Cattle breeding is the second major part (along with crop production) of agriculture. The emergence of animal husbandry was preceded by the process of domestication of certain species of wild animals that could live close to humans, while bringing them certain benefits – as a source of food (meat, milk, bird eggs), a source of raw materials for making clothes or building huts (e.g. hides), as workers (e.g. pulling a plow) or riding animals, as animals to guard property (dogs and cats).
Cattle breeding is practiced all over the world and plays an important role in the economies of many countries. Currently, India, Brazil, the United States, China, and Argentina lead in cattle and India, the United States, China, Germany, and Brazil lead in milk production.
Pig breeding. Asian countries (China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Indochina peninsula countries) account for almost half of the world’s pigs (more than 1 billion), about 1/3 is in Europe (Germany, France, Italy, Britain, Ukraine and Poland) and about 10% is in the USA. Due to religious prohibitions, pig farming has not developed in Muslim countries and Israel.
Poultry production: China, Brazil, Indonesia, USA, India.
Sheep breeding. China, Australia, India, Iran, New Zealand, Great Britain, Turkey, South Africa, Sudan have the largest number of sheep.
Accordingly, the different areas of livestock breeding supply one or another product: meat, wool, fluff, fat, milk, feather, etc.
Leading countries for beef exports: Germany, France, USA, Argentina, Australia.
Leading countries for pork exports: China, Netherlands, USA, Canada, Belgium.
Leading countries for export of lamb: New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom.
Leading countries for export of poultry meat: USA (more than 4 billion), France, Brazil.
Leading countries for the export of wool: Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa.