Animal husbandry is the science of taking care of domestic animals that are used primarily as food or product sources. In many places throughout the world, people are essentially specialists in animal husbandry by means of being farmers, ranchers, sheepherders, or anyone who takes care of a variety of animals. Anyone who takes care of domesticated animals, especially in large groups, is practicing animal husbandry.

A second definition of animal husbandry is that it is a subject that can be studied, often in the college environment. People who take undergraduate degrees in animal husbandry may be less interested in caring for a flock of animals and more likely to specialize with graduate degrees in veterinary medicine, pharmacy degrees specializing in animals, or in managing large companies that produce products for animals like feed. Some people who raise animals may also take a class or two in animal husbandry to learn how to do certain things, like how to dock tails, make use of the newest technology to milk animals, or how to breed animals using artificial insemination techniques.

In general, many of the practices involved in learning animal husbandry come naturally from being raised on farms where large numbers of animals are raised. This is particularly true in primarily rural areas and in less developed countries. Children are early taught how to take care of the same types of animals their parents raise so that they can take over farms and ranches as adults.

In more developed countries, programs like 4H exist, which help young children learn how to raise animals, show them, sell them, and possibly slaughter them. It all depends upon the type of animal raised and its uses as a saleable product. With most people no longer raising their own domestic animals for meat or clothing, 4H gives children the opportunity to raise one or two animals, sometimes more depending upon the parents’ resources.

From a scientific standpoint, specialists in animal husbandry may try to address specific problems occurring in large groups of animals. An animal husbandry specialist might study the current means for preventing mastitis in cows, or the specific needs of shelters for pigs. As many farms have become more industrialized, figuring out maximum storage space for animals may be a focus.

There are many different schools of thought in the scientific practice of animal husbandry. Some groups concede the necessity of animals for food and a variety of products but feel that goals in raising stock should always be focused on the humane caring of animals. In the past twenty years a variety of animal husbandry specialists have advocated for the “free-range” caring of certain animal groups, as opposed to keeping animals in tight quarters for most of their lives.

Other specialists in animal husbandry specifically look to just how little space you can store an animal in, modifications that can be made to produce more docile animals, and genetic alterations or drug injections that make the animal more valuable financially. The introduction of bovine stimulating hormone (BSH) to produce a greater milk supply from each individual cow was hailed by some animal husbandry experts and despised by others.

In all, animal husbandry may refer to the study or raising of domesticated animals, particularly in large group settings. You can be born into families where you’ll have to learn it, or take it up as a branch of study. There are multiple ways to go about it, just as there are multiple species of animals raised.