University of Georgia - Department of Poultry Science

What University of Georgia - Department of Poultry Science does

The University of Georgia Department of Poultry Science is an academic unit within UGA's College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, located in Athens, Georgia. The department offers four undergraduate majors (Poultry Science, Avian Biology, Biological Science, and Animal Health), MS and PhD graduate programs, and accelerated Double Dawg BS/MS pathways, with reported 100% post-graduation employment rates for majors. Its core activities span three pillars: (1) education and degree programs, (2) research into poultry immunology, gut health, enteric pathogens (coccidiosis, necrotic enteritis, Histomonas), precision poultry farming, nutrition, and emissions reduction, and (3) extension and outreach — including farm tours, the Avian Academy teacher-training program, the Georgia Precision Poultry Farming Conference, the Deep South Poultry Conference co-hosted with the Georgia Poultry Federation, and Hot/Cold Weather Management Workshops developed jointly with the UGA College of Engineering. The department operates from a new 70,000+ square-foot Poultry Science Building on UGA's South Campus and is led by Department Head Dr. Todd Applegate, who also serves as Assistant Dean for International Programs and holds the R. Harold & Patsy Harrison Distinguished Chair in Poultry Science. Funding flows from three streams: undergraduate/graduate tuition, competitive federal and industry research grants (notably over $14.9M cumulative secured by Dr. Olukosi and ~$5M by Dr. Chai), and private donations — most prominently a $4.1M gift from Wayne-Sanderson Farms that named the building's student lobby. Go-to-market motion is community- and event-led, with active social channels, Open House recruiting events, K-12 school visits, FFA/4-H poultry judging contests (engaging 1,000+ youth annually), and dedicated internship pipelines to integrators including Cobb-Vantress, Pilgrim's, and House of Raeford/Columbia Farms. The department serves as a regional workforce and research engine for Georgia's poultry industry — the largest in the United States — while pursuing an international footprint through a Scotland study-abroad partnership and faculty Fulbright awards.

Name

University of Georgia - Department of Poultry Science

Legal name

University of Georgia - Department of Poultry Science

Website

https://poultry.caes.uga.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1785

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The University of Georgia Department of Poultry Science is an academic unit offering undergraduate and graduate education, applied research, and extension services to Georgia's poultry industry from a new 70,000+ sq ft facility in Athens, GA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAGAG

Veterinary Medicine Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Medical & Health Sciences Universities

Keywords

• Poultry science education
• Agricultural extension services
• Avian biology research
• Poultry industry training
• Precision poultry farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Academic Tuition and Student Enrollment: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate student enrollment in poultry science programs, including the new Double Dawg degree programs allowing students to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees within five years.
2. Research Grants and Contracts: Faculty secure competitive research grants from federal agencies (USDA-NIFA, NSF), industry partners, and foundations. Dr. Olukosi has secured over $14.9 million in research funding; Dr. Chai has served as PI/Co-PI on grants totaling approximately $5 million.
3. Private Donations and Industry Support: Wayne-Sanderson Farms donated $4.1 million for the new Poultry Science Building. Alumni giving and corporate donations support departmental programs and facilities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The department delivers undergraduate majors (Poultry Science, Avian Biology, Biological Science, Animal Health), graduate MS/PhD programs, and Double Dawg accelerated degrees in poultry science to students. It conducts applied and basic research in poultry immunology, gut health, nutrition, precision farming, and processing, and provides extension programming (workshops, conferences, online resources) to Georgia's commercial poultry industry, K-12 educators, and youth. Operations are anchored by a new 70,000+ square-foot Poultry Science Building and the UGA Poultry Research Center.

Product overview

The University of Georgia Department of Poultry Science is an academic department offering undergraduate majors (Poultry Science, Avian Biology, Biological Science, Animal Health), graduate programs, and Double Dawg accelerated degree pathways. The department provides non-degree educational programs including the International Poultry Short Course, Avian Academy I and II for K-12 teachers, Hot/Cold Weather Management Workshops, and an annual Georgia Precision Poultry Farming Conference. Research and outreach programs serve Georgia's poultry industry through farm tours, school visits, poultry judging contests, and study abroad opportunities including a Scotland: Animal Health Research and Development program. The department operates from a new 70,000+ square-foot Poultry Science Building on UGA's South Campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cobb-Vantress, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Student intern conducted research on egg hatchability and gained insight into commercial hatchery operations. Partnership provides practical experience for students while connecting company with potential future employees.
• Pilgrim'scoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Student completed internship focused on fertility and hatchability research at Pilgrim's processing facility, providing industry experience for future poultry professionals.
• Georgia Poultry FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts the Deep South Poultry Conference annually with the Georgia Poultry Federation in Tifton, Georgia. Partnership provides educational programming for poultry producers in south Georgia with emphasis on broiler and breeder management.
• House of Raeford (Columbia Farms)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent employment and internship provider. Student worked as assistant manager at hatchery under Columbia Farms, gaining experience in live operations and hatchery management.
• UGA College of EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint collaboration on Hot Weather Management Workshop and Cold Weather Management Workshop, combining poultry science expertise with engineering for environmental control research.
• Scotland's Colleges of Veterinary MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership for the 'Scotland: Animal Health Research and Development' program. Collaboration with Scotland's veterinary colleges and world-renowned researchers in animal health, genetics, and welfare.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas A&M University - Department of Poultry Science: One of the largest and most established poultry science programs in the U.S., offering comparable undergraduate, graduate, and extension services. Direct competitor for students, faculty, federal grants, and industry partnerships across the broiler belt.
• Mississippi State University - Department of Poultry Science: Regional peer in the southeastern U.S. with poultry science research, teaching, and extension programs. Competes directly for students, faculty hires, and industry funding within the broiler-producing region.
• University of Maryland - Department of Animal and Avian Sciences: Land-grant academic department combining animal and avian sciences, including poultry research and education. Notably, Dr. Rami Dalloul earned his Ph.D. here, making it a closely comparable research and training peer.
• North Carolina State University - Prestage Department of Poultry Science: Major southeastern land-grant poultry science program with deep research expertise in immunology, nutrition, and processing. Directly competes with UGA for students, faculty talent, and industry-sponsored research.
• University of Illinois - Department of Animal Sciences: Major public research university with an animal sciences department covering poultry nutrition, health, and production. Comparable in mission, scale, and funding model as a public university department.
• Virginia Tech - School of Animal Sciences: Major land-grant university with animal and poultry sciences programs. Dr. Dalloul was previously on faculty before joining UGA, making Virginia Tech a directly comparable research and graduate training peer.
• Auburn University - Department of Poultry Science: Southeastern peer land-grant university with a dedicated poultry science department focused on production, nutrition, and processing. Competes for students, faculty, and industry partnerships in the region.
• Cornell University - Department of Animal Science: Ivy League land-grant university with animal and avian sciences research programs. Dr. Adam Davis earned his B.S. and Ph.D. here, making it a comparable peer for poultry nutrition and graduate training.
• Penn State University - Department of Animal Science: Large land-grant university with an animal science program that includes significant poultry nutrition and gut health research. Dr. Woo Kyun Kim completed his Ph.D. and postdoc here, making it a closely comparable academic peer.
• University of Arkansas - Center of Excellence for Poultry Science: Premier U.S. poultry research and education center with strong industry ties and integrated processing focus. Direct peer in poultry science research, graduate training, and extension programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ugapoultryscience

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Georgia - Department of Poultry Science