Animal Production

Question 1

Outline the magnitude and scope of animal production around the world.

Answer 1

• 100+ million tonnes of meat produced annually
• Meat production can have a high carbon footprint as it is imported all over the world
• Some foods are preserved (eg: in cans) to make their shelf life longer
• Recent socioeconomic changes have lead to human populations increasing rapidly and living in more urban environments
• More people are dependent on raw, semi-processed and processed food products rather than producing it themselves
• Urban populations demand:
  plentiful and safe livestock products
  Healthy and contended pets and equines
  the ability to safely see and interact with wild animals
• Rural areas have been unable to offer similar income opportunities compared to the urban areas
• Meat and dairy product demand increases as population increases, though there is no more land becoming available
• As countries become richer, more meat is produced and consumed

Responding to socioeconomic changes:
- Improved feeding systems - more efficient
- Genetics tailored to requirements - dual purpose (cattle produced for both beef and milk)
- High dense housing of animals - high risk of disease so strict management required
- Minimal labour inputs - less staff with more animals

• Some geographical areas are not well suited to crop growth and therefore also animal housing

Insect production increasing due to:
- High nutritional value (protein, calcium)
- Lower ammonia emissions and land use
- High feed conversion ratio (FCR) and can be fed on waste
- Cheap and low tech
- Urban and rural opportunities

• Climate change / weather changes -> grass dies -> less feed -> animals cannot eat in fields -> higher input than output
• Climate/weather can also encourage disease outbreaks (eg: foot and mouth)
• Chain of processing and selling produce contributes significantly to employment opportunities and the general economy
• Retailers have significant influence (making food as cheap as possible) which is detrimental for the producers

Vertical integration - companies are dominant in the entire process of production (supply of genetics & feed -> production of crops -> feed quality -> own the feed mill -> own the farm -> transport -> abattoir) therefore in full control of their costs

Negative aspects of livestock (local/global):
- Local: overgrazing/desertification ; deforestation (more land) ; local contamination
- Global: phosphates ; nitrate loads ; antimicrobial resistance (disease)

Effluent management:
- Soil injection
- Waste disposal
- Aerobic lagoon

• Change large scale areas of land to feed livestock can affect the ability to fix CO2
• Animals fed low quality feed create methane (major greenhouse gas)
• ~2/3 diseases humans contract come from livestock
• ~3/4 new diseases to humans are associated with being in contact with animals

Question 1

Discuss the variety of reasons for keeping animals in different parts of the world.

Answer 1

Impact of animals:
- Food
- Clothes
- Education
- Land utilisation (grazing)
- Resources
- Power (machinery or wealth)
- Fertilisers
- Medicines

• Major species for meat production: pigs ; poultry ; cattle ; sheep / goat
• Minor species for meat production: deer ; rabbit ; guinea pigs ; bush rats; camels ; horses; dogs ; bushmeat ; snails ; insects
• Major species of milk production: cattle ; buffalo
• Minor species for milk production: sheep ; goats ; horse ; camels
• Major species of egg production: chickens ; ducks
• Minor species of egg production: geese

-Major species for wool, fibre and skins production: sheep
- Minor species for wool, fibre and skins production: goats ; rabbits ; alpacas ; horses
- Top wool producers: China ; Australia

• Major species for power production: cattle ; buffalo ; horses
• Minor species for power production: camels ; elephants
• Recycling manure / organic matter from crops aids in good crop health due to increased soil quality and fertilised grass = greater crop output per unit of land
• Manure can also be used for cooking/heating
• Difficult to dispose due to restricted abilities
• Animals (typically cattle) can represent a sign of power or in ceremonies (dowry price)

Animal role in urbanisation:
- Source of food
- Income supplementation
- Tradition/religion
- Hobby
- Insurance against financial crises