Animal Science Extension

The Texas AgriLife Extension Animal Science unit is composed of faculty helping Texans learn about animal science through teaching research-based technologies throughout the state and nation. Our specialists are based in 10 different locations around Texas. We help Texans learn about areas such as beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep and goats, horses, meat science, food safety and swine through the delivery of innovative and applied research programs. Our mission is to equip producers with the knowledge and resources needed to make sound economical and sustainable decisions for their operations. Browse the listing of animal science extension specialists and programs below.

Find an Extension Specialist

The Texas AgriLife Extension Animal Science unit is composed of faculty helping Texans learn about animal science through teaching research-based technologies throughout the state and nation.

Beef Cattle Specialists

Dairy Specialists

Horse Specialists

Meat Specialists

Sheep & Goat Specialists

Swine Specialists

Extension Resources

The Department of Animal Science offers a wide range of extension resources designed to provide valuable insights and information to livestock producers, enthusiasts, and industry professionals.

Extension Resources

Extension and Outreach Programs

The extension and outreach programs cover a wide range of disciplines designed to teach research-based information and technologies throughout the state, nation and world.

Beef Cattle Extension Programs

Texas ranks first in the nation in total cattle numbers and also has the broadest spectrum of producers and variation in production environments. The beef cattle industry is by far the largest sector in the Texas agriculture industry. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension beef specialists are located in regional offices across the state to meet the needs of Texas ranchers and cattlemen. The extension beef group provides adult educational programs such as the Beef Cattle Short Course and local and regional beef workshops and clinics throughout the year.

Beef 101

Upcoming Beef 101 Courses in College Station, TX:
December 6-8, 2023
January 9-11, 2024
May 14-16, 2024
Beef 101 is a three-day intensive hands-on program is offered three times a year at Texas A&M University. It is designed for anyone who has an interest in expanding their knowledge of the total beef industry. This is the leading education program for basic information about the beef industry provided anywhere in the U.S.

Registration coming soon.

Beef 706

The goal of Beef 706 is to teach cattle producers about the food side of their cattle business and how to utilize best management practices to improve beef quality and enhance profitability. Created in 1993, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Beef 706 program invites ranchers, educators, and allied business people to register for the educational program.

Registration coming soon.

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course

The Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course is a highly respected nationally and internationally recognized program. It is the largest attended beef cattle educational program of its type in the world, and is the focal point for beef cattle educational information.

Learn more and register at beefcattleshortcourse.com.

Ranch Raised Beef Conference

The conference will explore the production and marketing of beef from the ranch. Grass finished and grain finished beef will be discussed during the two-day conference.

Learn more about the Ranch Raised Beef Conference here.

Texas Beef Quality Producer Program

This program is a collaborative effort of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Beef Council, and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Beef Quality Assurance is a national effort to promote the use of sound management practices in increasing consumer confidence in beef as a safe, wholesome product.

Learn more about the program here.

Southwest Beef Symposium

The Southwest Beef Symposium has been a long-standing educational program hosted in collaboration with NMSU Cooperative Extension and Texas A&M AgriLife. This two-day program allows producers to get caught up on the latest issues and innovations that can help them better navigate the ever-changing beef industry while keeping them up to date on information that can help them manage their operations.

Registration for the next symposium coming soon.

44 Farms-Texas A&M International Beef Cattle Academy

44 Farms-Texas A&M International Beef Cattle Academy

44 Farms-Texas A&M International Beef Cattle Academy is a Certification Program offered through AgriLife Extension, which consists of seven asynchronous online courses of approximately 30 hours each. The completion of six courses is required for certification. With a limited class size and online coursework taught by internationally renowned Texas A&M faculty and guest lecturers, the IBCA offers an exclusive and customized learning experience tailored to each participant’s educational and professional needs.

Learn more about 44 Farms-Texas A&M International Beef Cattle Academy.

Dairy Extension Programs

Texas AgriLife Extension dairy specialists are strategically located in regional offices to meet the needs of dairy farmers. The extension group conducts applied research and delivers youth and adult educational programs tailored specifically for dairy farmers, industry stakeholders, and national and international communities. Through these efforts, they address challenges, foster collaboration, promote innovation, and ultimately contribute to the success and sustainability of the dairy industry.

Southwest Dairy Day

2023 Southwest Dairy Day: October 18, 2023; Bovina, TX
Southwest Dairy Days (SWDD) is a prominent Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program that gathers the dairy community on an educational field day. Its primary objectives are to give participants the opportunity to network and learn about new technologies and equipment dairy farmers could adopt on their farms. As the largest dairy educational field day in Texas, SWDD attracts approximately 500 participants annually, facilitating the adoption of cutting-edge knowledge in the industry. 

Registration coming soon.

Central and East Dairy Outreach Program

East Texas Dairy Outreach Program Area: October 26, 2023; Sulphur Springs, TX
The Dairy Outreach Program Area (DOPA) offers a specialized training course on animal waste management tailored for dairy farmers or designated individuals chosen by the owner in Bosque, Comanche, Erath, Hamilton, Hopkins, Johnson, Rains, and Wood Counties. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is responsible for delivering these training courses in which participants receive Continuing Education Units, enabling them to fulfill the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requirements. 

Dairy Farm Personnel Training Programs 

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Specialists and County Extension Agents offer comprehensive training programs for dairy farm personnel in both English and Spanish. These programs cover various crucial areas, including calving and newborn calf management, Beef Quality Assurance, down cow management, euthanasia, as well as dairy cow handling, and the safe movement of cattle. 

High Plains Dairy Conference 

High Plains Dairy Conference: March 5-6, 2024; Amarillo, TX
The objective of this producer-oriented conference is to bring together dairy farmers, allied industry professionals, and academics to discuss cutting-edge knowledge to support dairy farmers in the High Plains region of the U.S. Organized by a committee comprising Extension Specialists from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, New Mexico State University, allied industry professionals, and dairy farmers, the High Plains Dairy Conference takes place in Amarillo, Texas, on even years. 

Registration coming soon.

Equine Programs

Through educational programs and workshops, extension horse specialists provide research-based management practices related to nutrition, breeding, management, care and use. Information developed by the extension equine group is available to individual horse owners, goods and service providers, and industry professionals.

Texas A&M Equine Reproductive Management Short Course

Texas A&M Reproductive Management Short Course: January 10-12, 2024; College Station, TX
The Texas A&M Equine Reproductive Management Short Course is designed for owners and breeding managers who want to learn the most efficient methods for ensuring the success of their breeding programs. The three-day, in-person course takes place on the Texas A&M College Station campus and includes classroom sessions on anatomy and physiology of the mare and stallion, control of the estrous cycle, gestation and foaling, feeding the broodmare and young horse, and estrous cycle manipulation of mares. Hands-on laboratory activities are scheduled each day and include semen collection and evaluation, estrous detection, artificial insemination, body condition scoring, perineal conformation evaluation of the mare and foaling management.

Learn more about the Texas A&M Equine Reproductive Management Short Course here.

Ranch Horse Program at Beef Cattle Short Course

The Beef Cattle Short Course offers a ranch horse program at the Hildebrand Equine Complex. Registration is included with the full Beef Cattle Short Course registration, or you can register for the Ranch Horse Program separately. View more and register on the Beef Cattle Short Course website.

Summer Horsemanship School

For over 40 years, the Texas AgriLife Extension, as part of the Texas A&M University System, has trained instructors to teach basic horsemanship skills to youth in various counties across Texas. The program has played a vital role in the improvement of riding abilities and general knowledge of the participants, advancing the leadership and communication skills of the instructors, and developing a network of positive relationships throughout the 254 counties in the state.

Learn more about the Summer Horsemanship School Program

The Mare and Foal Online Workshop

Prepare for those foals to be born with the Mare and Foal Online Workshop! Horse owners and managers learn about important topics for managing broodmares and foals. Content is developed and presented by industry experts with live demonstrations.

Learn more and purchase access to the Mare and Foal Online Workshop here.

Texas A&M Equine Reproductive Management Online Short Course

This online short course is for owners and breeding managers who want to learn the most efficient methods for ensuring the success of their breeding programs from the comfort of their own home, at their convenience. Live demonstrations and expert-led lectures extensively cover mare and stallion reproductive management.

Learn more and purchase the Texas A&M Equine Reproductive Management Short Course here.

Online Horse Judging

This course is designed for youth and collegiate horse judging team members, their coaches, and anyone interested in learning more about horse judging. Learning objectives include understanding the rules for each class, applying the judging guidelines to each class, and learning to articulate placings during oral reasons.

Learn more and purchase Online Horse Judging here.

Food Safety and Quality Extension Programs

Safety and Quality Extension works to provide agricultural safety across the state of Texas by engaging in quality safety programs and training to help reduce injuries, in addition to services such as internal management reviews to help protect personnel and the environment.

HACCP Training Courses

The meat science section and the International HACCP Alliance offer several HACCP training courses throughout the year. Both introductory and advanced courses are available. Registration and class information are coming soon.

Learn more about HACCP Training Courses

Produce Safety Grower Training

Produce safety growers training will provide food safety training for growers of fresh fruits and vegetables, and assist growers in complying with food safety requirements of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Any Texas-located grower of fresh fruits and vegetables for human consumption wishing to learn more about how they can protect food safety in their crops should register for this two half-day virtual training. Training will be held virtually on Zoom. For more information contact Dr. Matt Taylor.

Meat Science Programs

Meat Science Extension serves Texans by providing adult educational programs, conferences, workshops and courses taught by national leaders in meat science. Learn more about Meat Science Extension.

Beef 101

Beef 101 Courses in College Station, TX:
December 6-8, 2023
January 9-11, 2024
May 14-16, 2024
Beef 101 is a three-day intensive hands-on program is offered three times a year at Texas A&M University. It is designed for anyone who has an interest in expanding their knowledge of the total beef industry. This is the leading education program for basic information about the beef industry provided anywhere in the U.S.

Registration coming soon.

Beef 706

Pork 101

Pork 101: May 21-23, 2024; College Station, TX
Pork 101 is a three-day, hands-on experience designed to update participants on quality and consistency issues in the pork industry. The course includes insight on value differences in swine, pork carcasses, pork primals and processed pork products due to quality variation. Participants will have the chance to evaluate eight live hogs, which will be processed during the class with participants learning about grading, food safety and product processing. The class will make and sample processed product from the hogs including pumped loins, bacon, hams and sausage.

Registration coming soon.

Creative Sausage Making

Creative Sausage Making: January 19-20, 2024; College Station, TX
Creative Sausage Making was developed by the processed meats experts at Texas A&M AgriLife after numerous requests for a basic sausage course that would allow a “first timer” to be successful or a “seasoned” veteran to pick up some new tips. The hands-on workshop will engage participants in important aspects of sausage making, from meat selection, ingredients, casings, stuffing, equipment, processing, and final finished product. Participants will manufacture their own sausages (smoked and fresh sausage) and have an opportunity to take some home for further evaluation.

This workshop is for those who wish to increase their knowledge and/or gain experience in sausage-making. Whether you want to introduce a line of sausage products for your restaurant or make your own sausage for tailgating parties, this course will help you understand the art and science of sausage making.

Registration coming soon.

Sheep and Goat Programs

Texas ranks first in the nation in total number of sheep and goats with roughly 20 and 50 percent of national inventory, respectively. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension small ruminant specialists are located in San Angelo and College Station with additional support from county agents and livestock specialist spread around the state. The extension sheep group provides adult educational programs, such as the Livestock Guardian Dog Program, Sheep and Goat Ranching 101 Online Course, and Sheep Shearing and Pregnancy Ultrasound Schools. Sheep and goat specialist also support district- and county-based programs, such as Sheep and Goat Expo, Lamb and Goat Validation, and Wool and Mohair Contests.

Sheep Shearing School

Sheep Shearing School: January 28-31, 2024
Annually, the team hosts multi-day schools that educate individuals about how to shear sheep. These are hands on schools that train individuals to become proficient in these services.

Learn more and register for Sheep Shearing School here.

Sheep and Goat Pregnancy Ultrasound School

Sheep and Goat Pregnancy Ultrasound School: December 14-15, 2023; San Angelo, TX
Held annually, this workshop will cover why and how to use ultrasound to detect pregnancy in small ruminants or beef cattle . We will demonstrate equipment and teach students to determine age of pregnancy and litter size.

Learn more and register for the Sheep and Goat Pregnancy Ultrasound School here.

Livestock Guardian Dog Field Days

This program is a collaborative effort with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. The program offers educational outreach to increase and enhance the use of livestock guardian dogs to prevent predation of sheep and goats. This program offers social media outreach, field days, monthly blogs, and demonstration research.

Learn more about the program on the San Angelo Extension Center Website.

Sheep and Goat Ranching 101 Online Course

This online course provides an educational foundation for farmers and ranchers to get started in the sheep and goat industry. The course is composed of 12 short-instructional videos that individuals can watch at their discretion.

Purchase the Sheep and Goat Ranching 101 Online Course through AgriLife Learn.

Texas Sheep and Goat Expo

Texas Sheep and Goat Expo: August 16-17, 2024; San Angelo, TX

Registration coming soon.

Swine Programs

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension supports the profitability and sustainability of the Texas pork industry through industry collaborations and by providing relevant educational material on swine husbandry and management.

Pork Quality Assurance

Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) is the swine industry’s commitment to producing safe, nutritious, and quality pork. Swine producers who certify in PQA are dedicated to continuously improving their production practices across multiple areas of production, including food safety, animal well-being, environmental stewardship, worker safety, and public health and community. Individuals may become certified through an education program. Farms can also receive PQA site status through an on-farm site assessment.

Contact Dr. Jeff Wiegert to learn more about Pork Quality Assurance certification in Texas.

Sow Bridge

SowBridge is a virtual learning program dedicated to the swine breeding herd. Individuals who work in breeding and gestation units, gilt development, or farrowing barns can expect to improve their knowledge of important topics and improve productivity of their herds. SowBridge is coordinated through the Iowa Pork Industry Center and is provided through a cooperative effort of 15 colleges of universities from the major swine producing states, including Texas A&M University.

Learn more about the SowBridge program.

Youth Programs

The department offers a wide variety of educational youth programs designed to teach youth of all ages. These programs are led by faculty, extension specialists and competitive teams coaches and members.

Aggiefest Horse Judging Workshop

Aggiefest Horse Judging Workshop: October 1, 2023; College Station, TX

More information coming soon.

Aggiefest Livestock Judging Contest

Aggiefest Livestock Judging Contest: October 21, 2023
Each year, the Texas A&M Livestock Judging Team hosts a competitive contest for FFA and 4- H students across the state during Aggiefest. Participants aged eight and up compete in eight classes as well as in a questions division. Awards are given to the top competitors in each age and species division. Learn more details here.

Register at judgingcard.com

Aggieland Lamb and Goat Camp

Held each July, the Aggieland™ Lamb & Goat Camps are designed for youth lamb and goat exhibitors and their parents. The three-day conference includes information on youth goat show programs, feeding, showmanship, show preparation, etc., and features some of the state’s leading experts on junior meat goat and lamb competitions. More information coming soon.

Learn more about Aggieland Lamb and Goat Camp

Horse Judging Camp

The Horse Judging Camp is a three-day event in which youth, ages 10-18, will be instructed in judging performance and conformation classes along with giving oral reasons.

Learn more about Texas A&M University Horse Judging Camp

Livestock Judging Camp

The Livestock Judging Camp is designed for 4-H and FFA members interested in building their knowledge of evaluating market and breeding animals, including beef, swine, sheep, and goats. The reasons camp focuses on selection principles, oral reasons, live market evaluation, and breeding animal performance data. Any 4-H and FFA member is welcome to attend. Instructors include Texas A&M faculty and staff, and members of the 2023 livestock judging team.

Learn more about Texas A&M University Livestock Judging Camp

Livestock Judging Clinic

The Livestock Judging Clinic is a one-day event designed for 4-H and FFA members interested in building their knowledge of evaluating market and breeding animals, including beef, swine, sheep, and goats.

Learn more about Texas A&M University Livestock Judging Clinic

Meat Judging Camp

The Meat Judging Camp is held each July, hosted by the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Meat Judging Team, and department faculty and staff. The camp focuses on grading concepts, evaluation techniques, and selection methods. Any 4-H and FFA members are welcome to attend.

Register for Fightin’ Texas Aggie (FTA) Meat Judging Camp

Meat Judging Clinic

The Meat Judging Clinic is a half day clinic held in March, hosted by the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Meat Judging Team, and department faculty and staff. All classes including grading and retail ID will be available for viewing in various locations throughout the Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology Center.

Register for Fightin’ Texas Aggie (FTA) Meat Judging Clinic

Online Horse Judging

U.S. Dairy Education and Training Consortium

U.S. Dairy Education and Training Consortium: May 13-June 21, 2024; Clovis, NM

The U.S. Dairy Education & Training Consortium (USDETC) formerly known as the Southern Great Plains Dairy Consortium is a multi-university organization established in 2008 to meet the educational and training needs of the rapidly expanding dairy industry in the U.S. The program is a unique partnership in collaboration and a pillar of U.S. dairy sustainability between academia, allied industries and dairy producers.

Learn more about USDETC program here.

Learn More About all Animal Science Research

Currently, the Department of Animal Science is researching a variety of projects that cover issues such as animal genomics, meat science, food safety, as well as projects focusing on the major livestock species in Texas. Our research programs focus on applied science, which has an immediate application to Texas animal agriculture, and basic science, which provides the foundation for scientific information to impact further research discoveries.

Learn more about Animal Science Research