Thonney, Michael Larry
Professor
Michael L. Thonney earned graduate degrees at the University of Minnesota and first joined the faculty in Animal Science at Cornell University in 1975. He was promoted to Professor in 1988. He has taught courses in introductory animal science, beef cattle, sheep, and the biology of growth. Research interests have ranged from the relationship of mature size to body composition and growth of cattle and sheep to vaccination of sheep. He has taken sabbatical leaves at the Animal Breeding Research Organisation (Edinburgh, Scotland, 1984), University of California (Davis, 1993), and Massey University (New Zealand, 2003).
research
research and scholarship focus
Current research focuses on nutrition and management of highly productive sheep. Projects on vaccination are underway to control lamb pneumonia and to determine the maturity of the immune system of lambs as they mature. A system for formulating diets on the basis of fermentable NDF is being developed through logic and a series of nutrition experiments.
primary investigator of
- INCREASING VIABILITY OF MEAT GOAT FARMS | Research Grant
research areas
- animal science | collaborative research area (CALS)
- nutritional sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- veterinary medicine | collaborative research area (CALS)
submitted impact statement
- Formulation of diets for sheep, goats, and cattle to include minimum concentrations of fermentable fiber | 2007 Impact statement
- Formulation of diets for sheep, goats, and cattle to include minimum concentrations of fermentable fiber | 2006 Impact statement
- Northeast Sheep and Goat Marketing Program | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
faculty appointment in
- Animal Science (AN SC) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Animal Science | graduate field
- Nutrition | graduate field
teaching
teaching focus
Two animal management courses (Beef Cattle and Sheep) stress the biology of growth to make better decisions about genetic decisions, nutrition, economics, breeds, reproduction, pasture management, and industry issues. Selected undergraduate students are encouraged to carry out simple and elegant experiments on nutrition or immunology (in collaboration with Drs. Mary Smith and Jerrie Gavalchin) of sheep.
teaches
- ANSC 4970 - Individual Study in Animal Science (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- ANSC 4980 - Undergraduate Teaching (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- ANSC 4990 - Undergraduate Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- ANSC 4991 - Undergraduate Honors Research in Animal Science (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- ANSC 7900 - Graduate-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- ANSC 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- ANSC 9900 - Doctoral-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- ANSC 3800 - Sheep (TR 10:10:AM-11:00:AM) | spring 2009 class
- ANSC 4970 - Individual Study in Animal Science (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- ANSC 4980 - Undergraduate Teaching (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- ANSC 4990 - Undergraduate Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- ANSC 7900 - Graduate-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- ANSC 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- ANSC 9900 - Doctoral-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
service
outreach focus
Extension activities focus on providing technical information to sheep and goat farmers about nutrition, health, pasture management, marketing, predator control. Software is provided to make animal management desicions, formulate diets, and to make economic decisions. Delivery is primarily via the web supplemented by several field days, an annual symposium, and on-farm consultations.
background
educational background
- Ph.D., University of Minnesota
featured in
- Researchers identify way to speed up sheep breeding | Cornell Chronicle feature
publications
linked articles
- Effect of testosterone on insulin-like growth factor-I, androgen receptor, and myostatin gene expression in splenius and semitendinosus muscles in sheep. | journal article
- Source and level of supplemental protein for growing lambs | journal article
- The effect of milk intake on forage intake and growth of nursing calves. | journal article
Keywords: animal growth and development, animal health, animal management, cattle, growth and development, molecular biology, nutrition, sheep, sheep farming, sheep genetics, sheep health