Pastoral farming is a form of farming that is focused on the raising of animals, primarily cattle, sheep, and other livestock. It is different from arable farming, which concentrates on crops rather than livestock. Pastoral farming is a non-nomadic form of pastoralism in which the livestock farmer has some form of ownership of the land used, giving the farmer more economic incentive to improve the land. Unlike other pastoral systems, pastoral farmers are sedentary and do not change locations in search of fresh resources. Rather, pastoral farmers adjust their pastures to fit the needs of their animals. Improvements include drainage (in wet regions), stock tanks (in dry regions), irrigation, and sowing clover. There are two main types of pastoral farming: intensive pastoral farming and extensive pastoral farming.

• Intensive Farming: Intensive farms generally take up a fairly small area of land, but aim to have a very high output, through massive inputs of capital and labor. These farms use machines and new technologies to become as efficient and cost-effective as possible.

• Extensive Farming: Extensive farms generally take up a large area of land, but aim to have a low output per animal, through minimal inputs of capital and labor. These farms rely on natural resources, such as grass and water, to support the animals.

Pastoral farming is common in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, and the Western United States and Canada, among other places.