Much of the I-Dairy curriculum is focused on providing hands-on learning experiences. Students in the program will have the opportunity to attend classes at the University of Illinois Dairy Research Farm. Classes at the dairy farm provide unique experiences from learning how to properly handle large animals and experiencing dairy cattle behavior to milking cows on the farm. Additional classes will allow students interested in research to work side by side with professors in the Animal Sciences department to aid in or complete their own research projects. 

I-Dairy Students will also have the chance to be a part of the Illini Dairy Judging and Dairy Challenge teams. Both programs allow students to represent the University of Illinois at collegiate contests around the United States. The Illini Dairy Judging Team competes in three contests in which the team evaluates dairy cattle for their phenotypic traits related to animal health and longevity. Dairy Challenge is a contest unlike any other in which participants learn how to evaluate production farms and provide strengths and opportunities to farmers about their operation.

The courses offered in the I-Dairy program are structured to help students succeed in a wide array of dairy science and livestock production fields, whether that be working in the industry or attending graduate school or veterinary school. Courses also provide unique experiences unlike any other at the University of Illinois.

Required courses:

• ANSC 201: Principles of Dairy Production; 3 credit hours, offered Spring
• ANSC 400: Dairy Herd Management; 3 credit hours, offered Fall

Elective courses (choose at least two; minimum of 4 elective credit hours):

• ANSC 215 (Section C): Intro to Animal Evaluation; 2 credit hours, offered Spring
• ANSC 398*: Dairy Challenge; on-campus or off-campus internship, undergraduate research; 1-2 credit hours, offered Fall, Spring, and Summer
• ANSC 314: Advanced Dairy Cattle Evaluation; 2 credit hours, offered Fall
• ANSC 322 Livestock Feeds and Feeding; 3 credit hours, offered Fall
• ANSC 420: Ruminant Nutrition; 3 credit hours, offered Fall
• ANSC 435: Milk Quality and Udder Health; 2 credit hours, offered Fall (online)
• ANSC 438: Lactation Biology; 4 credit hours, offered Spring
• ANSC 499: Dairy Cattle Nutrition and Diet Formulation; 2 credit hours, offered Fall (online)

*ANSC 398 experience must be dairy-related and approved by Dr. Derek Nolan. A maximum of 2 hours of ANSC 398 credit hours can be applied to the certificate.