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Animal Domestication andAreas of Care and Production
ARE ANIMALS thriving in nature different from
those living as household pets? In terms of
species, perhaps; but animals, whether they live in
the wild or in a household, generally have the same
needs—food, shelter, health care, reproduction, and
protection. A major difference between wild and
domesticated animals is who initiates these things.
Explore this E-unit and discover how the role of
humans has changed as animals have been domes-
ticated.
Objectives:
� 1. Explain animal domestication.
2. Describe the importance of domesti-cation in animal care and produc-tion.
Key Terms:
�
Animal Domestication
Today, many animals are domesticated. However, hundreds of years ago, that was not the
case. For centuries, humans were a hunting-and-gathering society, meaning that most animals
were wild. Men would hunt animals for meat and eggs, and women would gather food like
berries and herbs from wild plants. Soon, a process of animal domestication emerged. Animal
domestication is the removing of animals from wild settings and raising them in controlled
E-unit: Animal Domestication and Areas of Care and Production
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animal domestication
animal environment
animal health
animal nutrition
animal reproduction
animal selection
animal well-being
feral animal
wildlife
(Courtesy, Agricultural Research Service, USDA)
environments. This changed the way of life for both animals and humans. Animals soon
started to depend on humans for their needs. Moreover, humans soon adapted by discovering
that they could have gardens and raise animals near their houses. Humans found domestica-
tion an easier way of life because it lacked the hunting in the wild. They found that tending to
the animals near them was less work and more efficient.
Domestication usually applies
to all animals in a specific species.
Animals not domesticated are
known as wildlife. An animal
that was once domesticated but
has been returned to the wild is
identified as a feral animal.
Examples of feral animals might
be dogs, boars, or horses.
With domestication came new
uses for animals; humans found
animals valuable for more than
just meat and eggs. They estab-
lished animals as labor sources for
pulling loads and as companions.
Domestication continues today, as
it expands to include new species,
like alligators, elk, and bison.
Important Areas ofAnimal Care and Production
With the era of animal domestication, several animal care and production needs surfaced.
Soon it became evident that the needs of animals differ depending on their species. Producers
began to observe the conditions for optimal growth of animals and used this information to
promote animal well-being. Animal well-being is the state in which animals’ needs are met
and the animals do not suffer. It is achieved by maintaining the health of animals, such as
through proper feed and water. In addition, animal owners should take steps to keep animals
from situations that threaten their well-being. For example, a small-animal owner should not
leave a pet locked outdoors in a pen without water on a hot day.
To produce and care for animals successfully, one must ensure high-quality management in
the areas of proper selection, nutrition, health, reproduction, and environment.
The first area of management in animal production is animal selection. Animal selection
is the choosing of animals to achieve desired goals. This includes the selection of animals for
specific traits and of animals adapted to the situation in which they will be raised. Profitability
for commercial animal producers requires the production of quality animals.
E-unit: Animal Domestication and Areas of Care and Production
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FIGURE 1. Bison have been domesticated to add a leaner red meat to the
choices of consumers. (Courtesy, Agricultural Research Service, USDA)
Animal nutrition is the area of animal care and management that focuses on the kind and
amount of feed and water an animal needs and how the animal converts nutrients to value or
high-quality human food. All animals need nutrition, but the food they eat varies depending
on their species, age, and condition. For instance, a cow can consume corn feed and forages,
like hay and grasses, whereas a hen generally consumes corn and soybean meal. The quality of
the animals produced is greatly affected by the types of feed given to the animals.
Another area important to animal care and management is animal health. This area cen-
ters around the condition in which an animal is free of disease and all its body systems are
functioning properly. Along with good nutrition, a vaccination program and a health-promot-
ing regiment are beneficial to animal production. A regular vaccination program ensures the
prevention of diseases that might be difficult to eradicate with treatment.
Animal reproduction is the area of animal care and management that focuses on the pro-
cess by which animals are reproduced. Understanding the reproductive process of a species is
essential for successful animal production. An example of managing animal reproduction
might be a producer’s taking steps to get a mare to foal at a specific time, thus assuring sale of
the offspring at maturity. Another might be a pet owner’s having an animal spayed to eliminate
the process of reproduction in the household.
The last area of animal care and management is animal environment, which deals with
the surroundings of an animal. A positive environment is necessary for animal growth and sur-
vival. Some animals are well adapted to a natural weather environment, while other animals
need shelter and protection. An animal environment also includes the conditions involved in
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ON THE JOB…
CAREER CONNECTION:
Veterinarian
With the influx of domestication, careers in veterinary
medicine have increased in value. Veterinarians are profes-
sionals trained in the methods of preventing disease and
treating illnesses and other health problems. In addition,
they often have assistants who provide help in surgeries,
preparation work, and lab tests. A veterinarian is required to
have a bachelor’s degree in an area of animal science and
must have graduated from a higher-education veterinary
medicine program. Also, many veterinarians have completed
practical fieldwork to ensure a good background of experi-
ences with all animals and a variety of situations. These
professionals specialize in areas such as small-animal or
large-animal care.
HEL
PW
ANTE
D
Veterinarians aid in the rehabilitation
of sick or injured animals. (Courtesy,
Agricultural Research Service, USDA)
hauling, handling, penning, and other situations in which animals may be placed as part of
their production. For instance, when a ewe is lambing, providing a dry pen with water and a
heat lamp for warmth is necessary.
Summary:
� In today’s society, animal domestication has had a major impact on how animals liveand grow and how they affect the lives of humans. With the emergence of domesti-cation, we depend on animal products more than ever to ensure our everyday life-style. In addition, the process of domestication revealed that for the first time, ani-mals needed humans to care for and manage their basic needs. To survive, animalsneed care and management in the areas of selection, nutrition, health, reproduction,and environment.
Checking Your Knowledge:
� 1. What do we call the process of removing animals from the wild and raisingthem in controlled environments?
2. What is a feral animal?
3. What are the five areas of care and management that animals need?
Expanding Your Knowledge:
� Through the World Wide Web, investigate a variety of species of animals. Select onespecies and prepare a report on its domestication in the United States. What factorscontributed to the domestication of this species? Do you see problems with thedomestication of this species today? How have humans become responsible for thisspecies’ care and management?
Web Links:
� How Feral Cats Impact Other Wildlife
http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/speaker3.html
Domestication of Animals
http://ladywildlife.com/animal/domesticationofanimals.html
Wildlife Conservation Society
http://www.wcs.org/kids/map/index.html
E-unit: Animal Domestication and Areas of Care and Production
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