History of breeding Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals . In the West, it was placed on a more scientific basis during the agricultural revolution of the eighteenth century, by figures such as Robert Bakewell . Animal herding professions specialized in the 19th century to include the cowboys of the United States and Canada, charros and vaqueros of Mexico, gauchos and huasos of South America, and the farmers and stockmen of Australia. In more modern times herds are tended on horses, all-terrain vehicles , motorbikes , four-wheel drive vehicles, and helicopters , depending on the terrain and livestock concerned. Today, herd managers often oversee thousands of animals and many staff. Farms, stations and ranches may employ breeders, herd health specialists, feeders, and milkers to help care for the animals.Breeding techniques Techniques such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer are frequently used today, not only as methods to guarantee that females breed regularly but also to help improve herd genetics. This may be done by transplanting embryos from high-quality females into lower-quality surrogate mothers - freeing up the higher-quality mother to be reimpregnated. This practice vastly increases the number of offspring which may be produced by a small selection of the best quality parent animals. On the one hand, this improves the ability of the animals to convert feed to meat, milk, or fiber more efficiently, and improve the quality of the final product. On the other, it decreases genetic diversity , increasing the severity of disease outbreaks among other risks.Sustainability In organic and biodynamic farming methods, animals play an important role in achieving closed or sustainable system by providing multiple functions to the agricultural system. In the Balinese context, for example, ducks are herded through rice paddies at particular stages of the growing season. The ducks eat insects and weeds that inhibit the growth of seedlings, and prevent the farmer from using herbicides or pesticides. Their droppings contribute nitrogen to the soil as a natural source of fertilizer, and the movement of their feet and bills in the water of the terrace ecosystem increases the oxygen content of the soil thus increasing nutrient availability.Climate change Due to the significant contribution of agriculture to the emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide, the relationship between humans and livestock is being analyzed for its potential to help mitigate climate change. Strategies for the mitigation include optimizing the use of gas produced from manure for energy production (biogas).
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 10:53:44 +0000