The Department of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine was established in 1970 as the Department of Agricultural Disciplines. Initially, the animal husbandry division was called zootechnical, and graduates received the qualification of zootechnician scientist. In 1976, due to the transition of animal husbandry to an industrial basis and the creation of large complexes, it was renamed to animal engineering, and graduates began receiving the qualification of animal engineer. The first graduation for the qualification of zootechnician scientist was held in 1975, and for the qualification of animal engineer — in 1978. In 2013, the department began training students in the specialty “Veterinary Medicine.” Over time, the department was headed by: · Maria Efimovna Goncharova — Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor; · Morhadzhi Bambaevich Narmaev — Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Kalmykia, Honored Zootechnician of the Russian Federation, People's Writer of the Republic of Kalmykia; · Anatoly Fedorovich Nosov — Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor; · Nikolay Erdnievich Goryaev — Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor, Honored Worker of Higher Professional Education of the Russian Federation, Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Republic of Kalmykia; · Viktor Alexandrovich Kokorev — Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, Honored Worker of Higher Professional Education of the Russian Federation, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Mordovia, Laureate of the Head of the Republic of Mordovia Prize, Laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Mordovia in Science and Technology; · Anatoly Nimeevich Arilov — Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, Laureate of the Government of the Russian Federation Prize in Science and Technology, Honored Worker of Higher Professional Education of the Russian Federation, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Kalmykia, Honorary Professor of the Mongolian State Agricultural University.
The department has specialized laboratories equipped with modern instruments and equipment:
- Sheep and goat breeding;
- Microbiology and immunology;
- Physiology and ethology of agricultural animals;
- Standardization and veterinary-sanitary expertise;
- Immunogenetic expertise;
- Molecular genetics;
- Obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biotechnology of agricultural animals;
- Feed and livestock products analysis.