Livestock: Purpose and History
Livestock are domesticated animals raised to produce commodities like meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term refers to animals raised for consumption or to ruminants like cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. Maintaining and breeding livestock is part of modern agriculture. Livestock practices have varied across cultures and times. Livestock farming has shifted to intensive animal farming, increasing yields but negatively impacting animal welfare, environment, and health.
The animals found on farms collectively are livestock. The word comes from "stock" meaning farm’s movable property or assets. Keeping livestock teaches responsibility and connects us to the planet. Rules for raising livestock depend on zoning laws. Legally, chickens are considered poultry, not livestock. Donkeys, horses, mules, and oxen are work animals commonly kept as livestock. Livestock are distinguished from other domesticated animals by being raised for food or income.
Origins of the Term "Livestock"
The word livestock was first used between 1650 and 1660, as a compound word combining the words "live" and "stock". Today, livestock refers to animals raised for consumption or profit.
The ancient Egyptians marked livestock to identify ownership around 2,700 BCE. The symbols used for Roman brands were part of magic spells protecting animals. Livestock producers help reduce antibiotic resistance, protecting animal and human health and food supply. Types of livestock identification include branding and tagging.
The term “cattle” derives from the Middle-French word for property, itself from the Latin word. "Livestock" has been around since the 16th century, derived from "stock" meaning to store for future use. Ostriches and kangaroos grown for meat can be livestock, showing the term’s flexibility across contexts.
In 1700, the Ioway tribe hunted wild animals, not keeping livestock. In 1850, Iowa pioneers raised livestock like cows, sheep, and pigs for food and oxen for farm power. By 1900, horses replaced oxen on farms, though livestock like cows, sheep, and chickens remained important. Today, livestock may be naturally polled/hornless or bred that way. Unauthorized use of livestock is illegal. Photinia is non-toxic to livestock.
What Defines Livestock?
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce various products for consumption. The breeding, maintenance, slaughter, and subjugation of livestock, called animal husbandry, is a part of modern agriculture and has been practiced in many cultures since humanity’s transition to farming from hunter-gatherer lifestyles. Livestock play a significant role in rural livelihoods and the economies of developing countries.
On a broader view, livestock refers to any breed or population of animal kept by humans for a useful, commercial purpose. This can mean domestic animals, semi-domestic animals, or captive wild animals. In practical discussions, some people may use the term livestock to refer just to domestic animals or even just to red meat animals.
Domestic animals mostly live in the homes and are kept primarily for companionship while livestock is kept mainly on the farm to earn income or produce food. Beef cattle are generally the most profitable and easiest livestock to raise for profit. They simply require good pasture, supplemental hay during the winter, fresh water, vaccinations, and plenty of room to roam.
Livestock farmers have suffered from wild animal predation and theft by rustlers. In North America, animals such as the gray wolf, grizzly bear, cougar, and coyote are sometimes considered a threat to livestock. In Eurasia and Africa, predators include the wolf, leopard, tiger, lion, dhole, Asiatic black bear, crocodile, spotted hyena, and other carnivores. In South America, feral dogs, jaguar, anaconda, and spectacled bear are a threat to livestock.