Animal Husbandry Food Animals - History, Advantages, Types

Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture which raises animals for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes their care, management, production, nutrition, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. It started around the Neolithic Revolution, when animals were first domesticated. In the ancient societies of Egypt, cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs were raised on farms.

This Story also Contains

1. What is Animal Husbandry?
2. Different Types of Animal Husbandry
3. Benefits of Animal Husbandry
4. Role of Animal Husbandry in Human Welfare
5. Recommended Video on Animal Husbandry
6. MCQs on Animal Husbandry

The livestock which are reared are generally herbivores, except for pigs and chickens. Various ruminants like cattle and sheep are adapted to feed on grass. They graze outside, or may be given a feed entirely or in part on feed richer in energy and protein, like pelleted cereals. Pigs and poultry require a rationed feed of high-nutritional feed, as they cannot digest the cellulose of plants. Animal husbandry is a topic of the chapter Strategies For Enhancement In Food Production. It is a chapter in the biology subject.

What is Animal Husbandry?

The area of agriculture known as animal husbandry deals with rearing, breeding, and raising animals for their meat, fibre, eggs, milk, and other food products. Selective breeding and cattle keeping are considered parts of animal husbandry. Some of the important points are discussed below:

• Choosing a specific type of animal for reproduction in order to enhance their trade and species is known as selective breeding and is part of animal husbandry.

• Animal husbandry is one of the sources of income for many farmers through cattle keeping and cattle rearing.

• Animals produce different types of nutrient-dense food items which is essential for the human diet.

• Animals are also responsible for providing dairy products like milk, which we get from animals like cows and goats.

• There are other farming categories, such as poultry, marine fish species and also animals reared for meat production.

Different Types of Animal Husbandry

Animal husbandry can be of different types, based on the type of animal reared. Some of the important types of Animal Husbandry food animals are discussed below:

Benefits of Animal Husbandry

There are many benefits of animal husbandry, ranging from obtaining animal products to rearing them for other byproducts. Keeping animals provides the following benefits:

• By giving domestic animals the right nutrition, shelter, and disease protection, animal husbandry aids in the proper management of animals.

• Numerous farmers are given jobs as a result, raising their standard of living.

• Cross-breeding aids in the development of animal breeds with high reproductive rates. As a result, there is a rise in the production of many food items, including milk, eggs, meat, etc.

• It promotes a healthy environment and entails the proper disposal of animal faeces.

Role of Animal Husbandry in Human Welfare

Animal husbandry is one of the most employed sections of agriculture and animal management. We obtain many products from it. Some of those are explained below-

Dairy Products

Animals like cows, sheep, etc. give milk, which is utilised by many people around the world. Milk, along with milk products, such as yoghurt, cheese, butter, etc., is also used.

Meat

Animals such as cows, buffalo, and poultry are raised for their meat. The meat is a very rich source of protein.

Land Management

The cattle are allowed to graze on lands covered with weeds to control the growth of weeds on agricultural land. The dry shrubs are often a risk of fire, which are eaten by goat and sheep.

Fibre

Animals also produce fibres such as wool and leather, which are used in the textile industry. Example- Sheep are reared for wool, and leather is reared from camels.

Manure

Manure is used in the soil to improve its quality of the soil. The excreta, blood, and bones of animals are used as manure, which increases the crop yield and crop production.

Labour

Animals are a great method of non-human labour. They are used to plough fields, transport goods and also for military functions. Horses, yaks, and donkeys are used for these purposes.

Recommended Video on Animal Husbandry

MCQs on Animal Husbandry

Q1. More than 70 per cent of the livestock population is found in:

Option 1: Denmark

Option 2: India

Option 3: China

Option 4: India and China

Correct answer: (4) India and China.

Explanation:

India and China together account for over 70% of the global livestock population, driven by their large rural populations and agricultural economies. India is renowned for its vast populations of cattle, buffalo, goats, and poultry, being a leading milk producer globally, while China dominates in pig and poultry farming as the world’s largest pork producer and consumer. Livestock plays a critical role in both countries, providing food, income, and support for agriculture, making them pivotal in global livestock production.

Hence, the correct answer is option (4) India and China.

Q2. Animal husbandry and plant breeding programmes are examples of:

Option 1: reverse evolution

Option 2: artificial selection

Option 3: mutation

Option 4: natural selection

Correct answer: (2) artificial selection

Explanation:

Animal husbandry and plant breeding programs are practices that rely on human intervention to enhance desirable traits in both animals and plants. These programs involve controlled breeding, selection, and genetic manipulation to improve specific characteristics such as disease resistance, growth rate, yield, quality of produce, and other beneficial traits.

In animal husbandry, this manipulation often involves selective breeding, where animals with desirable traits (such as high milk production or better meat quality) are bred together to pass those traits to offspring. This process may also include techniques like artificial insemination or genetic modification.

In plant breeding, the human intervention involves selecting parent plants with favourable traits, such as resistance to pests or better crop yields, and crossing them to produce offspring with a combination of these traits. Modern methods of plant breeding also include genetic engineering, where specific genes are inserted into plants to confer resistance to diseases, tolerance to environmental stresses, or enhanced nutritional value.

Hence, the answer is the option (2) artificial selection

Q3. Animal breeding is an important aspect of

Option 1: Animal pharmacy

Option 2: Animal livestock

Option 3: Animal husbandry

Option 4: None of these

Correct answer: 3) Animal husbandry

Explanation:

Breeding of animals is an important aspect of animal husbandry, focusing on the mating of animals to improve a specific characteristic. General purposes of animal breeding include improving livestock production and desirable features in the products of their yield, such as milk, meat, and wool. It plays a huge role in agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Hence, the correct answer is Option 3) Animal husbandry

Also Read:

• MCQ Practice on Animal Husbandry

• Biofertilizers

• Microbes in Human Welfare