11. Animal Husbandry

​Animal Husbandry & Procedures

By Hannah St Ledger

What is Animal Husbandry?

Animal husbandry focuses on the breeding, care, and management of animals raised for various products such as meat, milk, labour, and fibre.

It encompasses practices related to the day-to-day care, nutrition, selective breeding, and overall welfare of livestock.

Multiple Choice

What is the primary goal of animal husbandry?

• To create decorative farm animals

• To manage and care for livestock for useful products

• To train animals for performance shows

• To reduce farm labour using machines

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a major product obtained through animal husbandry?

• Meat

• Wool

• Rennet

• Plastic

Importance of Animal Husbandry

1. Food and Nutrition Security

   • Provides essential products like milk, meat, eggs, and honey which are rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals

   • Improves the nutritional status of the population, especially in developing countries

2. Economic Contribution

   • Source of income and employment for millions of farmers and rural households.

   • Animal products (milk, wool, leather, silk, etc.) are major contributors to agriculture-based industries.

   • Livestock exports generate foreign exchange earnings.

Importance of Animal Husbandry

3. Genetic Improvement

• Through selective breeding and artificial insemination, animals with better traits (high milk yield, disease resistance, faster growth) are developed

• This increases efficiency and sustainability of livestock farming

4. By-products and Industry Support

• Provides raw materials such as wool, hides, leather, silk, and manure.

• Supports industries like textiles, pharmaceuticals, and fertilisers.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following animal products is rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals and helps improve nutrition in developing countries?

• Honey, milk, meat, and eggs

• Fertilisers

• Petroleum products

Multiple Choice

Which practice in animal husbandry helps in developing animals with traits like high milk yield and disease resistance?

• Crossbreeding
• Feeding high-protein diets
• Using growth hormones
• Selective breeding

Open Ended

Explain how animal husbandry contributes to the economic development of rural households.

Open Ended

List two by-products of animal husbandry and mention one industry each that they support.

Ethics in Animal Husbandry

• Ensuring humane treatment of animals in farming practices

• Balancing human needs with animal rights

• Avoiding cruelty, overexploitation, and neglect

• Promoting sustainable and responsible livestock management

Five Freedoms

The Five Freedoms:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst

2. Freedom from discomfort

3. Freedom from pain, injury, or disease

4. Freedom to express normal behaviour

5. Freedom from fear and distress

Welfare ensures healthier, more productive animals

Procedures in Ethical Animal Husbandry

• Use of humane handling and housing systems

• Regular veterinary care and disease prevention

• Selective breeding for health, not just productivity

• Sustainable feeding and natural environment enrichment

FIA4

Draft Due: Friday Week 8
Final Due: Friday Week 9

Task: Similar to Plant Photo Journal
You will need to take photos of and write about each procedure