Livestock

Livestock refers to domesticated animals raised in agricultural settings.

Humans raise these animals to provide labor and diverse products. These products include meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term can be used very broadly or very narrowly. Broadly, it includes any animal population kept for commercial purposes. Narrowly, it sometimes refers only to farmed ruminants, like cattle, sheep, or goats. The practice of breeding and maintaining these animals is called animal husbandry. This practice is a fundamental part of modern agriculture.

Animal husbandry involves complex management of animal life cycles. Farmers must control breeding and living conditions to ensure domestication. This control changes the collective behavior and physiology of the animals. Traditionally, husbandry helped subsistence farmers produce food, fuel, and fertilizer. It also provided clothing and draught power for transport. In many traditional systems, farmers harvested products while animals were still alive. For example, the Maasai people harvest milk and blood. In some systems, humans practice transhumance. This involves moving livestock between seasonal pastures in mountains and valleys.

Farming methods exist on a spectrum from extensive to intensive. Extensive systems allow animals to roam freely or under a herdsman.

Ranching in the Western United States uses large herds grazing on wide lands. Similar stations exist in Australia and South America. In the United Kingdom, sheep graze mountain grasses untended in spring. At the other extreme, intensive farming uses highly controlled environments. Dairy cows may live in zero-grazing conditions where forage is brought to them. Beef cattle might stay in high-density feedlots. Pigs may live in climate-controlled buildings without going outdoors.

History shows that domestication occurred in many different stages. This process began during the transition from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled farming. Dogs were domesticated very early, appearing in Europe about 15,000 years ago.

Cattle were domesticated approximately 10,500 years ago. Goats and sheep were domesticated in Southwest Asia between 11,000 and 5,000 years ago. Pigs were domesticated by 8,500 BC in the Near East and 6,000 BC in China. Horses were domesticated around 4,000 BC. Chickens were likely domesticated around 7,000 BC. These changes radically altered the animals' relationship with the natural world.

Legal definitions of livestock vary by country and specific law. In the United States, definitions depend on the specific legislation. The Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 defines livestock only as cattle, swine, and sheep. However, a 1988 disaster assistance law used a much broader definition. That list included goats, swine, poultry, equine animals, and even fish used for food. The USDA classifies pork, veal, beef, and lamb as livestock.

The USDA also classifies all these as red meat. Interestingly, the USDA does not include poultry or fish in the livestock category. This is likely because fish are governed by the FDA instead.

Managing livestock requires addressing biological and environmental challenges. Farmers must protect herds from predators like wolves, lions, or jaguars.

They must also manage animal health through hygiene and proper feeding. When animals fall ill, they receive veterinary medicines or vaccines. Some diseases, like foot-and-mouth, affect all cloven-hoofed animals. Intensive farming can increase the risk of parasites, such as sea lice in salmon. Climate change may also make livestock diseases worse by changing temperatures. Furthermore, modern intensive farming has environmental impacts. Beef, dairy, and sheep are significant sources of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Finally, livestock connect to global markets and economic systems. Historically, many animals were driven to market "on the hoof." Today, truck transport is the standard in developed nations. Large-scale processing is vital to the food supply chain. For example, in Alberta, Canada, one Cargill plant processes 4,500 cattle per day. That facility alone represents a massive portion of Canada's capacity. In other regions, livestock are traded in local bazaors or wet markets.

Providing market access can improve livelihoods for farmers in developing areas. In Zimbabwe, organizations have helped farmers maximize their livestock herds for better economic outcomes.