Animal farming

Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with the rearing and care of animals that are raised for food, fibre or other purposes of benefit to humans. It includes not only the practical care of the livestock but also the selective improvements by which genetic qualities and behavior, considered to be advantageous to humans, are further developed. The term can refer to the practice of selectively breeding and raising to promote desirable traits in animals for utility, sport, pleasure, or research.

Food is a requirement for human life and ultimately comes from the energy of the sun which is used by plants, through the process of photosynthesis, to produce new plant growth. The animals that feed on plants convert this energy into the animal products that humans, being omnivores, appreciate as part of their diet. Before the invention of agriculture, hunter-gatherers supplied those needs, but the domestication of animals provided a much more stable supply of animal products.

The domestication of livestock was driven by the need to have food on hand when hunting was unproductive. The desirable characteristics of a domestic animal are that it should be useful to man, should be able to thrive in his company, should breed freely and be easy to tend.

Animals were progressively domesticated early in the history of agriculture. Pigs were domesticated in Mesopotamia around 13,000 BC.Sheep were domesticated in Mesopotamia between 11,000 and 9,000 BC.Cattle were domesticated from the wild aurochs in the areas of modern Turkey and Pakistan around 8,500 BC. In southern Asia, the elephant was domesticated by 6,000 BC.Camels were domesticated late, perhaps around 3,000 BC.

In ancient Egypt, cattle were the most important livestock; sheep, goats, and pigs were also kept. Poultry including ducks, geese, and pigeons were captured in nets and bred on farms, where they were force-fed with dough to fatten them. The Nile provided a plentiful source of fish. Honey bees were domesticated from at least the Old Kingdom, providing both honey and wax.

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