Animals and Their Products: Goat, Buffalo, Sheep, Practice Problems and FAQs

Do you remember, in our childhood days, our mothers and grandparents forced us to drink milk. Why?

This is because milk is a nutrient rich food. It contains protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Similarly, meat and eggs are other products that complete the healthy diet. They contain proteins with most of the essential amino acids.

Cow Milk

We know that all these products are obtained from animals. For example, milk is obtained from goat, cow and buffalo, meat and eggs are obtained from chicken etc. These animals are raised on a commercial level to obtain products in large amounts. Let’s discuss some animals that are raised to obtain different products in this topic.

Animal Husbandry

Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture that deals with the breeding, caring and raising of healthy livestock. The livestock includes various animals, such as cows, oxen, buffalo, goats, sheeps, camels etc. These animals are reared for their products, such as milk, meat, wool, fur etc. These products are useful for humans.

Branches of Animal Husbandry

Animal husbandry includes dairy farm, poultry farming, apiculture, fisheries etc.

Dairy Farm

The breeding, raising, and utilisation of dairy animals like cows, buffalo, goats, sheeps etc., for the production of milk and other milk products is called a dairy farm.

Dairy farm

Poultry Farming

It includes rearing domesticated birds, such as chickens, ducks and turkeys to produce meat or eggs for human consumption.

Poultry

Fisheries

It involves the rearing, catching and selling of water animals like, molluscs, fishes, prawns, crabs etc.

Fisheries

Apiculture

The maintenance of bee colonies in man-made bee hives, by humans is commonly called apiculture.

Bee Colony

Livestock

The domesticated animals that are raised to provide labour and produce eggs, milk, meat, fur, leather or wool are called livestock.

It is estimated that India and China collectively have more than 70% of the livestock population. However, they can only contribute 25% of livestock products yield globally. As per the estimation, the per capita productivity of livestock of India and China collectively is lower as compared to livestock of other countries. This is due to the fact that cows of India or China yield less milk as compared to the cows of other countries.

Goat

Goats are considered as one of the main meat producing animals in India. The Raising of goats plays a significant role in the economy of small and marginal farmers in India. Goats can be reared under intensive and semi-intensive systems.

Goat

Importance of Rearing Goats

Rearing goats is a very profitable business because they feed on weeds and herbs. Goats are reared for its meat and milk. The meat of goat is known as Chevon. Goat milk is a rich source of protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamins and minerals.

Common Goat Breeds in India

The goat breeds that are raised in India are Jamnapari, Barbari, Beetal, Osmanabadi, Malabari, Jakhrana, Sirohi, and Surti. These breeds are reared for meat and milk production for human consumption.

Buffalo

Buffalos are multipurpose animals that are used for labour in farms and also provide milk. They are known as draught animals because they are used in farms. They are also known as milch animals because they produce milk.

Buffalo

Importance of Rearing Buffalo

The meat of buffalo is known as beef. Buffalos are the specialised animals for tilling rice fields. The milk of buffalo is rich in fat and proteins as compared to the milk of any other dairy cattle. The buffalo milk is rich in protein, fat, lactose and calcium. The breeds of Indian buffalos yield 3 times maximum amount of milk as compared to cows. More than half of the milk (55%) produced in India is contributed by milch buffaloes. The remaining 45% of the milk is produced by cows.

Common Buffalo Breeds in India

The breeds of buffalo that are reared in India are Bhadawari, Murrah, Jaffarabadi, Nili Ravi, Mehsana, and Surti.

Sheep

Sheeps are easily adaptable animals in local environments. They do not destroy trees and do not require much space in the shed. It is grown mainly in some areas of Jammu and kashmir, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Raising and breeding of sheep is referred to as sheep farming.

Sheep

Importance of Rearing Sheeps

Sheeps are reared in India mainly for wool and meat. Milk is also obtained from sheep but in very limited quantities. Sheep farming can result in quick earnings as they can be sold at the age of 5 to 6 months.

Common Sheep Breeds in India

The common breeds of sheep are Neelagiri, Nellore brown, Kashmir Merino, Marwari etc.

Practice Problems of Animals and their Products

Q1. The goat is reared for milk and meat. The meat of goat is known as ___________.

Beef
Chevon
Chicken
Pork

Solution: Raising and breeding of goats for human consumption is known as goat farming. Goat is reared mainly for the milk and meat. It is one of the main producers of meat. The meat of goat is known as chevon. Hence, the correct option is b.

Q2. The rearing, catching and selling of prawns, crabs and fishes is termed as _________.

Fisheries
Poultry farming
Dairy farming
Cattle farming

Solution: Fisheries is defined as the rearing, catching and selling of sea animals, such as prawns, crabs, molluscs, fishes etc. Fishes are a good source of proteins and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamins and essential fatty acids. Hence, the correct option is a.

Q3. From the given options, identify the breed of sheep.

Jamnapari
Murrah
Kashmir Merino
Malabari

Solution: Kashmir Merino is a breed of sheep. It is the first and only synthetic breed of sheep developed in Jammu and Kashmir. It is considered as the best wool breed in the world. Hence, the correct option is c.

Q4. A cattle commonly used for tilling the rice fields and is also able to produce nutritional milk. Identify the cattle.

Cow
Buffalo
Camel
Horse

Solution: Buffalos are multipurpose animals that are used for labour in farms and also provide milk. They are known as draught animals because they are used in farms. They are also known as milch animals because they produce milk.

FAQs of Animals and their Products

Question 1. What are the advantages of rearing sheeps?

Answer. The advantages of rearing sheeps are enlisted below:

Rearing sheeps is one of the most profitable businesses because they can be sold at the age of 5 to 6 months.
Sheeps are easily adjustable in the local environment.
They do not destroy trees and do not require much space in sheds.
Sheeps are reared in India mainly for wool and meat.
They produce milk also.

Question 2. Why are buffaloes multipurpose animals?

Answer. Buffalos are multipurpose animals because they are used for labour in farms and also provide milk. They are used for tilling the rice fields, therefore they are known as draught animals. They are also known as milch animals because they produce milk.

Question 3. What is the composition of goat milk?

Answer. Goat milk is a rich source of protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamins and minerals.

Question 4. Which goat breeds are raised in India?

Answer. The goat breeds that are raised in India are Jamnapari, Barbari, Beetal, Osmanabadi, Malabari, Jakhrana, Sirohi, and Surti. These breeds are reared for meat and milk production for human consumption.