what is livestock farming

what is livestock farming

1 year ago 49
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Livestock farming is the practice of raising domesticated animals in an agricultural setting to produce various products for consumption, such as meat, milk, eggs, wool, fur, and leather. Livestock farming includes both beef and dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, mules, asses, buffalo, and camels. The term "livestock" is sometimes used to refer solely to animals raised for consumption, and sometimes used to refer solely to farmed ruminants, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. Horses are also considered livestock in the United States. Poultry and fish are not included in the category of livestock.

Livestock farming is an important industry that generates significant revenue and provides important nutritional compounds, especially protein. Livestock and livestock products generated between $87.1 billion to $96.5 billion annually (46 to 48 percent of U.S. cash receipts from farm marketings) between 1995 and 1998. Livestock agriculture is the market or consumer for a significant portion of U.S. crop agriculture. Livestock farming provides the basis for the meat, dairy, and egg processing industries. Meat, dairy products, and eggs are important components of the U.S. diet.

Livestock farming can be done in different ways, such as ranching, which is the practice of raising livestock for their products in large pastures or ranches. Livestock breeding is the process of selectively mating animals that have desirable characteristics to maintain or enhance these traits in future generations. Ruminant (cud-chewing) animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats convert large quantities of pasture forage, harvested roughage, or by-product feeds, as well as nonprotein nitrogen such as urea, into meat, milk, and wool. Poultry is also farmed for meat or eggs.

In summary, livestock farming is the practice of raising domesticated animals in an agricultural setting to produce various products for consumption, such as meat, milk, eggs, wool, fur, and leather. It is an important industry that generates significant revenue and provides important nutritional compounds, especially protein. Livestock farming can be done in different ways, such as ranching, and involves different types of animals, such as ruminants and poultry.

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