What is livestock?
The term “livestock” is nebulous and may be defined narrowly or broadly. Broadly, livestock refers to any breed or population of animal kept by humans for a useful, commercial purpose. Milk, meat and draught.
Is live stock a part of Agriculture?
Live Stock means the animals and birds which are grown for milk and milk products, meat, eggs, wool, skin and etc. Live Stock is a part of Agriculture, since all the animal feeding (food,shelter and protection) is depends on Agriculture. Yes it is a part of agriculture and its allied activities.
What is livestock and grain farming?
Livestock and Grain Farming. This type of agriculture is commonly known as mixed farming, and originated in the humid areas of the middle latitudes, except Asia. Its development is closely related to the market facilities, and it is a typically European type of farming.
Are livestock considered agriculture?
The breeding, maintenance, slaughter and general subjugation of livestock, known as animal husbandry, is a part of modern agriculture and has been practiced in many cultures since humanity’s transition to farming from hunter-gatherer lifestyles.
Is raising livestock part of agriculture?
Agriculture is the art and science of cultivating the soil, growing crops and raising livestock. It includes the preparation of plant and animal products for people to use and their distribution to markets. Agriculture provides most of the world’s food and fabrics.
Is livestock and agriculture the same?
is that livestock is farm animals; animals domesticated for cultivation while agriculture is the art or science of cultivating the ground, including the harvesting of crops, and the rearing and management of livestock; tillage; husbandry; farming.
What type of agriculture is livestock?
Some are predominately pasture-based operations with livestock types such as beef cows, horses, sheep, and goats. Others are predominantly confined operations with livestock types such as fattened cattle, milk cows, swine, chickens, or turkeys.
What is animal agriculture?
Animal agriculture involves holding animals hostage simply so humans can eat their meat or their secretions, such as milk and eggs. Animals are dominated and controlled for their entire lives on these factory farms, also known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
What are the types of agriculture?
Top 12 Types of AgricultureSubsistence Farming: … Intensive Subsistence Farming (with or without Rice as a dominant crop): … Mediterranean Farming: … Commercial Grain Agriculture: … Arable Farming: … Shifting Cultivation: … Nomadic Herding: … Rudimentary Sedentary Tillage:More items…•
What is considered livestock?
Livestock means cattle, elk, reindeer, bison, horses, deer, sheep, goats, swine, poultry (including egg-producing poultry), llamas, alpacas, live fish, crawfish, and other animals that are part of a foundation herd (including dairy producing cattle) or offspring; or are purchased as part of a normal operation and not …
What is another word for livestock?
synonyms for livestockherd.oxen.beasts.bulls.calves.cows.dogies.longhorn.More items…
What is the importance of livestock in agriculture?
Livestock provides livelihood to two-third of rural community. It also provides employment to about 8.8 % of the population in India. India has vast livestock resources. Livestock sector contributes 4.11% GDP and 25.6% of total Agriculture GDP.
What does livestock mean?
livestock, farm animals, with the exception of poultry. In Western countries the category encompasses primarily cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, horses, donkeys, and mules; other animals, such as buffalo, oxen, llamas, or camels, may predominate in the agriculture of other areas.
What is meant by livestock farming?
animals and birds that are kept on a farm, such as cows, sheep, or chickens.
Is livestock farming commercial or subsistence?
Commercial Agriculture: Mixed Crop and Livestock Mixed crop and livestock farming is the most common form of commercial agriculture in the United States west of the Appalachians and east of 98° west longitude and in much of Europe, from France to Russia.
What is livestock in science?
Broadly, livestock refers to any breed or population of animal kept by humans for a useful, commercial purpose. Milk, meat and draught. Meat, milk and fleece.
What is livestock in Austria?
For other uses, see Livestock (disambiguation). Cattle on a pasture in Austria. Sheep in the Parc National des Ecrins (France) 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 …
How much was the value of livestock in 2013?
The value of global livestock production in 2013 has been estimated at about 883 billion dollars, (constant 2005-2006 dollars).
What are the threats to livestock in South America?
In South America, feral dogs, jaguars, anacondas, and spectacled bears are threats to livestock. In Australia, the dingo, fox, and wedge-tailed eagle are common predators, with an additional threat from domestic dogs that may kill in response to a hunting instinct, leaving the carcass uneaten.
What are the threats to livestock?
Livestock farmers have suffered from wild animal predation and theft by rustlers. In North America, animals such as the gray wolf, grizzly bear, cougar, and coyote are sometimes considered a threat to livestock. In Eurasia and Africa, predators include the wolf, leopard, tiger, lion, dhole, Asiatic black bear, crocodile, spotted hyena, and other carnivores. In South America , feral dogs, jaguars, anacondas, and spectacled bears are threats to livestock. In Australia, the dingo, fox, and wedge-tailed eagle are common predators, with an additional threat from domestic dogs that may kill in response to a hunting instinct, leaving the carcass uneaten.
What is silage used for on a farm?
In between these two extremes are semi-intensive, often family run farms where livestock graze outside for much of the year, silage or hay is made to cover the times of year when the grass stops growing, and fertiliser, feed and other inputs are bought onto the farm from outside.
What is the role of animal husbandry in farming?
Traditionally, animal husbandry was part of the subsistence farmer’s way of life , producing not only the food needed by the family but also the fuel, fertiliser, clothing, transport and draught power. Killing the animal for food was a secondary consideration, and wherever possible its products, such as wool, eggs, milk and blood (by the Maasai) were harvested while the animal was still alive. In the traditional system of transhumance, people and livestock moved seasonally between fixed summer and winter pastures; in montane regions the summer pasture was up in the mountains, the winter pasture in the valleys.
What is the science of agriculture?
Agriculture is the art and science of cultivating the soil, growing crops and raising livestock. It includes the preparation of plant and animal products for people to use and their distribution to markets. Agriculture provides most of the world’s food and fabrics. Cotton, wool, and leather are all agricultural products.
Where did agriculture originate?
The earliest civilizations based on intensive agriculture arose near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Mesopotamia (now Iraq and Iran) and along the Nile River in Egypt. Improved Technology. For thousands of years, agricultural development was very slow. One of the earliest agricultural tools was fire.
How many acres of corn do farmers plant?
U.S. industrial farmers may plant a thousand acres of just corn. The practice of specializing in a single crop is known as monoculture.
What animals did people domesticate?
People also domesticated cattle and pigs. Most of these animals had once been hunted for hides and meat. Now many of them are also sources of milk, cheese, and butter. Eventually, people used domesticated animals such as oxen for plowing, pulling, and transportation. Agriculture enabled people to produce surplus food.
How big was the average farm in 2007?
The size of an average farm in the United States in 2007 was 449 acres, or about the size of 449 football fields. agriculture. Noun. the art and science of cultivating land for growing crops (farming) or raising livestock (ranching). aquaculture.
How did agriculture help people?
Agriculture enabled people to produce surplus food. They could use this extra food when crops failed or trade it for other goods. Food surpluses allowed people to work at other tasks unrelated to farming. Agriculture kept formerly nomadic people near their fields and led to the development of permanent villages.
What was the system of planting used by medieval farmers?
Many medieval European farmers used an open-field system of planting. One field would be planted in spring, another in autumn, and one would be left unplanted, or fallow. This system preserved nutrients in the soil, increasing crop production.
How does livestock affect the environment?
Livestock production is globally responsible for the negative impact on the environment and consequently on climate change. Deforestation, reduced biodiversity, land degradation, and dependence of chemical fertilizer to maintain biomass production are considered the main drivers that make this system unsustainable in time. Silvopastoral systems (SPSs), which include trees, shrubs, and grasses, are considered sustainable alternatives to restore soil fertility and biodiversity, increase forage and wood biomass, promote animal welfare, diversify income, and meet food security needs associated with environment conservation in agriculture and livestock ecosystems. Several types of SPSs could be an option for different agricultural and livestock or ecosystems scenarios according to the climate, soil, tree, and shrub species, land use, animal species, and farming system. In this chapter, SPS experiences were described by three cases studies: (1) Brazil, where the natural regeneration of native trees was used to implement SPSs, (2) Colombia, where SPSs were applied to promote sustainable livestock production, ecologic restoration, ecosystem services, and protection of aquatic systems, and (3) México, where a participatory approach was used as a strategy for implementation of SPSs. For all the cases studies, livestock plays not only an important role in the economy, but also in society and the environment.
How does diet affect livestock production?
Diet plays a major role in enhancing the efficiency of production in all animals. Energy and protein are the major nutrients required in the greatest amounts and should be the highest priority for optimizing reproduction and health in farm animals. Vitamins and minerals cannot be neglected either and must be balanced in the diet. There is also important evidence on the particular effects of physical activity on the health and reproductive capacity of livestock species. In farm animals, locomotion has been identified as a prerequisite for several behaviors. Physical activity is influenced by a wide variety of factors, for example, space per individual.
What is the FAO prognosis for doubling global animal production to 2050?
The FAO prognosis of doubling global animal production to 2050 means the task of cutting the environmental impact per unit of livestock production by 50% to maintain the level of damage at the present level. This presents an enormous challenge to stakeholders in the livestock sector to reduce the sector’s environmental impact.
How has genetics improved livestock production?
Livestock production and efficiency has improved dramatically due to improvements in nutrition, animal health, and breeding and genetics . Genetic improvement of livestock has and continues to play a crucial role in the advancement of livestock agriculture by increasing the efficiency and sustainability of production for all livestock species. This chapter explores the broad contributions made by traditional breeding schemes, genomics, and biotechnologies such as assisted reproductive technologies and genetic engineering. Although not completely comprehensive, it provides an overview of key developments and milestones that contributed to the genetic improvement of livestock along with emerging opportunities for continued growth.
How many sheep and goats were there in China in 2003?
There were 106 million cattle; 465 million pigs; 300 million sheep and goats; and 14.2 billion chickens, ducks, and geese in 2003 (number of livestock in China). Total discharge of manure from highly concentrated animal farms reached 1.73 billion ton in 2008, which is 2.4 times more than industrial solid pollution.
Why is more land needed for deforestation?
Because of this, more land needs to be cleared from forest contributing to deforestation. Additionally, more water resources are required to meet such a demand.
Is livestock a driver of environmental change?
Livestock production is a key driver of environmental change. Already at present, the global livestock sector is one of the top two or three most significant contributors to some of the most important environmental problems, at every level, from local to global.
Where do farmers live?
This type of farming has developed on a commercial basis in areas of the world where large plots of land are available for animal grazing, such as the low rainfall areas of North America, South America and Australia.
Why is agriculture declining?
This type of farming is declining due to pressure by environmentalists.
What are the products of commercial farming?
The major products of this type of farming are tropical crops such as tea, coffee, rubber and palm oil.
What is the dominant crop in intensive subsistence farming?
Intensive Subsistence Farming With Rice Dominant. Intensive subsistence farming is practiced in tropical regions that have high populations and receive a large amount of precipitation. Rice is the dominant crop when it comes to this type of farming, as it can employ and feed a large number of people per unit of area.
What type of agriculture is most of the plantations?
Most of the plantations were developed to provide tropical crops to the European markets. This is a highly capital-intensive type of farming and most of the crops are tree crops. pinterest-pin-it. Mediterranean Agriculture.
How is shifting cultivation used in agriculture?
This type of farming is most often adopted in the tropics. Under this system, the land is obtained by clearing forest areas using a slash and burn technique. The land is then cultivated for a few years, or until the fertility declines or the land is overtaken by the weeds and other native flora.
Where is horticulture most successful?
It has been most successful when used for vineyard cultivation in areas of France, northern Hungary and the Swiss Lakes regions.
What is the livestock sector?
Overview. The livestock sector is a pillar of the global food system and a contributor to poverty reduction, food security and agricultural development. According to the FAO, livestock contribute 40% of the global value of agricultural output and support the livelihoods and food and nutrition security of almost 1.3 billion people.
Why is livestock important?
Livestock are important assets for vulnerable communities. Globally, around 500 million pastoralists rely on livestock herding for food, income, and as a store of wealth, collateral or safety net in times of need. Locally, livestock production systems also contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and to carbon sequestration in soils …
How does livestock contribute to biodiversity?
Locally, livestock production systems also contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and to carbon sequestration in soils and biomass. In harsh environments, such as mountains and drylands, livestock is often the only way to sustainably convert natural resources into food, fiber and work power for local communities.
Why is improved livestock management important?
Improved livestock management is an integral part of the “ One Health ” approach, which seeks to optimize human, animal, and planetary health.
Why Do You Want to Raise Livestock?
Most of this article will focus on the need to identify one’s motivations and goals before beginning a livestock enterprise. Wanting to produce a protein source for one’s family will result in management decisions much different from the goal of needing to earn primary income from livestock production. Which of the below best matches your goals?
What Are Your Resources?
What do you have available to help you obtain your goals? An inventory of tools, land, soils, fences, water, forage, shelter, labor, etc. is crucial when considering a new livestock enterprise. For example, already having pastures with productive plants well-suited to the location may eliminate the need to budget for pasture development.
What Are Your Challenges?
It is best to identify challenges before initiating a new enterprise. Some challenges may preclude certain options on your acreage. For example, if you do not have water rights, it is not feasible to consider an enterprise that will necessitate the need for irrigation.
What Are Your Options?
Sustainable livestock production could involve any or all production phase of these species, if not more
Know Before You Grow!
Perhaps the most common reason for failure of new farm enterprises is lack of adequate market research. Even if you have the resources you need, have selected a livestock product to produce and are ready to go, your enterprise will not be sustainable if there is no one to purchase your product.
Product Classifications
At the grocery store, you have probably noticed the different food product classifications that have increased in number in the past several years. Product labels include “natural,” “organic,” “grass fed,” “free range,” “hormone free,” “non-GMO” and so on. Each label may appeal to a different segment of consumers.
Financial Considerations
For most producers, sustainable livestock production must also take financial sustainability into consideration. Sadly, many producers do not know enough about their costs of production to determine a break-even price for their product (s).
Introduction
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This blog post is primarily about what livestock is and why it is important for the future. Livestock play a significant role in agriculture. It is not only used for gathering food, but also for production of feed, fertilizer, and by-products. This agricultural animal is used for four things that are an imp…
Why Is Livestock Important For Agriculture?
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Livestock are an important part of agriculture because they provide humans with a source of food and help maintain the natural balance of the environment. For example, cows are used to convert grass into milk, pigs eat and convert food waste into manure that can be used as fertilizer, and chickens help control insect populations and provide a source of eggs and meat. With livestock, …
What Are The Benefits of Livestock?
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Livestock, by definition, is a domesticated herd animal, or working animal. This can include cows, pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens. Livestock are used in agriculture, providing a wide range of products, including meat, milk, leather, wool, and eggs. Livestock serve as a food source, an outlet for human labor and a way to dispose of waste. Livestock also contribute to soil erosion, which i…
What Are Some Common Livestock Diseases?
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Livestock is an important part of agriculture. It produces a huge amount of meat, milk, and eggs, and it also provides a lot of power. Livestock diseases are a major source of food-borne illness. Livestock are an important part of the agricultural industry. Livestock are an important part of the agricultural industry because they give farmers an opportunity to make money. But, livestock als…
What Are Some Common Livestock Injuries?
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Livestock are an integral part of the agricultural industry. Livestock contribute to food security and the overall health of the land and the people that depend on it for their livelihood. However, livestock farming is not without its risks. One of the most common types of injuries that livestock face is cuts and punctures. These injuries are caused by fencing, machinery, chemicals, and oth…
Overview
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce commodities such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals who are raised for consumption, and sometimes used to refer solely to farmed ruminants, such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Horses are considered livestock in the United State…
Etymology
The word livestock was first used between 1650 and 1660, as a compound word combining the words “live” and “stock”. In some periods, “cattle” and “livestock” have been used interchangeably. Today, the modern meaning of cattle is domesticated bovines, while livestock has a wider sense.
United States federal legislation defines the term to make specified agricultura…
History
Animal-rearing originated during the cultural transition to settled farming communities from hunter-gatherer lifestyles. Animals are domesticated when their breeding and living conditions are controlled by humans. Over time, the collective behaviour, lifecycle and physiology of livestock have changed radically. Many modern farmed animals are unsuited to life in the natural world.
Dogs were domesticated early; dogs appear in Europe and the Far East from about 15,000 years …
Types
The term “livestock” is indistinct and may be defined narrowly or broadly. Broadly, livestock refers to any population of animals kept by humans for a useful, commercial purpose.
Micro-livestock is the term used for much-smaller animals, usually mammals. The two predominate categories are rodents and lagomorphs (rabbits). Even-smaller animals are kept and raised, such as crickets and honey bees. Micro-livestock does not generally include fish (aquacult…
Farming practices
Traditionally, animal husbandry was part of the subsistence farmer’s way of life, producing not only the food needed by the family but also the fuel, fertiliser, clothing, transport and draught power. Killing the animal for food was a secondary consideration, and wherever possible their products, such as wool, eggs, milk and blood (by the Maasai) were harvested while the animal was still …
Predation
Livestock farmers have often dealt with natural world animals’ predation and theft by rustlers. In North America, animals such as gray wolves, grizzly bears, cougars, and coyotes are sometimes considered a threat to livestock. In Eurasia and Africa, predators include wolves, leopards, tigers, lions, dholes, Asiatic black bears, crocodiles, spotted hyenas, and other carnivores. In South America, feral dogs, jaguars, anacondas, and spectacled bears are threats to livestock. In Australia,
Disease
Good husbandry, proper feeding, and hygiene are the main contributors to animal health on farms, bringing economic benefits through maximised production. When, despite these precautions, animals still become sick, they are treated with veterinary medicines, by the farmer and the veterinarian. In the European Union, when farmers treat the animals, they are required to follow the guidelines for treatment and to record the treatments given.
Transportation and marketing
Since many livestock are herd animals, they were historically driven to market “on the hoof” to a town or other central location. The method is still used in some parts of the world.
Truck transport is now common in developed countries.
Local and regional livestock auctions and commodity markets facilitate trade in …