Agriculture is often misinterpreted to involve only the growth of crops for food and fibre purposes. However, agriculture is not just limited to plants. The rearing of livestock for their useful products comes under the field of agriculture as well. Humans have been rearing animals for their personal needs since time immemorial.
Domestication of animals took place some 13,000 years ago and since then, humans have devised new ways to improve the quality and quantity of products obtained from animals. The specialised rearing of certain livestock, to exploit their products, is known as animal husbandry.
Animals are exploited for their useful products such as milk and dairy items, eggs and meat, fibres and honey. The rearing of animals for such purposes is known as Animal Husbandry.
Animal husbandry refers to the practice of rearing animals with the purpose of using their products such as milk, eggs, meat, fibre, etc. for domestic or commercial purposes.
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Dairy farming is the rearing of dairy animals such as cows, buffalo, goats, etc., for the production of milk and its processing to obtain derived products such as butter, ghee, cheeses and cream among other things.
In India, indigenous varieties of cow and buffalo such as Gir, Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Siri, Mahiwal, Surti, Jaffarabadi, etc, and exotic varieties of cows such as Jersey, Red Dane, Holstein Friesian, etc are popularly bred for their desirable qualities.
It is crucial to maintain proper standards of health and hygiene while rearing cattle for dairy extraction. Good animal health and living conditions ensure good quality, safe-to-consume products.
Poultry farming refers to the domestication and rearing of birds such as hens, cocks, ducks, geese, turkeys, etc., to use their meat, eggs, etc.
Poultry farmers employ different methods for the rearing of chickens. The most common is the intensive poultry farming method, wherein often hundreds of chickens are reared in tiered battery cages.
Free-range farming is gaining more popularity after farmers have become more aware of the vices of the intensive farming method. In this type of poultry farming, the birds are provided with free space for roaming during certain periods in the day. This practice promotes better health and disease resistance.
In poultry farming, the chickens are reared to obtain two products mainly, the eggs, or the meat. The chickens that are raised for the production of eggs are known as Layer chickens (egg-layers). Layers begin egg production by their 19th week. On the other hand, the chickens that are raised for their meat are known as Broilers.
Layers and broilers are often produced in hatcheries, and taken care of in artificial brooders, for a few weeks. Broilers require more feed than layers and an especially protein-rich diet.
Ensuring a clean and disease-free environment, coupled with good, nutritious feeds and spacious areas is recommended.
Fish farming or pisciculture is the rearing of fishes for food, with a special focus on their commercial usage. The fish are usually raised in fish tanks or enclosures like fish ponds. The fishes are fed artificially and later harvested.
Composite fish culture involves the rearing of both local and exported varieties of fish in the same pond/ enclosure. The fish chosen to be grown together must be able to co-exist.
Common species of fish chosen for farming are trout, carp, salmon, tuna, tilapia, etc.
Apiculture refers to the rearing of bees in colonies, in locations known as apiaries, for the production of honey and other products such as royal jelly, beeswax, etc. Additionally, the bees are also used for their pollinating services
Bee farming is a low-cost, low-labour type of farming where bees can be easily grown without the need for any fertile land for their growth. Bee farmers often use wooden hives for the colonies to grow.
However, it must be ensured that the bee farm is set up in proximity to a flower garden with abundant pollen and nectar. Additionally, the use of insecticides around the apiaries must be avoided.
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The dairy sector in animal husbandry contributes immensely to the global food sector, providing a variety of items including milk and derived products like butter, cheese of different kinds, ghee, cream, etc.
Dairying has an indispensable contribution to the economy of a country. India is the top producer and consumer of milk globally, accounting for 186 million tonnes of milk annually.
The dairy sector has improved food security and generated employment opportunities and served as a source of income, especially for the rural poor. Dairy production is one of those branches of agriculture that do not require land or expensive resources.
More than 70 million Indian dairy farmers are benefiting from this industry.
The nutritional qualities of milk make it an excellent source of growth and development for children
The animals reared on a dairy farm are not only exploited for their milk but also their meat.
Meat is a highly popular food item, especially valued for its protein content and flavour.
Like dairy farming, the rearing of cattle for their meat also helps generate employment opportunities
The export of different types of meat helps boost the economy as well
Efficient animal husbandry projects require large areas of land. The animals reared on these lands, especially the cattle and the poultry graze on these lands, helping to control weed growth.
Livestock rearing for the production of fibre is common. Growing cattle to exploit their leather or growing sheep for wool and silkworms for silk has contributed to fulfilling human needs and growing the economy.
The waste matter generated from animal husbandry practices, including animal refuse and farm wastes, can be utilized as an excellent source of nutrients for the soil. The animal excreta is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium along with other micronutrients. Even the blood and bones of animals on farms can be utilized as manure.
The animals used in husbandry practices, especially cows and buffaloes are also used in yokes for ploughing the fields and performing mechanical labour. Beasts of burden such as cows, buffaloes, donkeys and horses are employed in the transportation of goods as well.
Animal husbandry offers a variety of advantages in the domestic, commercial, and economic aspects −
Animal husbandry promotes the economy of a country through exports and imports.
Generation of employment opportunities, in the rearing, production and packaging, and sales and distribution sectors.
Improving the breeds of cattle and poultry has helped in developing more nutritious milk and meat products and high-producing cross-breeds of cows, buffaloes and poultry.
Sustainable practices help in the efficient management of the wastes generated, for example, using animal excreta as manure in agricultural fields. This also promotes efficient nutrient cycling. Manure can also be utilized in fish feeds.
Cow dung and manure serve important purposes as fuel sources.
Animal husbandry practices give safer grazing areas, improved diets, better living conditions and ensure a disease-free environment, which helps in maintaining the health of the animals.
Animal husbandry is also manipulated for the production of fibres, that are important in the textile industry
Animal husbandry is the practice of rearing livestock for the exploitation of their products
Four major branches of animal husbandry are dairy farming, poultry farming, fish farming and bee farming
Animal husbandry practices must ensure an ethical, safe and healthy environment for optimum health of the animals, which results in good quality products
Animal husbandry produces several important products that are an indispensable part of our daily lives
Animal husbandry generates employment opportunities as well
Q1. What are some issues associated with poultry farming?
Ans. Overcrowding, lack of proper hygiene, poor growth and disease development are some major issues associated with poultry farming.
Q2. What is integrated fish farming?
Ans. Integrated fish farming involves culturing of fish, along with the rearing of livestock and/or crops in the neighbouring areas. This practice facilitates the recycling of resources including feed and wastewater.
Q3. What are some of the cross-breed varieties of cattle in India?
Ans. Examples of cross-breeds include Karan Swiss (Sahiwal x Brown Swiss), Frieswal (Sahiwal x Holstein Frisian), etc.
Q4. What is artificial insemination? Why is it used in the cattle industry?
Ans. Artificial insemination involves the collection of sperms from a male animal and introducing them artificially into the female’s reproductive tract. It is useful in selective breeding and producing improved varieties of cows.
Q5. What kind of protective gears are used in apiculture?
Ans. To protect themselves from the stinging bees, apiarists wear veil helmets, a bee suit and wellington boots. Smokers are used to control the bees.
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