Animal Husbandry - Its Types and Advantages

Human beings depend on both plants and animals for their food. When the population of the world started to increase, the requirement for food and other products rose to demand. People started to domesticate livestock for nutritious food and agricultural products. Thus the concept of Animal Husbandry evolved for proper care and management in a scientific approach.

Table of Contents:

What is Animal Husbandry?
Types of Animal Husbandry
Importance of Animal Husbandry
MCQs
FAQs

What is Animal Husbandry?

Animal Husbandry is a branch of science and agriculture that deals with the breeding of livestock for milk, meat, fibre, honey and other purposes. Advanced scientific research and development of genetic traits produce high-yielding varieties, selective breeding and disease-resistance techniques for quality products. Livestock breedings include cows, goats, hens, sheep, fish and bees.

Types of Animal Husbandry

Animal husbandry is broadly classified into four types based on the species involved.

Poultry Farming

Poultry farming involves rearing birds like chickens, ducks, pigeons, turkeys and geese. The primary goal of poultry farming is to produce meat and eggs. Broilers are male poultry raised for meat production, and layers are female poultry raised for egg production.

Maintaining poultry with good sanitation and a disease-free environment is important for healthy and nutritious food from them. Hygiene and cleanliness of the farming space must be regulated professionally. Poultry farming also generates huge income and provides massive employment opportunities to people.

Livestock Farming

Livestock farming involves rearing cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep for dairy products and agricultural purposes like irrigation, ploughing etc. The animals that produce dairy products are called milch animals. Animals should be healthy and inspected regularly for delivering nutritious products.

Animals are milked through traditional methods and the latest technology machines. They are preserved well for domestic and commercial purposes. Milk is also used to manufacture various other products like curd, cheese, butter and cream.

Fish Farming

Fish or aquatic farming is also known as Pisciculture. It involves rearing fish in tanks or ponds. Marine species like prawns, crabs and other fishes are also raised. As Pisciculture includes large water-bodies like lakes, rivers, seas and ponds, cleanliness and disease-free rearing are important for commercial purposes.

Bee Farming

Bee farming is also known as Apiculture. It involves rearing honey bees in artificial hives to produce honey. Honey bees are used as flower pollinators by beekeeping. It is performed as both a small and large-scale business. Honey has great medicinal value, which treats coughs, ulcers, blood sugar and digestive problems. Bee farming is an environment to learn about bees' habitat and living.

Importance of Animal Husbandry

Animal Husbandry is important for the welfare of humans to attain high-nutrient food products. Here are some of the importance of animal husbandry:

Dairy products from cows, sheep, and goats are highly nutritious.
Livestock is raised to control the growth of weeds for land management.
Rearing marine animals produce foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and vitamin D.
Sheep and camels produce by-products like Wool and leather.
The waste of animals, excreta, and the blood of animals are used as manure to enhance cropping.
Animal husbandry encourages entrepreneurship and employment in society.

Animal Husbandry : MCQs

Q1. Which of the following is practised to obtain honey?

A. Horticulture
B. Apiculture
C. Pisciculture
D. Poultry

Answer: A. Apiculture

Explanation: Bee farming is also known as Apiculture. It involves rearing honey bees in artificial hives to produce honey.

Q2. Which of the following is not a by-product of animal husbandry?

A. Milk
B. Egg
C. Wool
D. Jute

Answer: D. Jute

Q3. Why is the male poultry raised?

A. For meat
B. For eggs
C. For breeding
D. For Agriculture

Answer: A. For eggs

Explanation: Broilers are male poultry raised for meat production and layers are female poultry raised for egg production.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Which country is famous for Animal husbandry?
Answer: China is a famous country and the world leader in Animal husbandry.

Q2. What is important in Animal husbandry?
Answer: Feeding the animals with proper nutrition food is important in Animal husbandry. This helps them to produce healthy products.

Q3. Who is the father of Animal husbandry in India?
Answer: Dr Verghese Kurien, the chairman and founder of Amul, is recognised as the father of Animal husbandry in India.