Animal Science Course of Study
(Based on Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources National Career Cluster)
Course: Animal Science
Grade Level: 11 - 12
Length: 7200 minutes
Pathway Knowledge and Skills Statement: Apply knowledge of anatomy and
physiology to produce and/or manage animals in a domesticated or natural environment.
Course Description: The animal systems pathway educates students in all facets of
animal science. Developing better, more efficient ways of producing and processing
meat, poultry and dairy products is explored. Additionally, the study of genetics,
nutrition, reproduction, growth and development of domesticated farm animals is
discussed.
Performance Element:
Use classification systems to explain basic functions of
animal anatomy and physiology.
(825 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Describe functional differences in animal structures and
body systems.
Classify animals according to anatomy and physiology.
Examine, describe and use terms of direction and position
in the vertebrate body. (Topic 3021A)
Examine and explain general glandular functions including
secretion and excretion. (Topic 3021B)
Define and understand the terms comparative anatomy,
homology and analogy. (Topic 3023A)
Discuss the functions of anatomical structures and compare
them to similar (analogous and homologous) structures in
other animals. (Topic 3023B)
Differentiate between and identify digestive systems of
man, horses, swine, poultry and cows. (Topic 3024C)
Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and function
of the digestive system and its components. (Topic 3024A,
Topic 3024B, Topic 3024D)
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Recognize the anatomy of animal species to understand
how the body structures interact and affect animal
health.
(550 minutes)
Identify selected animal parts from a diagram or on a real
animal. (Topic 3022A, 3022B, 3022C)
Identify ways that an animal’s health can be affected by
anatomy/physiology problems.
Measurement Criteria:
Examine and describe the basic physiological function of
the primary components the skeletal, nervous, and
respiratory systems. (Topic 3022D)
Performance Element:
Analyze a subject animal to determine the nature of its
health status.
(710 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Perform simple procedures in evaluating an animal’s health
status.
Identify symptoms of diseases, illnesses, parasites, and
other health-related problems.
Diagnose animal ailments. (Topic 3053A)
Implement disease prevention and health improvement
program. (Topic 3054B, Topic 3054C)
Identify and implement (i.e., treat) treatment options.
Understand the concepts of body temperature, heart rate
and respiration in animal health. (Topic 3052A)
Examine methods of control for an internal or external
parasite. (Topic 3054A)
Read and interpret the information found on medication
labels. (Topic 3054D)
Examine the proper method for vaccinating an animal.
(Topic 3054E)
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Pathway Knowledge and Skills Statement: Recognize animal behaviors to facilitate
working with animals safely.
Performance Element:
Develop a safety plan for working with a specific
animal.
(550 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Explain factors that serve to stimulate or discourage given
types of animal behavior. (Topic 3037B)
Recognize the normality curve of animal behavior.
Perform safe handling procedures when working with
animals.
Identify strengths and weaknesses of an animal safety
handling plan.
Operate animal facilities to insure safety of animals.
Examine and discuss (with the use of slides) various animal
behaviors and the times of occurrence including: nest
building, mating behavior, postpartum behavior,
environmental comfort and social order. (Topic 3037C)
Examine and discuss how as animal managers, we may
take advantage of dam/offspring interaction in order to
improve herd management. (Topic 3038C)
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Pathway Knowledge and Skills Statement: Provide proper nutrition to maintain
animal performance.
Performance Element:
Examine animal developmental stages to comprehend
why nutrient requirements are different throughout an
animal’s life cycle.
(330 minutes)
Measurement Criteria
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Recognize the different phases of an animal’s life cycle.
Select diets which provide the appropriate quantity of
nutrients for each animal developmental stage.
Describe and examine the methods of preparation of
livestock feeds and outline the advantages of or reasons for
each of those methods. (Topic 3048A)
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Performance Element:
Analyze a feed ration to determine whether or not it
fulfills a given animal’s nutrient requirements.
(440 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Identify the differences between good and poor quality
feedstuffs.
Create a balanced ration for a given animal.
Identify samples of concentrates and roughages; compare
the energy, nutrients and bulk supplied by each; and list
sources of both. (Topic 3046A)
Visually identify different common feed additives, examine
their components, and list reasons for using them. (Topic
3047A, 3047B)
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Performance Element:
Record and compare feed variations to assess whether
the nutritional requirements of a given animal are being
met.
(770 minutes)
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Use different types of feedstuffs (e.g., roughage,
concentrates) to create a feed ration containing the
appropriate amounts of required nutrients. (Topic 3049D)
Use different forms of feedstuffs (e.g., pellets, cracked,
rolled, ground) to create a diet that meets the needs of a
specific animal. (Topic 3049D)
Distinguish between a nutritionally balanced ration and an
economically balanced ration for livestock. (Topic 3049B,
3049C)
List and examine the six classes of nutrients and identify
examples of feeds containing each. (Topic 3041A)
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Understand the function of each nutrient needed by
livestock. (Topic 3041B)
Describe and compare the digestive systems in ruminants
and non-ruminants and how each contributes to digestion.
(Topic 3045D)
Pathway Knowledge and Skills Statement: Know the factors that influence an
animal’s reproductive cycle to explain species response.
Performance Element:
Analyze elements in the reproductive cycle to explain
differences between male and female reproductive
systems.
(550 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Identify the parts of male and female reproductive tracts on
example animals. (Topic 3025A)
Describe and understand the function of the major organs
found in the mammalian reproductive tract. (Topic 3025E)
Accurately diagram an animal sperm and ovum and
identify all major parts. (Topic 3025F)
Analyze the reproductive cycle of a given animal.
Evaluate animal readiness for breeding.
Examine the steps of mitosis. (Topic 3025G)
Examine the steps of meiosis. (Topic 3025H)
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Performance Element:
Discuss reproductive cycles and animal genetics to show
how they differ from species to species.
(770 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Discuss the implications of genetic variation. (Topic
3025S)
Examine and discuss the transmission of genes through
meiotic division to form sperm and ova. (Topic 3025K)
Define and understand the terms chromosomes, nucleic
acids, DNA, and RNA. (Topic 3032A)
Define and understand the terms haploid, diploid, and
segregation. (Topic 3032B)
Define and understand the terms phenotype, genotype,
homozygous, heterozygous, allele, gene, dominant and
recessive. (Topic 3033A)
Define and understand mutation and describe two effects
that mutation has had on commercial animal agriculture
and what future mutations many bring. (Topic 3034A)
Discuss the pros and cons of breeding through natural
cover and artificial insemination. (Topic 3026B)
Describe techniques of artificial insemination.
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Identify reproduction management practices (e.g., male to
female ratios, age and weight for breeding, fertility and
soundness for breeding, heat synchronization, flushing).
Outline and assess the resulting long-term physiological
and behavioral results of different castrated animals. (Topic
3025B)
List and compare the gestation length, time of ovulation
and length of estrus for four domestic species of economic
importance. (Topic 3025I, 3025R)
Examine and describe the process of fertilization in
animals. (Topic 3025J)
Define, examine and discuss the events leading to, during
and after parturition. (Topic 3025M, 3025N)
Describe a surgical and a nonsurgical method of embryo
transfer and explain the impact that embryo transfer has
made on the animal genetics industry. (Topic 3026)
Performance Element:
Evaluate an animal to determine its breeding
soundness.
(275 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Describe the procedure for determining an animal’s
breeding readiness.
Identify and prevent problems associated with
reproduction.
Select animals based on breeding soundness.
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Pathway Knowledge and Skills Statement: Identify environmental factors that
affect an animal’s performance.
Performance Element:
Recognize optimum performance for a given animal
species.
(220 minutes)
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Identify good performance for a given animal species.
Identify reasons why some animals perform better than
others.
Understand the role of adaptation to environment and the
important role mutation can play in the success of a
species. (Topic 3023)
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Performance Element:
Create a program to develop an animal to its highest
potential performance.
(220 minutes)
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Identify and examine role of livestock in agriculture and
food production chain. (Topic 3011A)
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Identify factors that can be manipulated to control a given
animal’s performance.
Generate ways to increase an animal’s performance.
Performance Element:
Assess an animal to determine if it has reached its
optimum performance level.
(330 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Make appropriate changes in an animal’s environment in
order to achieve optimum performance.
Use appropriate tools in manipulating animal performance.
List and examine uses of livestock evaluation for the
producer. (Topic 3061A)
Differentiate between ideal and improper meat animal
types. (Topic 3061B)
Evaluate three species of livestock on a comparative basis.
(Topic 3061C)
Demonstrate proper grooming and showing techniques for
at least two large animal species. (Topic 3062A)
List and examine uses of carcass evaluation for the
producer. (Topic 3060A)
Discuss and examine how the consumers' concerns for
nutrition and food safety, as well as economic concerns,
have shaped the animal products sold today. (Topic 3064A)
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Performance Element:
Develop efficient procedures to produce
consistently high quality animals, well-suited for their
intended purpose.
(330 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Identify a given species’ desirable production numbers
(e.g., birth weight, rate of gain, age of maturity, age of
sexual maturity).
Evaluate desired traits (e.g., production) of animals.
Evaluate the role that economics plays in animal
production.
Design facilities appropriate for the production of a given
species of animal.
Make decisions on using new techniques and methods in
the production facility so that both profit and animal safety
are maximized. (Topic 3013C)
Examine and discuss each of the performance modifiers
used in animal agriculture and their general effect. (Topic
3012B)
Examine public health issues related to animal performance
modifiers and their uses. (Topic 3012A)
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Debate the issues concerned with animal welfare (e.g.,
hunting vs. anti-hunting). (Topic 3013A)
Gain an understanding of why waste management is
important. (Topic 3014C, 3014F)
Performance Element:
Generate an awareness and understanding of the
various careers and niches available in the animal
science field.
(330 minutes)
Measurement Criteria:
Explain common terms used in the Aquaculture Industry.
(Topic 3072A)
Explain the use of fish in the agricultural and public sector.
(Topic 3072B)
Describe the living environment of a fish. (Topic 3072H)
List careers related to small animal management. (Topic
3191A)
List the different kinds of small animal management.
(Topic 3191B)
List career options available in veterinary related fields.
(Topic 3201-A)
Understand veterinary school requirements (prior to
attending and during). (Topic 3201A-B)
Know of the different areas of veterinary science other than
only being a doctor of veterinary medicine. (Topic 3201AC)
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Related FFA Activities
 Agricultural Issues
 Demonstration
 Greenhand Public Speaking
 Job Interview
 Junior High Public Speaking
 Public Speaking
 Agricultural Sales
 Dairy Cattle Judging
 Dairy Cattle Showmanship
 Farm Business Management
 Horse Judging
 Livestock Judging
 Marketing
 Meats Evaluation
 Milk Quality/Dairy Foods
 Broiler Contest
 Cornish Hen Contest
 Poultry
Related SAE Activities
A. Students may participate in livestock and animal production projects:
1. Market steers
2. Breeding cattle
3. Market lambs
4. Breeding sheep
5. Market swine
6. Breeding swine
7. Dairy replacement heifers
8. Breeding dairy
9. Horses
10. Rabbits
11. Breeding goats
12. Poultry
13. Bee colonies
B. Students may participate in wildlife projects:
1. Deer ranches
2. Turkey
3. Mink
4. Fish/Aquaculture
D. Students can participate in experience projects:
1. Feed store or mill assistant
2. Field worker
3. Tractor driver
4. General farm worker
5. Hay hauler
6. Livestock feeder
7. Milker
8. Fish and game assistant
9. Mechanic
10. ASCS or CES intern
11. Intern with commodity or government agency
12. Horse farm or race track employee