Economic Zoology

Economic or applied zoology or economic entomology is the branch of zoology focussing on animal study and its economic importance. It leverages their benefit for human society by using their practical applications of zoological knowledge and principles. The different sectors of economic zoology include medicine, conservation, agriculture and industry. All of these are based on animal domestication.

Table of Contents:

Livestock
Practice Problems
Frequently Asked Questions

Livestock

It refers to the domestication of animals for profit. Common examples include camels, goats, cattle, buffaloes, sheep and others.

Cattles:

They are significant for agriculture purposes like ploughing, levelling, harrowing, milk production, manure and fuel, leather production, transport and meat. Their breeding is done through natural methods like random and controlled; and artificial breeding methods like artificial insemination, superovulation and embryo transplantation.

Sheep:

These are important for providing wool and mutton in hilly tracts. The animal chiru produces high-quality soft wool shahtoosh. With a life of about 13 years, their breeding method includes cross-breeding with exotic breeds like Horn, Merino and Dorset.

Goat:

The goats are also domesticated for milk and ease the burden of humans by feeding on different varieties of wild plants. It is also known as poor man cows. The adult male goat is a billy goat or buck, and the female goat is referred to as a doe or nanny goat. They are reared in open sheds and must be kept under controlled rearing. The ancestral goat stock is in Balochistan and Sindh.

Pig:

It is a great contributor to meat for human beings. Its meat is called pork, and its fat is used for cooking medium and soap preparation. The pig also provides leather and bristles and is susceptible to extreme heat and cold. The pigs feed on garbage, kitchen waste and human faeces and hence are the source of pathogenic microorganisms for humans. Their breeding also has the exotic varieties maintained in the country's breeding stations.

Elephants:

Earth's bulkiest and largest animals have well-developed hearing and smell senses but poor eyesight. Elephants serve the purpose of carrying wood and providing their tusks for precious ivory. They are fed with straw hay, crushed grain, and their daily water consumption is about 140 to 230 litres.

Horses:

These animals are intelligent, stout and firm-footed fast runners used in hunting and racing games. These are easily adaptable to different environmental conditions and are reared for circus and polo. They are used in scientific research and feed on common salt, green grass, grams, hay and barley. Their reproduction rate is low, and their hybrid variety, like a mule, has also been produced with different characteristics.

Camels:

These are more suitable for agricultural activities like ploughing, carrying loads, threshing, drawing water from well, pulling carts and riding. They also provide warm garments and brushes developed from their hair. Their hides are used to make saddles and serve as meat in desserts. The milk is also consumed by humans. One of their characteristics includes storing large amounts of food and water. They can also easily tread through the hot and slippery sand and run on sand at the speed of 25 kilometres per hour.

Poultry:

The birds like turkeys, ducks, hens, pigeons, geese and multiple others are reared by humans for eggs and meat. Their products and these animals themselves comprise high nutritional value and good fat amount. The acclimatisation rate here is high, and their food includes fish and meat meals, green vegetables, cereals, fish silage, millet oil cakes and protein concentrate. The birds produce more eggs during winter compared to summer.

Duck:

These are mostly found in southern and Eastern India, ranging to about 20 breeds. Common examples include geese and turkey, where Indian breeds are Nageshwari and Indian runner. The exotic breeds include Pekin and Campbell. They need to be protected from diseases as they can be infected by various organisms like parasites, fungi, bacteria and viruses.

Some other important rearing by humans include fishes, bees (apiculture), silkworms (Sericulture), and Lac insects (Lac culture).

Practice Problems

Q1. Which is the correct name for Lesser Grain Borer?

a. Calandra oryza
b. Pectinophora gossypiella
c. Nephantis serenopa
d. Rhizopertha dominica

Ans. d. Rhizopertha dominica

Rhizopertha dominica is the scientific name for Lesser Grain Borer.

Q2. What is the scientific method of beekeeping known as?

a. Pisciculture
b. Horticulture
c. Apiculture
d. Sericulture

Ans. c. Apiculture

Apiculture is the method of beekeeping, where ‘apis’ is the Latin word for bee.

Q3. What substance is secreted by the queen bee to attract drones?

a. Pesticide
b. Pheromone
c. Chemoattractant
d. Honey

Ans. b. Pheromone

Many drones follow the pheromone secreted by the queen bee during the Nuptial flight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is vermicomposting?
Ans. It is the compost produced by the action of earthworms and other organisms in the compost pit. These help in water stagnation.

Q2. What is vermiculture?
Ans. It refers to using earthworms for organic food waste decomposition converting it into nutrient-rich material for sustainable plant growth.

Q3. Which animal produces Pashmina wool?
Ans. The Tibbet and Kashmir goats are providers of Pashmina wool.