Animal husbandry or animal farming is branch of agriculture. Particularly, animal husbandry deals with management of animals i.e. animals are raised for acquiring essential products like milk, meat and eggs. Therefore, animal husbandry includes farming of animals like cow, goat, buffalo, fish, sheep, poultry, etc. More specifically, animal husbandry is divided into cattle farming, poultry farming, fish production and beekeeping
Cattle farming
In this type of animal husbandry cattles like cow, buffalo, bullocks, etc are farmed. Hence, Cow or Bos indicus, buffalo or Bos bubalis are farmed for milk, therefore, are also known as milch animals. Bullocks are used for transportation and labour hence they are called draught animals. Milk production in cattles depends on lactation period. Therefore,for increasing milk production there is need of increasing the lactation period. Particularly, foreign breeds like Jersey, Brown swiss are chosen for high milk production. Hence, for good production there is need of good health of cattles. Factors that provide good health is not only appropriate food but also care for cattles and prevention of cattles from various diseases
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Poultry farming
Animal husbandry of poultry involves farming of birds for eggs and meat. Among the birds layers are raised for eggs and broilers are raised for meat. Therefore, for good production of poultry birds, birds must be provided with proper food. In particulars, layers must be provided with fibrous food whereas, broilers must be provided with vitamin, proteins and fat rich food. Also, feathering of poultry, temperature and cleanliness of farms must be maintained. Also poultry must be protected from diseases. This can be done by spraying disinfectants in farms and by proper vaccination of birds.
Fish production
In animal husbandry, fish production involves breeding of fishes. Fishes are rich in protein and thus are used as food. Fishes are obtained from natural resources or also by fish farming.
- Marine fishery: India has large coast line of 7500 km which provides area for fishing. Hence, Pomfret, Saradine, Bombay duck are caught using fishing net from the sea water. By mariculture, fishes like Mullets, Bhetki, Prawns, etc, are farmed in sea water.
- Inland fishery: Fishing is done in river water, ponds, canals, brackish water, etc. It provides less yield and allows culture as well as capture fishing.
- Composite fish culture:
In this case, five to six variety of different fishes are farmed in single pond. Catlas are surface feeder, Rohu feeds on middle zone, mrigal and common carps are bottom feeders. Moreover, grass carps feeds on weeds inside water. Therefore, all food provided to are evenly utilised by fishes. Problem with fish culture is that, fishes lay eggs in monsoon. Hence, to increase rate of reproduction so that fish can lay eggs frequently, fishes are provided with hormonal stimulation. By hormonal stimulation method fishes can reproduce any time.
Beekeeping
In this type of animal husbandry, bee is raised for production of honey and wax. Bees are raised in bee farms and apiaries. Some bees used for honey production are, Indian bee (Apis cerana indica), rock bee ( Apis dorsata), little bee (Apis florae). Moreover, high yield of honey is obtained from Italian bee (Apis mellifera) because these bees collect more nectar from the flowers and sting less. Also, quality of honey depends on availability of flowers and pollens, whereas, its taste differs with availability of flower.
Keywords: Cattle farming, poultry farming, fish production, fish farming, beekeeping, bee farming, bee husbandry.
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