Beef Cattle Program

Feather River College’s Beef Cattle Facility is a modern example of a progressive cattle ranch.

The cattle facility sits on 100 acres in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains and consists of 50 registered angus cows from the industries top genetic lines.

Students are involved with all levels of cattle management from calving out the cows, halter training the calves, conditioning the cattle for shows, and marketing the bulls in western regional area bull sales.

Students will learn about new technologies in reproduction, genetics, health care, and low stress cattle handling practices.  

Nearly 80 acres of the cattle facility is irrigated and harvested for hay and pasture with state of the art farming equipment.

The cattle facility consists of covered handling facilities that contain a hydraulic chute and trimming table, barns for calving and storing hay, and cutting edge feeding equipment.

At Feather River College’s Beef Cattle Facility, students will gain experience that will help them to achieve a career in the Agriculture Industry. 

The Feather River College Beef Program was founded in 2016 and has since become a well known name in the Beef Industry. The FRC herd has 50 registered black angus that are raised in the program and then marketed at local bull sales such as the Great Basin Bull Sale, Klamath Bull Sale, and Red Bluff Bull Sale.  Students use the cattle in classes to learn how to vaccinate, check for pregnancy, assess conformation, and learn other usefull skills. 

AGAS 120 Introduction To Animal Science 

36 LEC, 54 LAB, 3 UNITS CSU, UC This course will cover the livestock industry, supply of animal products, and their uses in animal production. There is a special emphasis on the origin, characteristics, adaptation, and contributions of farm animals to the agriculture industry. The student will analyze the economic and environmental roles of animal production and companionship in society. Investigation of nutrition, genetics, reproduction, behavior, growth and development of animals is included. Animal products, biosecurity, and food processing will also be addressed.

AGAS 125 Animal Feeds and Nutrition 

36 LEC, 54 LAB, 3 UNITS CSU, UC This course covers the science of animal nutrition including the fundamentals of digestion and absorption in both ruminants and non-ruminants. Emphasis is given to the nutritive value of feeds as they relate to the formulation of livestock rations, including by-product feeding.

AGAS 170 - Elements Of Beef Cattle Science

36 LEC, 54 LAB, 3 UNITS CSU, UC Study of the principles and practices of purebred and commercial beef cattle production throughout the world, especially in the United States and California. The course emphasizes the importance of breeds, breeding principles, selection, nutrition, environmental management, health, marketing and record keeping to ensure scientifically based management decisions and consumer product acceptance as applied to beef cattle.

AGAS 171 - Introduction to Showing Beef Cattle I

18 LEC, 54 LAB, 2 UNITS CSU Introduction to Showing Beef Cattle I provides an introduction to theories and practices of beef cattle competition and show events. Topics include cattle selection, conditioning and fitting cattle, low stress handling, and halter training. Emphasis will be placed on the introduction to cattle management and showing beef cattle. Students have the opportunity to study, learn, and practice the basic skills and beginning techniques necessary to show beef cattle.

AGAS 172 - Introduction to Showing Beef Cattle II

18 LEC, 54 LAB, 2 UNITS CSU In the Introduction to Showing Beef Cattle II course, students will apply the theories and practices of beef cattle competition, show events, and marketing for sales. Topics include disease management, nutrition and development, conditioning and fitting, low stress cattle handling, marketing and promotion, and cattle grooming techniques. This course builds on the skills introduced in AGAS 171. Students will have the opportunity to study, learn, and practice the skills and techniques necessary to show and market beef cattle.

AGAS 313 - Equine and Bovine Health and the Prevention and Control of Disease

Part of Equine and Ranch Management Bachelor Degree Program. Prerequisite: AGEQ 102 and AGAS 170
54 LEC, 3 UNITS Important diseases of livestock. Immunity, disease mechanisms, infectious agents, diagnostic procedures, and post-mortem techniques as well as a survey of selected but generally wellrecognized diseases of livestock.

AGAS 350 - Reproduction, Breeding Systems, and Genetics of Livestock

Part of Equine and Ranch Management Bachelor Degree Program. 
36 LEC, 54 LAB, 3 UNITS A study of the mechanisms of livestock reproduction, genetics, and animal breeding systems with an emphasis on beef cattle and horses. Physiological mechanisms of livestock reproduction including gonad function, endocrine relationships, fertility, and factors affecting reproduction efficiency; genetics including study of the genetic basis of selection, kinds of gene action, principles of physical and chemical basis of heredity, mutations, sex-linkage, chromosome mapping, multiple alleles and chromosomal abnormalities. Breeding systems including the application of genetic principles to livestock improvement and development of breeding programs based on principles of population genetics.

AGAS 360 Technical Veterinary Skills 

Part of Equine and Ranch Management Bachelor Degree Program. 
36 LEC, 54 LAB, 3 UNITS Restraint and handling of animals, physical examination, necropsy procedure, basic wound management, applied pharmacology, herd health programs, applied veterinary techniques.

AGAS 423 - Beef Cattle Production and Management

Part of Equine and Ranch Management Bachelor Degree Program. Prerequisite: AGAS 170
36 LEC, 54 LAB, 3 UNITS Students in this course will develop the knowledge and skills for the application of current management practices in the area of beef cattle production and management. Emphasis on reproduction, breeding, nutrition, health care and facility development and maintenance.

AGAS 450 - Applied Beef Cattle Reproductive Management

Part of Equine and Ranch Management Bachelor Degree Program. 
9-18 LEC, 27-54 LAB, 1-2 UNITS An advanced course in bovine reproductive management. Further explores the principles of reproduction management of cattle by emphasizing current cattle breeding techniques and practices, management and care of the cow and calf, management and care of the bull. Emphasis on development of technical skills.

AGAB 364 - Promotion and Marketing in the Equine and Beef Cattle Industry

Part of Equine and Ranch Management Bachelor Degree Program. 
54 LEC, 3 UNITS Introduction to marketing strategies, planning, budgeting, research, product development, pricing, branding, communications and promotions, with applications specific to the equine and beef cattle industry. Students will become acquainted with multimedia marketing techniques and event planning in the agriculture industry.