The Meat Science Program strives to serve the public and private sectors (including meat animal producers, processors and consumers of meat animal products) at the local, state, national and international levels. Such service coincides with precepts of the land-grant university directives and with the mission of Colorado State University.

The Meat Science Program conducts research to generate new information, to answer pressing questions and to solve important scientific/ technological/economic problems relating to meat animal quality, processing, preservation, microbiology, safety, preparation, distribution and consumption; educates and trains undergraduate and graduate students to fill the positions necessary for the meat animal industry to function; and disseminates the new information to the public including producers, processors, consumers, regulators and health professionals.

The multidisciplinary nature of the Meat Science Program at Colorado State involves expertise in meat-animal growth and development; meat-animal carcass composition, quality, evaluation, classification and grading; meat chemistry; meat processing and restructuring; meat microbiology, preservation and safety; nutritional aspects of meat; meat-animal behavior and handling; and extension activities to communicate to the public the relationship of meat consumption and human health, as well as safe meat-product handling and preparation.

The Meat Science Program at Colorado State University consists of faculty in the Department of Animal Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences. The collective expertise of faculty members covers all aspects of meat science from conception to consumption, beginning with the live animal, its well-being and the effect of its behavior on meat quality and safety, through slaughter/dressing, fabrication, and including packaging, transportation/ distribution, palatability, storage-life, processing, preparation/cooking and ending with the consequences of meat consumption on human-health, nutritional-status and longevity. Following are the faculty members of Colorado State University associated with the Meat Science Program:

Keith E. Belk, Ph.D., Professor—Red meat safety & quality, live animal development, international trade, quality management.
(970) 491-5826
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Lawrence Goodridge, Ph.D.
(970) 491-6271

Kendra Kerr Nightingale , Ph.D., Assistant Professor meat safety & quality, pre- and post-harvest food safety
(970) 491-1556
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John A. Scanga, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Extension Meat Specialist—Meat quality and safety, and quality management systems.
(970) 491-6244
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Gary C. Smith, Ph.D., Monfort Professor, University Distinguished Professor—Meat packaging; carcass classification and grading; meat palatability and safety.
(970) 491-5226
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John N. Sofos, Ph.D., Professor Meat microbiology; preservation; food safety.
(970) 491-7703
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J. Daryl Tatum, Ph.D., Professor—Meat grading and marketing; animal management and meat composition and quality; meat animal growth and carcass development.
(970) 491-6530
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(S) = Offered spring semester
(F) = Offered fall semseter

For a complete class listing, click on the following link: Animal Science Courses