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or other uses, see Livestock (disambiguation).

Cattle on a pasture in Germany

Livestock is commonly defined as domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce labor and commodities such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to those that are bred for consumption, while other times it refers only to farmed ruminants, such as cattle and goats.^[1] Horses are considered livestock in the United States.^[2] The USDA classifies pork, veal, beef, and lamb as livestock and all livestock as red meat. Poultry and fish are not included in the category.^[3]

The breeding, maintenance, and slaughter of livestock, known as animal husbandry, is a component of modern agriculture that has been practiced in many cultures since humanity's transition to farming from hunter-gatherer lifestyles. Animal husbandry practices have varied widely across cultures and time periods, and continues to play a major economic and cultural role in numerous communities.

Livestock farming practices have largely shifted to intensive animal farming, sometimes referred to as "factory farming"; over 99% of livestock in the US are now raised in this way.^[4] Intensive animal farming increases the yield of the various commercial outputs, but has also led to negative impacts on animal welfare, the environment, and public health.^[5] Due to these negative impacts, but also for reasons of farming efficiency (see Food vs. feed), one projection mentions a large decline of livestock at least some animals (i.e. cattle) in certain countries by 2030.^[6][7]

Etymology

History

Types

Farming practices

Predation

Disease

Transportation and marketing

Environmental impact

Economic and social benefits

See also

References

poultry fish Goat Dairy farming project development All services agriculture jobs 9075001430 8668904470

Cow, Sheep, Pig, Goat, Buffalo, Rabbit, Poultry, Dairy Farming, Cattle Rearing, Cattle Breeding Farm, Cattle & Poultry Feed, Fodder

Livestock farming, raising of animals for use or for pleasure. Livestock farming is the rearing of animals for food and for other human uses. The word 'Livestock' applies primarily to cattle or dairy cows, chickens, goats, pigs, horses and sheep. Today, even animals like donkeys, mules, rabbits and insects such as bees are being raised as part of livestock farming.

Present-day livestock farming is very well planned - animals are provided with food and shelter and bred selectively. As regards shelter, animals are usually kept in enclosures. Pigs and poultry are reared intensively in indoor environments. However, indoor animal farming has often been criticized for multiple reasons - on grounds of pollution and for animal welfare reasons. Outdoor farming of livestock stands for rearing animals in bigger enclosures like ranches and fenced pastures.

Livestock farming is a double-benefiting system - it helps the farmers both economically and supplies them with food throughout the year. However, the above benefits do surely rest upon a two faced criterion - the development must proceed scientifically, and protection and care should be first on the farmer's list.

The usefulness of livestock organs in medicines like insulin has been understood only recently. Nevertheless, livestock farms have been benefiting us in many ways for ages - they provide us with eggs, honey, meat, milk, etc. The skins or hides and even hair of these animals have been used to make blankets, clothing, shoes and the like. The hoofs and horns of these farm animals have been used to make common items like buttons and combs.

Ruminant (cud-chewing) animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats convert large quantities of pasture forage, harvested roughage, or by-product feeds, as well as nonprotein nitrogen such as urea, into meat, milk, and wool. Ruminants are therefore extremely important; more than 60 percent of the world’s farmland is in meadows and pasture. Poultry also convert feed efficiently into protein; chickens, especially, are unexcelled in meat and egg production. Milk is one of the most complete and oldest known animal foods.

The livestock sector provides us with meat, dairy and eggs, as well as wool and leather. The sector generates some €9.3 billion per year in the Netherlands. Government, livestock farmers and the processing industry want to make animal husbandry as sustainable and animal-friendly as possible. This is why battery cages have been banned, and pregnant sows must be housed in groups.