Community Outreach

The Department of Animal Biotechnology participates through Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station and Nevada Cooperative Extension in the program areas of Agriculture and Natural Resources, with emphasis on agricultural profitability and sustainability, appropriate production systems for natural resource management, and meeting the needs of non-traditional urban and suburban livestock producers.

The action plan for outreach and extension includes:

• Meeting the needs of livestock producers through educational programs and materials dedicated to animal health and management.
     
• Develop and encourage livestock production systems synergistic with natural resource management goals.
     
• Develop innovative approaches to extension education such as fee-based short courses and student internships at field laboratories and commercial ranches.
     
• Support multi-state programming that provides opportunities for synergistic relationships and shared resources in agricultural animal production and management.
     
• Continue applied research programs in animal health, animal nutrition and livestock production systems.
     
• Provide the Cattleman's Update and Animal Health Beat. An annual publication directed at the concerns of livestock producers. View On-Line Cattlemens Update

The State Specialist extension faculty in the department include:

• Ben Bruce - State Livestock Extension Specialist
• Al Cirelli - State Livestock Extension Specialist
• David Thain - State Veterinarian

The major research/outreach programs in the Department include sustainable agriculture, food safety and quality, horse production and management, wildlife interactions, and natural resource management. The major activities and future plans in these program areas are outlined in the following.

There is close cooperation and support from all faculty in the department in implementing livestock extension programs. The outreach extension programs conducted on a state-wide basis by Dr. Bruce and Thain closely parallel their research programs as well as instructional material in rangeland, livestock and wildlife interactions, and the range animal production option of the animal science curriculum. Horse Specialist Al Cirelli provides support to the Horse Industry, coordinates the equine science option under the animal science major, and instructs in the equine science and horsemanship courses.