Domestication and

Importance of Livestock
Domestic Animals
•Domesticate – to adapt the behavior of an animal to fit the
needs of people.
•Domestic Animals – animals that have been selectively bred
and genetically adapted over generations to live alongside
humans.
• Dog, cat, pig, horse, cattle, sheep, goat, rabbits, chicken, duck and
others
Domestic Animals
•Livestock Animals – domesticated animals raised in
an agricultural setting to provide labor and
produce commodities such as meat, milk, fur, leather,
and wool.
• Cattle, sheep, goats, pig, horses
•Poultry Animals – these are birds raised commercially or
domestically for meat, eggs, and feathers.
• Chicken, turkey, quail, ducks, geese, gamebirds
History of Domestication
• Began when early humans
had contact with wild
animals, which they hunted
for food and skins.
• After a period of time these
early humans began to
confine some of these
animals to ensure a steadier
supply of food and clothing.
Livestock and Poultry Selection
Production
•A type of farming (animal)
• Business
• Source of income, food,
clothing, and others Breeding

Feeding
Caring Marketing
Important Factors in Raising Livestock
•Knowledge and skills (and Patience)
•Application of technologies
•Application of research results
• Government agencies
• Private/commercial firms
Functions of Animals: Converting Feed into
Food
•Feed grains (concetrates) and roughages
•Non-ruminant animals (swine and poultry) – mainly eat feed
grains/concentrate feeds
•Ruminants (cattle, sheep, goat) have 4 stomach
compartments and they regurgitate, re-masticate, and
re-swallow their food. They fed largely on roughages and are
very efficient in converting non-human food into meat.
Animal Conversion of Feed into Food

•Crop residues not fit for human

consumptions
• Stems and leaves of plants (hays)
•Waste products from agricultural
industries
•Fruits and vegetable farming
•Sugar manufacturing
•Milling
The most important livestock sources of protein and energy
for human consumption are swine, beef, poultry, and sheep.
Functions of Animals: Clothing
A draft animal is one that is used to aid in work or labor.

Functions of Animals: Power

Functions of Animals:
Recreation
Functions of Animals: Soil conservation
Functions of Animals: Stabilize Farm Economy
Functions of Animals: Animal By-products
• By-product – Any product from the animal carcass, other than meat.

• Edible by-product: brains, tongue, kidney, heart, fats, intestines,

stomach, blood, and other organs.
• Oleo stearine, which comes from the fat in the animal carcass, is
used in the manufacture of candy and gum.
• Hooves, horns, bones, and hides produce gelatin, which is used in
the production of gelatin desserts, marshmallows, canned meats,
and ice cream
Functions of Animals: Animal By-products
• Hides used in the manufacture of leather goods are the most
important of the inedible by-products that come from animals.
• The inedible fats are used in the production of cosmetics, waxes,
soap, lubricants, and printing ink.
• Bones, horns, and hooves are also used in the production of glue,
buttons, bone china, camera film, sandpaper, dice, piano keys,
wallpaper, and toothbrushes.
• Hair from animal hides is used in making brushes, rug padding, house
insulation, and upholstering materials for furniture.
Functions of Animals: Animal By-products
Trends in Animal Agriculture
•Lean meat – meats with a relatively low fat content;
•Increased efficiency in livestock production
• Higher embryonic survival rate in swine
• Shortening of calving interval in cattle
• Improved methods of artificial insemination
• Biotechnology
•Disease prevention
Animal
Animal Rights
Welfare
• Humane treatment of animals • Animal liberation - total
• Animals can be used to benefit elimination of all animal use by
humans humans
• Livestock producers generally • Eliminate animal suffering to
support proper feeding and the greatest extent possible
housing, veterinary care, and
good management practices
because these activities result
in more efficient production of
meat, milk, eggs, and wool.
Animal Identification
•Ear tags

•Ear notch

•Microchip implant
•Animal agriculture is under pressure from consumers and
public interest groups to address concerns arising from
current industry practices.
1. Antimicrobial resistance in human pathogens and drug
use in animals
2. The relationship between environmental contamination
and disposal of animal waste
3. The role of agricultural practices in human foodborne
illness
4. The impact of current management practices on animal
welfare.