BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- The LSU Board of Supervisors has approved merging the LSU AgCenter's Department of Veterinary Science into its School of Animal Sciences.

AgCenter Chancellor Bill Richardson says the merger will strengthen research and extension programs in both units and complement their move into a building under construction.

Richardson says there's substantial overlap between the units, with animal science considering all aspects of animal science and veterinary science focusing on diseases.

LSU's School of Veterinary Medicine is not part of the AgCenter and will not be affected.

Richardson says faculty and research programs won't change, and the College of Agriculture and the veterinary school will continue to share faculty.

The merger was approved Feb. 3.

Copyright 2012 The AP.