beef - Animal Science Department - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo * Skip to Content * ? * Current Students * Prospective Students * Parents * Business Community * Faculty & Staff * Alumni my CalPoly login * Maps * * Animal Science Department College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences * Home * About Us * Students * Forms * Facilities * Faculty & Staff * Affiliated * GIVING * Careers & Internships * Office Hours Home : #beef Areas of Study * About Us * Animal Science Program Learning Objectives * Pre-Veterinary Medicine * Biotechnology * Food Animal Production * Beef * Sheep & Goats * Swine * Comparative Animal Biology Studies * Equine Science * Poultry Management * Range Resource Management * Meat Science * Dairy Science * Our Students * Prospective Students * Current Students   Food Animal Production: Beef Our Program The beef cattle program is one of the largest animal programs in the Animal Science Department. With over 300 purebred Angus and commercial cows on more than 4,000 acres of land, this program gives students the opportunity to not only learn about the beef industry but also acquire first-hand experience working in the field. Cal Poly’s undergraduate students are able to work with and manage the cattle, learning skills in artificial insemination, embryo transfer, calving and other activities that are usually only available to graduate students at most universities. Our Animals Cal Poly’s herd is made up of commercial Simmental cows and purebred Angus, Lim-Flex, and Sim-Angus cattle. Through the use of new technologies in artificial insemination and embryo transfer, these cattle are bred through selection to build a superior herd that best fits the environment. Students manage both the commercial and purebred cattle, and with the new Meat Processing Center, can take part in the entire production chain. USDA Certification Cal Poly’s beef program is also the first U.S. university to earn USDA certification for its ambitious Process Verification Program for age and source verification. This program certifies the accuracy and integrity of animal information, helping to assure customers that they are buying a consistent product. This provides an opportunity for students to gain training in the process of age, source and natural verification, developing skills they will need to work in the beef cattle industry I wouldn’t trade my experience with Cal Poly’s beef program. The exposure we get working with animals (especially in the enterprises) is invaluable—it puts you ahead of students from other programs that don’t have years of acquired handling skills with large animals.               - Amanda Alford, fourth-year Animal Science student Cal Poly Beef in Industry Related Content CONNECT WITH CAL POLY         * CP Home * Directory * Campus Maps & Directions * University Store * Calendar * Employment * Campus Policies * Contact Us * Privacy Notice * Web Accessibility Statement * Title IX © 2026 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California 93407 Phone: 805-756-1111