The Animal Industry and Animal Uses

The Animal Industry and
Animal Uses
F OR YEARS, animals have affected how

humans live. Animals have versatile
uses in our society. They provide com-
panionship, food, and clothing. Animals
are vital to all of us, no matter where we
live in the country. The animal industry is
not only important but also large and
thriving.
Objectives:
þ 1. Define the animal industry and its important areas.

2. Describe uses of animals.
Key Terms:
Ñ animal industry animal supplies livestock

animal marketing beef mutton
animal processing companion animals pork
animal production draft animals poultry
animal services lamb veal
The Animal Industry and Its Important Areas

In response to public demand, many products and services have emerged to assure that ani-
mals receive the care that promotes their well-being and livelihood. Whether raising an animal
to maturity for its meat value or caring for a pet, we must recognize that animals are unique
and require a great deal of care and assistance for optimal health and value. The animal
industry is all the activities in producing animals and their products or benefits to meet the
needs of people. These industry activities strive to catalyze animal production for maximum
E-unit: The Animal Industry and Animal Uses

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human benefit. With these activities, the animal industry has expanded to become very broad
as well as vast. The animal industry is broken down into three major areas: production, sup-
plies and services, and marketing and processing.
PRODUCTION
The animal production area of the animal industry primarily produces animals for food
and other uses. Animal production enterprises vary greatly in size and shape because of the
nature of production, owner interest, and the technology available. Production livestock might
be raised on large, open-range ranches. Niche animals might be raised on a smaller scale—for
example, ornamental fish in aquariums.
Animal production may be divided into categories, such as large animal, poultry, companion
animal, and so on. These groupings emerge based on differences in production value, feeding,
and housing. Large animal production generally focuses on livestock, which is mammals
produced on farms and ranches for food and other purposes. Animals commonly associated
with this production type are cattle, swine, sheep, horses, and goats. In recent years, a variety of
new species also have emerged in this production type—for example, elk, llamas, bison, and
deer.
Poultry (bird) production
deals strictly with fowl produced
for food and other purposes. Spe-
cific needs for feed, housing, and
disease control must be met to
maintain optimal health. Poultry
is produced not only for meat but
for eggs and feathers as well.
Chickens, turkeys, ducks, and
geese are widespread species
established in poultry production,
while quail, ostriches, and emu
are species that are increasing on
production farms around the
country. FIGURE 1. Turkey production has increased in recent years due to demand
for healthy meat choices. (Courtesy, Agricultural Research Service, USDA)
On a smaller scale, companion
animal production deals with ani-
mals used solely for fun and friendship by humans. Companion animals are commonly
known as pets. Animal species often associated with this type of production are dogs, cats, rab-
bits, fish, hamsters, and ferrets. In addition, companion animal production offers services for
municipal purposes and for individuals whose vision or hearing is impaired.
Other animal production farms are devoted to laboratory animals, exotic animals, and food
fish.

SUPPLIES AND SERVICES
In the supplies and services area of the animal industry, animal supplies provide the
goods and products needed to produce animals. These typically include products from dealers
or agribusinesses. Feed, pens, medicines, and trailers are examples of common animal supplies.
Animal services provide professional and technical assistance to producers. Professionals
in this area might often travel from farm to farm or offer assistance on line or by phone. Exam-
ples of such professionals are sheep shearers, veterinarians, and farriers.
MARKETING AND PROCESSING

The last category of the animal industry is the marketing and processing area. Animal mar-
keting assures consumers of animal products in demand. At this stage, an animal product
moves from the producer to the consumer. This stage includes transportation, grading, selling,
and inspection.
Animal processing is characterized as the preparation of animals for consumption or
human use. This stage is closely linked with marketing but is altered based on functionality of
the product. For instance, pork and beef can be processed into a variety of cuts of meat. After
being attractively packaged to maintain quality, these cuts are delivered to the local grocer.
Uses of Animals
Our society uses animals for food, clothing and ornamentation, companionship, work ser-
vices, research, and environmental functions. Often animals are killed to obtain their products.
From cattle to fish, animals produce products for human consumption that vary with the
kinds of animals and their ages. For example, veal is the meat of cattle younger than three
months of age, whereas beef is the meat of cattle three months of age or older. Lamb is the
meat of sheep less than one year of age, whereas mutton is the meat of sheep one year of age
or older. Pork is the meat of swine.
Another use of animals by humans
is for clothing and ornamentation.
Many animals provide products used
for clothing, buttons, and jewelry. For
example, sheep provide wool, and oys-
ters provide pearls.
Many animals are simply used for
their companionship. Companion ani-
mals, or pets, are animals kept long
term by humans for their enjoyment.
Also, animals are used for the ser-
vices they can provide. Draft ani-
mals, like horses, buffalos, and mules,
FIGURE 2. Companion animals play vital roles in relationship building.
are animals kept for pulling and work- (Courtesy, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

ing with heavy loads. Other animals guard property, herd other animals, and assist people
whose vision or hearing is impaired.
Another use of animals can be quite controversial but is responsible for advances in produc-
tion and technology. Animals are often used to test products that benefit humans, such as cos-
metics, medicines, and health-care products.
Moreover, animals are important to the environment because they play niche roles in the
ecology of the earth. They help clean the environment, such as by eating dead animals, or they
serve as food for other animals in the food chain.
Summary:
2 The animal industry is a broad and diverse industry that encompasses production,
supplies and services, and marketing and processing. Animals greatly affect our soci-
ety, which depends on their products and services to survive. Animals provide a
variety of uses, such as food, clothing and ornamentation, companionship, work
services, research, and environmental functions.
Checking Your Knowledge:
´ 1. What is the animal industry?

2. What are the main areas of the animal industry?
3. What do we call an animal kept for personal enjoyment?
4. What do we call the meat of a beef animal that is less than three months of age?
Expanding Your Knowledge:
L Look around your room and identify animal products. Do you see products from
sheep, cattle, or pigs? Set up three columns on paper or on your computer. In the
first column, name each product. In the second column, identify the animal con-
nected with it. In the third column, cite the area the product is most closely associ-
ated with in the animal industry.
Web Links:
: The Role of Government in the Animal Industry

http://www.ag.state.co.us/animals/animals.html
Draft Animals
http://www.uky.edu/OtherOrgs/AppalFor/draftl.html
Animal Production Practices and Marketing

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/AnimalProducts/
Agricultural Career Profiles

http://www.mycaert.com/career-profiles


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The Animal Industry and

F OR YEARS, animals have affected how

þ 1. Define the animal industry and its important areas.

Ñ animal industry animal supplies livestock

The Animal Industry and Its Important Areas

E-unit: The Animal Industry and Animal Uses

E-unit: The Animal Industry and Animal Uses

MARKETING AND PROCESSING

E-unit: The Animal Industry and Animal Uses

Checking Your Knowledge:

´ 1. What is the animal industry?

Expanding Your Knowledge:

: The Role of Government in the Animal Industry

Animal Production Practices and Marketing

Agricultural Career Profiles

E-unit: The Animal Industry and Animal Uses

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