Program Requirements

First Semester

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

006-105Industry Skills2Want to have a successful career in the Agriculture industry? Learn about what is involved in having a job, managing finances or other people and leadership. This is a class that will help prepare you for your first ag-related job, as well as understanding responsibilities and expectations you will have in the future. This is a course that will get students ready to enter the work force by helping them learn and become aware of some basic skill needed to have success in the work place and provide an individual the ability to become a productive member in the community in which they live, as well as help out their family. It will also help them to become more aware of saving for their own future.

091-110Livestock Evaluation & Judging2Cattle Evaluation and Judging is a hands-on two credit hour lecture/laboratory course concentrating on the science and art of live animal evaluation. The lectures will cover all aspects of improving the selection of meat and dairy animals and the efficiency of meat animal and dairy production. Laboratory activities will include the evaluation of market animals and the evaluation and selection of breeding animals of all meat animal and dairy species.

091-112Livestock Modernization2Livestock Modernization will focus on technology and modernization, robotic milking barn design, data management on farms with robotic milkers, automated feed pushers, precision feeding, using activity monitors for heat detection and decision making tools. Students will participate in various lab opportunities on state-of-the art dairy farms in western Wisconsin.

091-150Farm Data and Analysis2Farm Data and Analysis Course will guide students on how and where to find farm data; data quality elements, data analysis and visualization. This course will also cover the topics of conceptual frameworks for sharing data; and the ways to make data findable and accessible.

091-181Intro to Animal Science2Provides fundamental knowledge of the animal science field. Topics include animal health, animal environments, anatomy and physiology, genetics and reproduction, animal feedstuffs, and job-related safety.

091-182Animal Science Lab1Participants will experience animal concepts through the completion of hands-on activities on animal health, genetics and reproduction.

801-136English Composition 13This course is designed for learners to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of the writing process. Planning, organizing, writing, editing, and revising are applied through a variety of activities. Students will analyze audience and purpose, use elements of research and format documents using standard guidelines. Individuals will develop critical reading skills through analysis of various written documents.

804-134Mathematical Reasoning3All college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement.

TOTAL CREDITS:17 

Second Semester

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

091-120Livestock Housing21st 12 weeksThis course will involve planning a total dairy facility. This will include site selection, long-range planning, plan development, specifications, and contracts. It will include facilities for all management groups including replacements and the milking and dry cows. A milking center, special handling and treatment facilities, manure and waste management, and feeding facilities will be included. Emphasis will be placed on environmental issues both within the facility and the effect of the operation on the surrounding area. It will include animal health as it relates to the design and operation of the facility. Utilities to adequately and safely operate the facilities will also be covered.

091-122Animal Breeding & Genetics2Winter TermThis course is a study of available and emerging technologies/strategies for controlling the reproductive function of farm animals, including artificial insemination, embryo manipulation and transfer, control of ovulation and animal cloning. Laboratories are "hands on" sessions using available technologies with emphasis on artificial insemination of cattle.

091-184Herd Health31st 12 weeksMaintain healthy dairy herd; reducing somatic cell count; role of vaccines, antibiotics, and probiotics.

091-188Feed Analysis21st 8 weeksProvides an understanding of the needs of livestock from a feed perspective. Specific details for forage crops and grain quality and how they relate to livestock feed and nutrition will be taught using hands on technology and tools.

801-196Oral/Interpersonal Comm31st 8 weeksFocuses on developing effective listening techniques and verbal and nonverbal communication skills through oral presentation, group activity, and other projects. The study of self, conflict, and cultural contexts will be explored, as well as their impact on communication.

802-103Spanish for the Workplace21st 8 weeksIntroductory conversational Spanish for the person whose business works with Spanish-speaking employees and/or customers. Emphasis is on everyday language usage and interaction rather than a formal grammar approach.

TOTAL CREDITS:14 

Summer Term

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

091-130Animal Science Internship1Program studentThis course is required for all students in the Animal Science Management Associate Degree Program. Provides students work experience in an area of their choice and complements on-campus instructional program. Potential for full-time employment for program graduates is available.

TOTAL CREDITS:1 

Third Semester

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

006-140Agriculture Sales2The learner applies agribusiness sales and marketing principles through real-world agricultural scenarios. This course emphasizes identifying customer needs, developing strong customer relationships, designing marketing strategies, and leveraging sales data and branding techniques. Students engage in hands-on activities to explore the full sales process and build foundational skills for success in agricultural sales and marketing.

091-121Livestock Records Software3This course will apply the use of dairy and livestock management, decision aid software, database management software, spreadsheets and specialized livestock computer programs.

091-132Ruminant Nutrition & Feeding2This course covers principles of ruminant nutrition with dairy cows and replacement heifers as the main focus. At the end of this course, students will be familiar with current scientific concepts of ruminant nutrition. In addition, students will gain practical knowledge and critical thinking skills in evaluating dairy rations. Learning is not only acquiring new knowledge, but more importantly, it includes the ability to apply, to analyze, to synthesize, to criticize, and to evaluate.

091-134Advanced Reproduction2This course is designed to provide students with learning experiences such as comparative anatomy and physiology of the male and female reproductive systems of domestic animals, endocrinology of reproduction, gestation and parturition. Students will also become AI Certified upon successful completion of the course. Hands on learning will be key to application of these methods in the future. Exams and quizzes are used to enhance the learner process and give feedback to the instructor. This course will also help the student develop the terminology needed to discuss the reproductive process in ruminants. Discussion of the physiology will include the endocrine control of reproduction. The goal of the course is to help the students understand the rationale principles used in developing guidelines for good reproductive management.

806-342Science for Technical Trades2804-360 or 804-134Provides an introduction to basic physical principles involved in precision measurement, mechanics, hydraulics, thermodynamics, and electronics to students. Practical utilization of these principles in various technologies is analyzed with reinforcement from problem solving and laboratory exercises.

809-198Intro to Psychology3This introductory course in psychology is a survey of the multiple aspects of human behavior. It involves a survey of the theoretical foundations of human functioning in such areas as learning, motivation, emotions, personality, deviance and pathology, physiological factors, and social influences. Additional topics include research methods, biological and environmental impacts, development, sensation and perception, consciousness, intelligence and stress. This course directs the student to an insightful understanding of the complexities of human relationships in personal, social, and vocational settings.

TOTAL CREDITS:14 

Fourth Semester

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

006-130Agribusiness Financial Mgmt2Winter TermThis course focuses on the principles of financial and business management for agricultural businesses with a major focus on farms. Emphasis is given to business types, enterprise budgets, cash flow analysis, tools for analyzing financial decisions, interpreting balance sheets and other financial statements, obtaining credit and comparing methods of reducing price variations.

091-140Herd Management21st 12 weeksHerd Management is intended for herd managers and will focus on the development of skills related to managing large herds and also supervising employees. The production phase of the dairy industry will be covered including animal selection, feeding, breeding, herd health, and management practices important to quality milk production.

091-142Lactation and Physiology21st 12 weeksThis course is designed to gain an understanding of the origin of the mammary gland, mammary gland anatomy and physiology, and how the mammary gland develops in mammalian species. Milk properties and quality will also be discussed.

091-144Transition&Replacement Animals11st 12 weeksFeeding and management of dry cows through calving will be discussed in this course. Calf care through puberty, breeding, and gestation will also be covered. Beef and dairy beef management will be referenced throughout. Facility requirements for these classes of livestock will be reviewed. Record keeping systems will be developed and on-farm recommended practices will be presented to selected producers.

091-145Special Livestock University11st 12 weeksThis two-week special livestock seminar introduces students to an analysis of genetics, reproductive physiology, growth and development, nutrition and digestive physiology, anatomy, meat science, animal classification, current issues and overviews of the poultry, equine, sheep, swine, and aquaculture industries. Content may be enhanced by utilizing appropriate computer applications. Presenters for this course are specialty livestock producers in western Wisconsin.

091-146Animal Science Seminar11st 12 weeksThis class is a clinical. Students will work directly with local industry in the Animal Science profession to further their education and experiences in a real- work setting.

091-147Animal Science Capstone21st 12 weeksThe purpose of the Capstone course is for the students to apply knowledge acquired during the Animal Science program to design a project required for Technical Skills Attainment for the WTCS system. During the project, students engage in the entire process of solving a real-world animal science scenario. This is a last semester course only.

809-195Economics31st 12 weeksDesigned to give an overview of how a market-oriented economic system operates, and it surveys the factors which influence national economic policy. Basic concepts and analyses are illustrated by reference to a variety of contemporary problems and public policy issues. Concepts include scarcity, resources, alternative economic systems, growth, supply and demand, monetary and fiscal policy, inflation, unemployment and global economic issues.

TOTAL CREDITS:14