The Department of Animal Science offers short courses designed for continuing professional development and learning. These courses are designed to offer practical and effective trainings in a short amount of time and allow students to enrich their CV's and learn more about a specific area. Please view the Current short courses offerings below.
Current Short Courses
Designing Breeding Programs for Minor Livestock Species - From Theory to Practice
Where: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Start: January 25, 2027, at 1:00 pm
End: January 29, 2027, at 1:00 pm
Instructors: Dr. Maria Wurzinger (ISU), Dr. Gustavo Gutierrez (ISU), Dr. Luiz Brito (Purdue University) and guest speakers
In recent years, animal breeding has advanced significantly through genomic information and large-scale phenotyping schemes. In addition, research is currently underway to identify novel traits (e.g., heat tolerance, general resilience, methane emissions) and incorporate them into breeding programs. Well-structured breeding programs are a key prerequisite for successfully implementing these new tools and technologies. However, not all farmers and ranchers benefit equally from these technological advancements. Although minor livestock species, including sheep, goats, South American camelids, and bison, play an important role in diversifying and strengthening the resilience of U.S. agricultural systems, farmers of these species are not fully taking advantage of available new technologies.
Goal of the workshop
This workshop aims to share recent scientific advancements and identify opportunities to address major challenges in genetic improvement in minor livestock species; determine future areas of research, extension, and teaching related to this topic; and foster collaborations among early-career and established researchers and stakeholders in the animal breeding community across the U.S.
Topics covered
- Design, implementation, and evaluation of breeding strategies, including organizational and socio-economic aspects;
- Assessment and management of genetic variability in small populations;
- Potential use of genomic information for management of genetic variability and genetic improvement;
- Steps for the development of novel traits for refining or designing selection indexes for different species; and,
- Monitoring progress and risk assessment in breeding programs.
Participants
The workshop is intended for graduate students, early-career researchers, and professionals interested in the design and optimization of livestock breeding programs. The maximum number of participants will be 40. We provide scholarships for a maximum of 25 participants.
Practical information
There are no registration fees for all participants.
In addition, the scholarship holders will receive:
- Catering, including breakfast, lunch, and dinners
- Accommodation in shared on-campus facilities
If other accommodation is preferred, this is at the participants’ own expense.
- Travel grants up to a maximum of $400.00. Reimbursement will be done after completion of the workshop.
Timeline
- Application deadline: November 20, 2026
- Acceptance of application: November 30, 2026
- Confirmation by participant of accepting the award: December 10, 2026
Registration
Please fill out this registration form to register.
Provide the following documents at the time of registration:
- Proof of enrollment in a graduate program in Animal Science or a closely related discipline at a U.S. university, or documentation confirming employment at a U.S.-based institution (including breeders’/producers’ associations).
- Brief motivation letter (maximum of 300 words).
- CV (maximum of 2 pages)
- Support letter from advisor or supervisor confirming that any costs not covered by the scholarship will be supported by other funding sources
Contact
For any inquiries, please contact Maria Wurzinger at mwurzing@iastate.edu
Funding
This workshop is partially funded by USDA-NIFA with sponsor award # 20266701546692.