"Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products."
The study of the economic and business aspects of animal production, including marketing and sales.
Animal Nutrition: The study of how animals obtain and utilize nutrients from food for growth, maintenance, reproduction, and other physiological functions.
Animal Breeding and Genetics: The study of genetic principles and techniques used to improve the productivity, health, and quality of livestock.
Animal Behavior: The study of how animals behave in their natural environment and how this behavior can be affected by environmental factors and management practices.
Animal Health: The study of diseases and health management practices that affect livestock production and the welfare of animals.
Livestock Production Systems: The study of different production systems used to raise livestock, ranging from extensive grazing systems to intensive confinement systems.
Business Management: The study of business principles and practices that apply to animal agriculture, including finance, marketing, and human resource management.
Environmental Management: The study of how animal agriculture practices can affect the environment and how best to manage these impacts.
Genetics and Genomics: The study of gene structure, function, and regulation in livestock and how this knowledge can be applied to improve production and health.
Reproductive Physiology: The study of the physiological processes involved in reproduction in livestock, including mating, gestation, and lactation.
Meat Science: The study of the structure, composition, and quality of meat as well as the processing and marketing of meat products.
Dairy Science: The study of milk production and processing, including the physiology of lactation, milk composition, and cheese and butter production.
Poultry Science: The study of poultry production, including breeding, nutrition, health, and processing.
Aquaculture: The study of fish and shellfish production, focusing on management practices to improve production efficiency and sustainability.
Farm management: It includes managing the financial, operational, and production aspects of a farm or ranch.
Agribusiness management: It involves managing businesses that provide goods and services to the agriculture industry, such as seed and feed companies, equipment dealerships, and fertilizer companies.
Animal production management: It involves managing the production of livestock and poultry, including breeding, feeding, and marketing.
Agricultural marketing and sales: It involves marketing and selling agricultural products such as crops, livestock, and poultry.
Agricultural finance and accounting: It involves managing the financial aspects of a farm or agribusiness, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.
Agricultural policy and regulations: It involves analyzing and developing policies that affect the agriculture industry, such as farm subsidies, trade agreements, and environmental regulations.
Agricultural research and consulting: It involves conducting research and providing consulting services to farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses.
Natural resource management: It involves managing the natural resources used in agriculture, such as soil, water, and wildlife.
Rural development: It involves developing the economic and social infrastructure of rural communities, including creating businesses and improving education and healthcare.
Agricultural education and extension: It involves educating farmers and the general public about agriculture and providing outreach services to improve agricultural practices.
"It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock."
"Husbandry has a long history, starting with the Neolithic Revolution when animals were first domesticated, from around 13,000 BC onwards, predating farming of the first crops."
"Cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs were being raised on farms."
"Major changes took place in the Columbian exchange when Old World livestock were brought to the New World."
"Livestock breeds like the Dishley Longhorn cattle and Lincoln Longwool sheep were rapidly improved by agriculturalists, such as Robert Bakewell, to yield more meat, milk, and wool."
"A wide range of other species, such as horse, water buffalo, llama, rabbit, and guinea pig, are used as livestock in some parts of the world."
"Insect farming, as well as aquaculture of fish, molluscs, and crustaceans, is widespread."
"Modern animal husbandry relies on production systems adapted to the type of land available."
"Subsistence farming is being superseded by intensive animal farming in the more developed parts of the world."
"Beef cattle are kept in high-density feedlots."
"Thousands of chickens may be raised in broiler houses or batteries."
"On poorer soil, such as in uplands, animals are often kept more extensively and may be allowed to roam widely, foraging for themselves."
"Most livestock are herbivores."
"Pigs and chickens are omnivores."
"Ruminants like cattle and sheep are adapted to feed on grass."
"They can forage outdoors or may be fed entirely or in part on rations richer in energy and protein, such as pelleted cereals."
"Pigs and poultry cannot digest the cellulose in forage."
"They require other high-protein foods."
"Animal husbandry is concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products."