Man-animal associations have existed on earth since days beyond recall and animals have always been an integral parcel in man’s food system. Since time immemorial people have been siphoning various food products such as eggs, milk, meat, etc from animals. Besides food, animals have also catered us with transportation facilities as well as clothing. However, no authentic records have been conceived hitherto which could decipher the facts on the evolution of various breeds of domesticated animals.
As the global population is escalating steadily, the demand for some elementary requirements such as clothing, shelter, and food products is also surging. In order to fill the bill, animal husbandry was introduced. Animal Husbandry incorporates domestication of animals and other schemes like cattle farming, fisheries, poultry farming, etc.
Animal Husbandry
Have you ever wondered if the animals that we see around us can serve us to what extent? Let’s find out about the processes that help us to utilize the product extracted from the animals and birds around us for various purposes.
The definition of animal husbandry is the practice of breeding and raising domestic animals. Animal husbandry means the raising and breeding of animals or the production of animal products. Various uses include ranching, beekeeping, poultry, farming, dairy farming and excludes feedlot operations and slaughterhouses.
Animal Husbandry can be defined as a wing of agriculture that is associated with ranching of domestic animals inclusive of breeding, feeding, and providing shelter to them. The fundamental principles of animal husbandry are represented below:
The term “Animal Husbandry” was first coined during the Neolithic Revolution when the earliest domestication of animals was conducted. During the era of early civilizations, sheep, goats, and cattle were reared on farms. Nonetheless, modernistic husbandries are based on an adaptation of production structures on the accessibility of land and its genre.
“Subsistence farming is being superseded by intensive animal farming in the more developed parts of the world, where for example beef cattle are kept in high-density feedlots, and thousands of chickens may be raised in broiler houses or batteries”.
Animal husbandry or the “domestication of livestock” was induced based on the requisite to have sufficient food when hunting had become futile. The enviable features which a domesticated animal should possess are:
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The animal ought to be constructive for the domesticator.
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The animal is ought to be capable of thriving in the domesticator’s company.
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The animal is ought to breed freely as well as be tended effortlessly.
The entire process of domestication was not an event of the day; it recurred throughout the years in different places across the globe. During its recursion, several enhancements and modifications occurred in the procedure. There was the establishment of innovative ideas for crop rotation and cultivation of crops regarding winter fodder.
In the late [18^{th}] century, animal rearing has progressed to a great extent incorporating high scale merchandise activities worldwide. It is inferred that “animal husbandry” is that sector that has a high potential to grow in the upcoming years. The perspective of this sector requires it to be exploited so that it can participate in providing “sustainable employment” in its location itself as well as apprehend the immigration of inhabitants to urban locations.
Cattle Farming
Raising of animals for use or for pleasure. It includes livestock of both beef and dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, mules, asses, buffalo, and camels; the raising of birds commercially for meat or eggs.
Cud chewing or Ruminant animals such as sheep, cattle, and goats convert large quantities of harvested roughage, by-product feeds, pasture forage and nonprotein nitrogen like urea into milk, wool, and meat
“Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae”.
Cattles are considered to be the key assets in our day-to-day food consumption. Since ages, Cattles have been an integral segment in our livelihood, especially from the perspective of food. Cattle farming or Cattle ranching can be defined as the large-scale rearing of cattle and raising them for various agricultural purposes. Cattle Farming is conducted for two main intentions:
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Dairy: Animals that are reared for extraction of milk. Some examples of dairy or milch breeds are cows, goats, buffalos, etc.
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Draught: Animals deployed in various agricultural as well as transportation tasks such as irrigation, carting, etc. Some examples of animals deployed as draught are horses, cows, buffalos, etc.
Breeding Relies on Desired Features
The production of milk is utterly reliant on the extent of the “lactation period” which implies that subsequent to the delivery of a new calf production of milk is more. Therefore, milk production can be augmented by boosting the span of lactation.
For augmenting the lactation span, some exotic breeds are picked. Relevant instances of exotic breeds are provided in the table. The local or the indigenous breeds represent excellence in disease resistance. While, both the indigenous as well as exotic breeds can be cross-breed in order to obtain the best quality cows.
The cross-breeding of these two breeds can be conducted through natural means or by the means of artificial insemination. Artificial insemination is the process that involves siphoning semen from a particular bull and infusing it into a selected cow’s reproductive tract. Relevant examples of cross-breeds are also provided in the table above.
Farm Management
Animal rearing or cattle encompasses a lot of responsibilities too. In order to meet our expectations, we need to take good care of our cattle and livestock. Mentioned below are some significant aspects which we need to ponder while domesticating animals.
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Grooming and Providing Shelter: Cattle need a proper routine concerning their grooming sessions which includes brushing of hair and dirt, washing with clean water, etc. The shelter should be hygienic and spacious enough for the cattle to feel comfortable. The roofs of the shelter have to be well-ventilated in order to secure them from climatic circumstances.
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Food Requirement: Cattles also require balanced diets composed of nutrients that are present in their foods in proportionate amounts. In addition to nutrients, some feed additives that consist of certain micronutrients also stimulate good health.
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Treatment of Disease: The Cattle ought to be regularly vaccinated and sick animals should be isolated until they are healthy again.
Types of Animal Husbandry
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Cattle Farming: This involves taking care of cattle like buffaloes, cows, sheep, and goats for agricultural activities like ploughing, irrigation, or the production of milk.
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Poultry Farming: The term ‘Poultry’ means rearing domesticated birds for food (meat) or their eggs, for example, chicken, ducks, geese, turkeys, and some varieties of pigeons.
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Fish Farming: Rearing of fish in tanks or ponds commercially is known as fish farming or pisciculture.
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Bee Farming: This involves rearing honey bees for the production of honey on a large scale in artificial hives. Bee farming is also called apiculture.
Types of Cattle Farming
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Intensive Cattle Farming- In this system, the selection of breeds is made for different types of production. It is both labour and capital-intensive.
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Semi-Intensive Farming- Indus livestock farming animals are fed and housed but also are allowed to move or graze around the farm within an enclosed area of a farm.
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Extensive Livestock Farming- it is usually carried out on large areas of land that pastures and Mountains are Meadows. Animals Graze on the natural resources of various areas.
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Nomadic Livestock Farming- In this system, the animals are taken to different lands to eat various foods and resources. This is also known as semi-nomadic or nomadic livestock farming.