Colorado State University recently announced the launch of the new Livestock Business Management Major, which is being jointly administered by both the Agricultural and Resource Economics Department and the Animal Sciences Department within the College of Agriculture. This new major will provide students with a complete understanding of the livestock industry and associated business practices. CSU Source announced the degree’s launch in March 2023, allowing students to begin their bachelor’s in Livestock Business Management (LBM) this the Fall semester of 2023.
Dr. DeLay is an expert in the field of Livestock Economics. Prior to joining CSU, he focused on the economics of precision agriculture technology at Purdue University. Since joining the AgNext Team, Dr. DeLay has generated new research projects, delivered educational presentations, and collaborated with various industry leaders. “There was a desire among companies in the industry to have students that were more integrated into the industry prior to coming into the job market,” Dr. Delay said. “That’s where the Livestock Business Management major comes in.”
One of the most differential elements of this major is the opportunity for students to conduct research within an undergraduate curriculum. Dr. DeLay will teach a three-part course titled “Livestock Business Engaged Research.” The course will be divided into Proposal Development, Field Experience, and Communications to introduce students to the scientific research processes of livestock management. “During the initial part of the course, I’ll walk students through how they should form a good research project,” Dr. DeLay said. His students will review academic journals and studies before creating their own project development statement.
The introductory course taken by Livestock Business Management undergraduate students, “Introduction to Livestock Business Management,” teaches students “how to integrate the biophysical and financial dimensions of livestock management to make sound business decisions across a range of scales and resource bases,” according to CSU’s general catalog. Following this course, undergraduate students will have a well-rounded understanding of the elements of livestock management and business ethics.
AgNext’s Assistant Professor of Livestock Economics, Dr. Nathan DeLay, explains how the Livestock Business Management major will serve to prepare students with a deeper understanding of the industry: “students will take traditional animal science and agricultural business classes, but they will also take a series of experiential courses within the LBM major,” Dr. Delay said.
“The second part of the course introduces field experiment experience where students work with a partner in the industry,” Dr. Delay said. “As their faculty member, I would be guiding them through their partnership on the university side.” Dr. Delay explained that these partner connections benefit students tremendously before they enter the livestock business sector. The final aspect of the course is the communications portion, where students “communicate their research through presentations and reports,” according to Dr. DeLay.
The AgNext Team researches many of the topics that will be covered in this degree plan, revealing an opportunity for undergraduate students to connect with AgNext during their time at Colorado State. Dr. DeLay hopes to bridge this connection and inspire students to get further involved in agricultural research as undergraduates.
Students interested in this new major can find more information about it on the College of Agricultural Sciences website.
Rebecca Crook
Senior Communications Intern