livestock

Livestock refers to domesticated animals kept by humans for agricultural purposes. They are raised for food, fiber, labor, and other products, or as breeding stock. The term typically includes cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry, but can also cover horses, camels, llamas, and rabbits in some systems. Domesticated species have undergone selective breeding to enhance traits such as growth rate, milk production, or litter size, while management practices aim to maintain animal health and welfare. Livestock production intersects with crop farming and is a major component of rural economies in many regions.

Production practices vary widely. Systems range from pasture-based and mixed farming to intensive confinement and feedlot operations. Nutrition, water, shelter, and disease control are central to productivity, and breeding programs plan for traits suited to end-use—meat, milk, eggs, wool, or draft work—and to local climate. Animal welfare and biosecurity are increasingly emphasized, with standards governing housing, handling, transport, and preventive health care. Veterinary services, vaccination, parasite control, and record-keeping support productive and humane management.

Environmental and social considerations accompany livestock farming. The industry has implications for land use, water resources, and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from methane-generating ruminants. Manure management, nutrient cycling, and feed efficiency affect environmental outcomes. Livestock systems influence food security, rural livelihoods, cultural practices, and market dynamics, and they are the subject of ongoing discussions about sustainability, ethics, animal welfare, and attempts toward more resource-efficient production methods.