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Animal Husbandry is a term that refers to the agricultural process of breeding livestock for the purpose of human consumption. It is a complex scientific process a focus of study at many colleges and universities. Several types of animal husbandry exist and the names of these types are given according to the type of animal being raised. Animal husbandry is an age old practice and, with the development of new methods and
technology, has become a very large and important industry. These modern practices as well as the inhumane treatment of animals have raised ethical questions about the morality of animal husbandry.
The study of animal husbandry is known as animal science. It is a common academic discipline, especially at schools that specialize in agriculture. Veterinary medicine, genetics, breeding, nutrition, and physiology are all components of animal science. Trained veterinarians and geneticists are a common sight at industrial ranches throughout the world. Because of animal husbandry’s direct influence on human health, the pharmaceutical industry is also involved in various aspects of animal science.
Depending on which type of animal is being bred and raised, animal husbandry can be broken down into a variety of subgroups. Swine herding is the practice of animal husbandry as it pertains to pigs. Shepherding is the act of breeding and raising sheep. Animal husbandry with goats is known as goat herding. Cattle breeding and raising is known as cow herding. Non-western regions of the world practice other forms of animal husbandry with types of livestock that are indigenous to those areas. Examples include llama and alpaca herding in the Andean region of South America, Camel herding in the Middle East and North Africa, yak herding in the Himalayas, and reindeer herding in Scandinavia.
In order to increase the amount of livestock being raised, certain technologies have been introduced to allow for breeding practices that occur more quickly than in nature. An example of this is artificial insemination which facilitates the breeding process by making sexual intercourse between cows unnecessary. Embryo transfer is another part of this process and it also serves the purpose of improving the genetic quality of the herd as a whole. The rounding up and transportation of livestock has also been modernized with motorbikes and helicopters taking the traditional role of cowboys. Large scale ranches that contain thousands of animals have also become common place.
These new breeding techniques as well as the process of the raising and slaughtering practices of animal husbandry and even animal husbandry itself are seen as being unethical by some. Cattle and other livestock are forced to live in conditions restricting the amount of physical energy they exert in order to ensure the tenderness of their meat. Also, images of cows being bottlenecked into a slaughterhouse much like a conveyer belt in a factory no doubt conjure up negative emotions. The view of modern animal husbandry as being cruel has lead to an increase in the popularity of organic farming methods that do not rely on artificial insemination and industrial practices.
