Upon completing this certificate, you will:

• Identify the most common feedstuffs based on physical appearance and chemical analysis and understand their role in a typical dairy ration.
• Describe the basics of forage growth, harvest, insulation, and storage, connecting these principles to dairy nutrition.
• Compare and contrast common cereal grains and oilseed meals used in dairy rations and understand key factors driving the economic value of feedstuffs.
• Describe standard feed processing techniques and the nutritional value of resulting byproducts incorporated in dairy rations.
• Formulate diets for dairy cows and young stock.
• Use artificial intelligence to improve the health and nutrition of dairy animals.
• Identify, list, and explain the milk and dietary nutrients that can foster improved milk quality in dairy herds.
• Reliably demonstrate the ability to formulate a diet for dairy cows and understand its impact on health, fertility, and milk quality.

The Dairy Nutrition for Udder Success Certificate is a 12-credit hour program, consisting of three credit-bearing graduate courses and six Coursera components.

To earn this certificate, you'll complete the following:

• Graduate course: ANSC 500 – Feeds in Dairy Nutrition and Diet Formulation
  • Students will examine the fundamentals of dairy cattle nutrition, identify common feedstuffs, and describe the basics of forage growth, harvest, insulation, and storage. Energy, carbohydrates, lipids, protein, amino acids, additives, forages, young stock, and transition cow feeding will be discussed. Students will explore common feed processing techniques, formulate diets for young and mature (lactating and non-lactating) dairy animals, and investigate the newest research insights for on-farm applications and evolving trends in dairy feeds and nutrition.
    • Coursera components: 
      • Fundamentals of Dairy Nutrition: Forages and Feed
      • Moving Beyond Basics: Dairy Nutrition and Diet Formulation
• Graduate course: ANSC 501 – Nutritional Impact on Cow Health and Disorders
  • Explore the holistic impact of nutrition on dairy cattle health and metabolic disorder, and analyze nutrition's role in alleviating stressors. Instructors will discuss profound effects of nutrition on production, physiology, and the immune system. The course includes self-paced learning, case studies, practical insights on dairy nutrition, application of artificial intelligence (e.g., machine learning) for predicting feed intake, and collaborative discussions to address complex issues. Students can also bring and work on their own datasets.
    • Coursera components: 
      • Dairy Nutrition & Health: Analyzing Cow Wellness (Coming soon!)
      • Advancing Dairy Management with AI (Coming soon!)
• Graduate course: ANSC 502 – What is Milk and Milk Quality
  • Explore the composition and synthesis of milk, maternal adaptations supporting milk production, and the impact of cow's milk on human nutrition. Students will examine the digestion of dairy products, health disorders (e.g., lactose intolerance), and milk quality. The course includes self-paced learning, current research, on-farm applications, and interactive discussions. Instructors and guest experts will present case studies, share hands-on experience in milk quality and economics, and discuss the economic relevance of milk quality.
    • Coursera components: 
      • Discovering Dairy: What’s in Your Milk? (Coming soon!)
      • Dairy Economics: Maximizing Profits through Milk Quality (Coming soon!)

Read course descriptions in the ANSC Academic Catalog.

Applying for this certificate

To apply for a graduate certificate program, you'll need to start an online application through the University of Illinois Graduate College. 

The following items are required for your application:

• Bachelor’s degree: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A=4.0), or comparable GPA for an international applicant, for the last two years of undergraduate study is a minimum requirement for admission
• Professional resume: This should include personal information (name, address, telephone number, and email address), academic background, work experience (start and end dates for each position and a brief description of responsibilities), educational training, professional associations, and leadership experiences. Please limit your resume to two pages.
• English proficiency scores (international students only): If you are a non-native English speaker, you must upload your TOEFL or IELTS scores directly to your application. Review the Graduate College’s English proficiency requirements for more details on possible exemptions.

Apply as a certificate student