improving efficiency of reproduction, artificial insemination, synchronized estrus and related topics are presented.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140 (may be taken concurrently) and BIOL 120 (may be taken concurrently)
Corequisite(s): ANSC 438
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 438 Reproductive Physiology Laboratory 1 Hour
A laboratory course correlated with ANSC 437.
Corequisite(s): ANSC 437
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 439 Equine Reproduction and Breeding 3 Hours
Reproductive anatomy and physiology of the stallion and mare as they relate to modern breeding practices. Training in semen handling, artificial insemination, and neonatal care.
Prerequisite(s): (ANSC 330 and ANSC 331)
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2026
ANSC 440 Advanced Livestock Evaluation and Selection 3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)
Genetic and environmental factors involved in selecting beef cattle, hogs, sheep, dairy cattle and horses. Techniques of evaluating the economically important traits of prospective breeding animals are emphasized. Students will participate in intercollegiate competition. Note: Instructor's consent may be required.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 338
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
ANSC 442 Beef Production 2 Hours
History and importance of the beef cattle industry; programs and areas of production, selection, breeding, feeding and management and common diseases are included.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 345 and ANSC 140
Corequisite(s): ANSC 443
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 443 Beef Production Laboratory 1 Hour
A laboratory course correlated with ANSC 442.
Corequisite(s): ANSC 442
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
ANSC 448 Applied Animal Nutrition 4 Hours (repeatable max of 4 hrs)
Livestock feeds and their nutrients; functions of and requirements for nutrients; evaluation of feeds, feeding practices and formulation of rations for all species of livestock are included; techniques involved in nutrition research; readings in current literature are presented.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 345 (may be taken concurrently)
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
ANSC 458 Animal Growth and Development 3 Hours
This course examines the biological mechanisms governing growth and development in livestock species from conception to maturity. Topics include cellular and tissue development, skeletal and muscle growth, endocrine regulation, body composition, and the genetic, nutritional, and environmental factors influencing growth.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 140 and BIOL 120
Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026
ANSC 475 Selected Topics in Animal Science 1-3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Special topics acquaint advanced undergraduate students with scientific developments of current interest in agriculture. Appropriate topic titles are assigned. Lecture and assignments vary with credit. May be repeated with change in content. Note: Consent of instructor required.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026
ANSC 480 Digestive Anatomy of Ruminant Animals 3 Hours
Provide students with an in-depth understanding of the physiology, microbiology, digestion, and metabolism of the ruminant digestive system.
Prerequisite(s): ANSC 345
Recent Term(s) Offered: None