Animal Husbandry Food Animals - History, Advantages, Types

Q: List a few benefits of animal husbandry?

Improved Food Security : Animal husbandry provides essential food products like meat, milk, and eggs, which are vital sources of protein and nutrition for humans. Economic Value : It supports local and global economies by generating income for farmers and contributing to industries like dairy, meat, and leather. Sustainability : Manure from livestock can be used as natural fertilizer, promoting sustainable farming practices and improving soil fertility.

Edited By Irshad Anwar | Updated on Jul 02, 2025 05:21 PM IST

Animal husbandry is one of the breeding practices of rearing and raising animals for the production of food fibre and other resources. It plays a very important role in agriculture which supports livelihood and provides essential products like meat, milk and eggs. Being part of the chapter on the strategic development of the food production biology class 12th it becomes an important part of the syllabus of different entrance exams.

This Story also Contains

What is Animal Husbandry Food Animals?
Different Types of Animal Husbandry
Benefits of Animal Husbandry Food Animals
Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Animal Husbandry
Recommended Video on Animal Husbandry Food Animals

What is Animal Husbandry Food Animals?

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.

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Different Types of Animal Husbandry

Some of the important types of Animal Husbandry food animals are discussed below:

Types of Animal Husbandry	Explanation	Key Animal	Products
Diary Farming	Production and processing of milk into dairy products.	Cows, buffaloes, sheep and Goat.	Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, butter and Cream.
Fish Farming	Raising fish in the pond or tank for commercial purposes.	Cod, Salmon, Catfish and tilapia.	Fish and fish protein.
Poultry Farming	Breeding and raising of birds for meat and eggs.	Chicken, duck, geese and Turkeys.	Meat, eggs and manure for fertilizing the soil.
Beekeeping (Apiculture)	Keeping The bee colony for honey and other products.	Honey bees.	Honey, wax and pollination services.

Benefits of Animal Husbandry Food Animals

Some major benefits of animal husbandry are discussed below:

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 level 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.

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Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Animal Husbandry

It takes effort to remember everything in a single go. We made the entire problem easy. Some of the tricks regarding Animal Husbandry are given below which you can use to memorise the important points.

Animal Breeding and Management

"SCOPE: Selective Breeding, Care, Overseeing, Production, Efficiency"

S: Selective breeding enhances desirable traits.
C: Care involves health management and proper nutrition.
O: Overseeing daily operations ensures animal well-being.
P: Production focuses on maximizing yield (meat, milk, eggs).
E: Efficiency relates to resource use and sustainable practices.

Types of Animal Husbandry

"FDP: Farming, Dairy, Poultry"

F: Farming includes raising livestock for various products (meat, fibre).
D: Dairy farming focuses on milk production and processing.
P: Poultry farming involves raising birds for meat and eggs.

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Artificial Insemination	Tissue Culture
Plant Breeding	Agricultural Implements
Single Cell Protein	Biocontrol agents

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. List a few benefits of animal husbandry?

Improved Food Security: Animal husbandry provides essential food products like meat, milk, and eggs, which are vital sources of protein and nutrition for humans.

Economic Value: It supports local and global economies by generating income for farmers and contributing to industries like dairy, meat, and leather.

Sustainability: Manure from livestock can be used as natural fertilizer, promoting sustainable farming practices and improving soil fertility.

2. Describe one or more of the drawbacks to animal husbandry?

Animals eat thick grass covers, reducing the amount of vegetation. Soil erosion was caused by overgrazing on forest cover ruins the local environment. Large-scale methane emissions are one of the primary causes of global warming. disease transmission.

3. Why do we call animal husbandry refer to as food?

Food produced or created for cattle and poultry is known as feed, commonly known as animal feed. In order to create modern feeds, ingredients are carefully chosen and blended to create very nutrient-dense diets that both sustain the health of the animals and improve the quality of such byproducts as meat, milk, or eggs.

4. Explain the three kinds of foods eaten by animals?

Herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores are three of the several animal species. Animals known as herbivores only consume vegetation. Only meat is consumed by carnivorous creatures. Animals that consume both meat and plants are known as omnivores.

5. Describe animal management in detail?

In order to maximise productivity, genetic traits of the animals are also taken into consideration when managing and caring for farm animals for human use. The production methods used in animal husbandry nowadays are depending on the types of land that are accessible. With beef cattle fed in high-density feedlots and thousands of chickens reared in broiler houses or batteries, industrial animal husbandry is replacing subsistence farming in the more developed portions of the world. On poorer soil, like in the uplands, animals are frequently kept in bigger numbers and occasionally given free rein to hunt for food on their own.

6. What are the main advantages of animal husbandry in food production?

The main advantages of animal husbandry in food production include: 1) Providing high-quality protein sources, 2) Converting inedible plant materials into edible animal products, 3) Utilizing land unsuitable for crop production, 4) Producing valuable by-products like leather and fertilizer, 5) Contributing to food security and economic stability in rural areas, and 6) Allowing for year-round food production in various climates.

7. How does animal husbandry contribute to food security?

Animal husbandry contributes to food security by:

8. How does animal welfare impact food production in animal husbandry?

Animal welfare is increasingly important in food production as it affects:

9. What is the role of technology in modern animal husbandry?

Technology plays a significant role in modern animal husbandry by:

10. How does the concept of "One Health" relate to animal husbandry?

The "One Health" concept recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. In animal husbandry, it emphasizes:

11. What are the main types of food animals in animal husbandry?

The main types of food animals in animal husbandry include:

12. What is the difference between intensive and extensive animal husbandry?

Intensive and extensive animal husbandry differ in their approach to raising livestock:

13. How does aquaculture fit into the broader concept of animal husbandry?

Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic organisms, is an important part of animal husbandry:

14. How does animal husbandry contribute to sustainable agriculture?

Animal husbandry contributes to sustainable agriculture by: 1) Recycling nutrients through manure use as fertilizer, 2) Integrating with crop production in mixed farming systems, 3) Utilizing marginal lands unsuitable for crops, 4) Providing draft power for small-scale farmers, and 5) Developing more efficient breeding and feeding practices to reduce environmental impact. However, it's important to note that some intensive animal farming practices can have negative environmental effects if not managed properly.

15. How does selective breeding impact food animal production?

Selective breeding in food animal production involves choosing animals with desirable traits to parent the next generation. This process has led to increased productivity, improved meat quality, higher milk yields, and better disease resistance. For example, modern dairy cows produce significantly more milk than their ancestors. However, selective breeding can also lead to reduced genetic diversity and potential health issues if not managed carefully.

16. How does animal nutrition affect food production in animal husbandry?

Animal nutrition is critical in food production as it directly impacts animal growth, health, and productivity. Proper nutrition ensures:

17. What role does genetics play in modern animal husbandry?

Genetics plays a crucial role in modern animal husbandry by:

18. What are the challenges of disease control in food animal production?

Disease control in food animal production faces several challenges:

19. What is animal husbandry, and how does it relate to food production?

Animal husbandry is the practice of breeding and raising livestock for food, fiber, and other products. It relates to food production by providing meat, dairy, and eggs, which are important sources of protein and other nutrients in human diets. Animal husbandry involves managing animals' health, nutrition, reproduction, and living conditions to optimize their growth and productivity.

20. How has animal husbandry evolved throughout history?

Animal husbandry has evolved from small-scale, subsistence farming to large-scale, industrialized operations. Early domestication began around 10,000 years ago with goats, sheep, and cattle. Over time, selective breeding improved animal traits, while advances in nutrition, disease control, and technology increased productivity. Modern animal husbandry now incorporates genetics, artificial insemination, and automated systems to maximize efficiency and output.

21. How does climate change affect animal husbandry and food production?

Climate change impacts animal husbandry and food production in several ways:

22. What is the concept of carrying capacity in animal husbandry?

Carrying capacity in animal husbandry refers to the maximum number of animals that a given area of land can support without degrading the environment or reducing the animals' productivity. It considers factors such as:

23. What are the environmental impacts of animal husbandry, and how can they be mitigated?

Environmental impacts of animal husbandry include:

24. What is the role of feed conversion efficiency in animal husbandry?

Feed conversion efficiency is a crucial concept in animal husbandry that measures how effectively an animal converts feed into desired output (e.g., meat, milk, eggs). It's important because:

25. How do hormones and growth promoters affect food animal production?

Hormones and growth promoters in food animal production:

26. What is the importance of biosecurity in animal husbandry?

Biosecurity in animal husbandry is crucial for:

27. How does animal husbandry contribute to rural development?

Animal husbandry contributes to rural development by:

28. What are the challenges of maintaining genetic diversity in food animal populations?

Maintaining genetic diversity in food animal populations faces several challenges:

29. How does animal husbandry impact global trade and economics?

Animal husbandry significantly impacts global trade and economics by:

30. What is the role of veterinary medicine in animal husbandry?

Veterinary medicine plays a crucial role in animal husbandry by: