Presented By: Hunter Livestock Ireland
Introduction •
Livestock farming involves the rearing of animals for food and other human uses, such as producing leather, wool and even fertilizer. This type of farming primarily applies to cattle or dairy cows, chickens, goats, pigs, horses and sheep but it is also increasingly relevant for other animals such as donkeys, mules, rabbits and insects such as bees which are now being raised as part of livestock farming.
Importance of Livestock Industry •
It has been a part of human society for most of history, ever since humans started domesticating animals to make their life better. But as with most forms of farming, such as agriculture, livestock farming too has intensified, particularly in recent decades. This has allowed the goods of livestock farming to become more widely available and cheaper to buy; which is particularly important if you think that staples such as milk, honey, eggs and meat are all products on livestock farming.
Benefits of the Livestock industry • Sustainable livestock farming • Policy recommendations • Environmental problems of intensive livestock farming
Sustainable Livestock Farming •
Sustainable development is the efficient production of safe, high quality agricultural products, in a way that protects and improves the natural environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers, their employees and local communities, and safeguards the health and welfare of all farmed species.
Policy Recommendations •
It is a system cannot be implemented without constant innovation and it can also not be implemented in isolation but should bring together the views of policymakers and relevant stakeholders while being supported by informed consumer choices. It must also be noted that policy choices should seek for balance among the different pillars of sustainability. The following policy actions are recommended in order to achieve more sustainable livestock farming systems:
Environmental Problems of Intensive Livestock Farming •
In terms of the environment, it is fairly well-known that livestock sector accounts for 14.5% of human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions, exceeding that from transportation. Moreover, animal waste and discards is often not treated appropriately with farmers often disposing their waste in rivers where they pollute the water and threaten the ecosystem’s biodiversity.
Role of Livestock in Farmers’ Economy •
The livestock plays an important role in the economy of farmers. The farmers in India maintain mixed farming system i.e. a combination of crop and livestock where the output of one enterprise becomes the input of another enterprise thereby realize the resource efficiency. The livestock serve the farmers in different ways.
• Hunter Livestock Ireland is a livestock company based in Fermanou, Cork, which has been supplying high standard cattle for Egypt, Libya and Lebanon for many years.