Career Opportunities and Job Prospects for Animal Science Graduates

Benedict Emmanuel Mitchel

Career Opportunities and
Job Prospects for Animal
Science Graduates

Animal Science (also Animal Bioscience ) is described as "studying the biology of animals that are under the control of humankind." It can also be described as the production and management of farm animals.

WHAT DO ANIMAL SCIENCE DO?

• Animal scientists work with farm animals,
wildlife, laboratory animals, pets and zoo
animals. They study these animals to help keep
them healthy and productive.

• Animal scientists help put food on
our tables. Animal scientists work
with farmers to improve animal
breeding, growth and nutrition. When
animals grow well and stay healthy,
farmers can produce more meat, milk
or eggs for our consumption. Animal
scientists also work with farmers to
decrease the environmental impact of
animal agriculture.

• Animal scientists study animal
products after harvest. They check
meat quality or screen milk for
pathogens. Advances in food safety
increase the world’s supply of
nutritious food.

• Animal scientists also keep us
clothed. In cold climates, people rely
on wool to stay warm. Animal
scientists work to keep animals like
sheep and alpacas healthy.
• Animal scientists study animals to
ensure safe and effective use for labor
and recreation.

• Animal scientists protect human
health. It is important for scientists to
study how diseases spread between
humans and animals. Animal
scientists can also use animals as
models for humans. Studying fetal
development in sheep, for example,
can help us understand fetal
development in humans.

• Animal scientists also keep our pets
healthy. They tackle issues like pet
obesity and breeding. And zoos rely on
animal scientists to establish breeding
programs, nutrition programs and help
preserve exotic wildlife.

SCOPE OF ANIMAL SCIENCE:

The field of animal science addresses animal
and livestock breeding, growth, behavior and
management. Scientists look for better ways to
produce and process dairy products, eggs,
meat and poultry. They work to provide better
housing and care for the animals and devise
ways to improve their mortality and breeding
cycles. Animal scientists need good
communication skills and a firm understanding
of basic business principles. Since animal
scientists analyze data and make use of
statistical techniques, computer skills are also
essential to the job.

Skills and Competencies needed to be
successful in Animal Science:

• Reading Skill
• Writing Skill
• Active Learning Skill
• Active Listening Skill
• Complex Problem Solving Skill
• Effective Speaking Skill
• Time Management Skill
• Analytical Skill
• Social Skill
• Scientific skills
• Critical thinking
• Good Communication Skills

Career Opportunities and Job Prospects
for Animal Science Graduates:

A career in animal science makes you part of
one of the biggest industries in the world!
Agriculture alone is a $2.4 Trillion billion
business, and animal agriculture is a large
component of world agriculture business,
employing large numbers of animal science
graduates. Graduates of animal science can
pursue jobs in farm management, animal
science, and veterinary medicine.
Today's animal science graduates can work in
a large variety of different fields. These
opportunities require technical, personnel, and
management training and can lead to jobs in
livestock, poultry, egg and dairy units as well
as horse farms, zoos, pet animal breeders and
other related industries. Additional career
opportunities exist in agribusiness, technical
service, teaching, veterinary science and
laboratory animal care.
Graduates are in demand to provide
information on the availability of farm products
(e.g. feed, equipment, etc.) and to formulate
nutrition and health programs that lead to the
efficient production of healthy animals. Others
pursue careers in food processing and areas as
different as Cooperative Extension, journalism,
quality control and the inspection and grading
of meat, milk and eggs.
Animal scientists with a background in
molecular biology, microbiology or genetics are
in demand for laboratory work in universities
and the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry.
Furthermore, with additional education and
graduate degrees, more opportunities in
research, teaching, extension and veterinary
medicine become available.
Other growing segments in the animal
marketplace are the increased use of
companion animals (horses, cats & dogs) for
pleasure, health support and recreation and the
use and care of laboratory animals in the
pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Some Job titles / roles Animal Science
Graduates can take:

• Animal Scientist
• Animal Behavior Specialist
• Farm Manager
• Livestock Manager
• Veterinarian
• Agribusiness manager.
• Artificial insemination technician.
• Embryo transfer technician.
• Research biologist.
• Breed association representative.
• Stable manager.
• Federal meat inspector.
• Sales and service personnel.
• Food Inspector.
• Industry Manager/Director.
• Laboratory Manager.
• Management Consultant.
• Marketing Manager/Director.
• Animal Nutritionist.
• Zoologist
• Nature conservation officer
• Animal technician
• NNature conservation officer

Job Duties and Tasks for: "Animal Scientist"

• Conduct research concerning animal
nutrition, breeding, and/or
management to improve products or
processes.
• Advise producers about improved
products and techniques that could
enhance their animal production
efforts.
• Study nutritional requirements of
animals and nutritive values of animal
feed materials.
• Study effects of management
practices, processing methods, feed,
and/or environmental conditions on
quality and quantity of animal
products, such as eggs and milk.
• Develop improved practices in
feeding, housing, sanitation, and/or
parasite and disease control of
animals.
• Research and control animal
selection and breeding practices to
increase production efficiency and
improve animal quality.
• Determine genetic composition of
animal populations and heritability of
traits, utilizing principles of genetics.
• Crossbreed animals with existing
strains or cross strains to obtain new
combinations of desirable
characteristics.

Admission Requirements for the study of
Animal Science in Nigeria:

The O'level subject combination and
requirements needed to study Animal Science;
You require;
Five SSCE credit passes in English Language,
Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology/Agric Science
and one of Physics, Geography or Economics.
In UTME, please note that English Language is
Compulsory for this course. Therefore, the
three (3) other JAMB UTME subject
combination needed to study Animal
Science under the Faculty of Agriculture in the
above Universities include; Chemistry, Biology/
Agriculture and Mathematics/physics