Chapter 1: Animal Agriculture

• Chapter overview:– Chapter 1 reviews the history and development

of animal agriculture, including:• domestication of animals

• history of agricultural education and research

• animal agriculture and the world economy

Domestication of Animals:

Species: Years domesticated: Original purpose:

Dog 12,000 companion

Goat 8,500 food, clothing

Pig 8,000 food

Sheep 6,000 food, clothing

Cattle 6,000 religion

Chicken 5,000 sport, religion

Horse 4,000 transportation

History of Agricultural Education:

• Morrill Act - 1862– Provide a portion of federal land in each state to

establish a college• Land-Grant College Act - 1862

– Established the “agricultural college” concept• Hatch Act – 1887

– Established research funding for Land-Grant colleges• Smith-Lever Act – 1914

– Financed the county agent extension system to get research information to the people

Sources of Agricultural Information:

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)– Established by the United Nations in 1945– Collects, evaluates, and disseminates

information on world trends in food and population

• Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST)– Formed in 1972 to identify food-related issues

and interpret related scientific research

World Livestock and Poultry:billions of animals:

Chickens: 14.1

Cattle and buffalo: 1.5

Sheep: 1.1

Pigs: 0.9

Ducks: 0.8

Goats: 0.7

Horses and mules: 0.08

Food Production in the USA:

billions of poundsproduced, 2000:

Milk: 168.0Broilers: 30.8Beef: 25.4Pork: 18.6Turkeys: 5.3Eggs: 4.7

Class Discussion: Concerns for

Animal Production:

• Can the earth’s land and water produce enough food for the growing population?

• Should we feed animals as intermediaries in the food chain?

• Why do humans “prefer” animal products in their diet?

Conditions Favoring Animal Production:

• Food requirements of an expanding population

• Nutrient concentration and quality of animal foods

• Need for animals as a source of power in developing nations

• Role of animals in soil fertility and conservation

Conditions Favoring Animal Production (continued):

• Flexibility of animals in converting feed to food

• Economic, social, and institutional forces that favor animal husbandry and animal products

• Need for animals for mental health and personal satisfaction