Ganado

Ganado is the Spanish term for domesticated animals raised for agricultural purposes. Used as a collective noun, it refers to livestock kept on farms and ranches for meat, milk, wool, leather, or work. In everyday usage, ganado can denote all livestock, though many contexts distinguish ganados mayores (larger stock such as cattle and horses) from ganados menores (smaller stock such as sheep, goats, and pigs).

Common components include ganado bovino (cattle), ganado ovino (sheep), ganado caprino (goats), and ganado porcino (pigs). Cattle are kept for beef and dairy production; sheep for meat and wool; goats for meat and milk in many regions; pigs for meat. Horses and donkeys are included in some definitions when used as working animals.

Economic role: Ganado is central to animal husbandry in many countries, supporting food production, rural employment, and trade. Management practices cover breeding and genetics, feeding and nutrition, health care and disease control, and welfare and housing. Market structures include ranching operations, cooperatives, and transport and processing networks.

Regional usage: In Argentina, Brazil, and parts of Mexico and Spain, large-scale cattle farming shapes rural landscapes. In Europe and Latin America, systems range from extensive grazing to intensive feeding operations.

Regulatory context: Government agencies oversee animal health, welfare, and transport; international trade rules affect cross-border movement of ganado and products.