We explain what the farm animals are, their characteristics, types and examples. Also, its benefits for humanity.
What are farm animals?
farm animals are domestic animals that are usually part of rural populations that is, they are born and raised on farms, herds or farms. These are animals very accustomed to dealing with humans, since they have been accompanying them for a long time, since the invention of agriculture and livestock during the so-called Neolithic Revolution, more than 9,000 years ago.
farm animals play different roles in the human production of food and goods whether through their meat and hides, or other derived products such as milk, eggs and wool, or even by carrying out certain activities, such as pack animals or guard animals. In the contemporary world, farms are the places of greatest and closest contact between humans and animals.
There are different types of farms, and the animals that live on them, therefore, can vary, not only according to economic activity, but also according to geography and climate. Thus, there are commercial farms, in which livestock are raised, but also fish farms (fish farms) in which domestic fish, among other types, are raised.
They all, however, have in common that are outside the cities located in rural land conducive to raising animals and growing food.
Types of farm animals
Farm animals can be classified in many ways. Previously we have differentiated between animals for food purposes, that is, those from which we obtain direct food, and animals for work purposes, whose use has nothing to do directly with food.
But its most common classification is that which distinguishes according to the type of livestock they make up, thus being able to speak of:
- Cattle or cattle: cattle, that is, cows, or other similar species.
- poultry cattle: birds, usually chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, etc.
- Equine livestock: horses, donkeys and mules, mainly.
- Pig cattle: pigs of different types.
- sheep cattle: sheep and lambs, mainly.
- goat cattle: goats and similar animals.
- fish farming: edible domestic fish such as trout, salmon, etc.
- exotic cattle: In certain regions of the planet, different animals are raised, such as camels, alpacas, ostriches or buffaloes.
Benefits of farm animals for humanity
Since ancient times, farm animals have contributed to making human life more comfortable and durable. These benefits can be summarized in:
- provide meat, eggs, milk and other foods to the human diet, displacing riskier activities such as hunting and allowing us to produce food in abundance and in a very controlled environment.
- provide leather, horns, wool and other materials non-food items with which humans can manufacture shelters, tools and other goods.
- serve as beasts of burden to transport large quantities of goods, or as transportation for the human being himself.
- are used to carry out tasks by force such as plowing and other tasks related to planting and agriculture.
- provide protection and company to human beings and to other animals, and in the process they hunt parasitic or intrusive species.
Examples of farm animals
They are typical farm animals in the West:
- Cows, bulls and oxen.
- Horses, mares, donkeys and mules.
- Roosters and chickens, as well as ducks, geese and turkeys.
- Sheep, rams and goats.
- Pigs.
- Dogs and cats.
- Trout and salmon (in fish farms).
Continue with: Insectivorous animals
References
- “Farm” on Wikipedia.
- “Farm animals” at the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (Argentina).
- “Farm animals for children” (video) on Safari Kids.
- “Farm animals for children” (video) in Smart Kids Spanish.
