Human-Animal Interaction (ANISCI EXAM #1)

Animal science

the study of domestic animals

Hunter gather → Civilization

hunter gathers domesticated animals and cultivated plants→ creation of agriculture + early farmers → early civilization

agriculture

practice of cultivating soil, growing crops, raising livestock, and/or preparing + marketing the resulting products

domestication

adapting an animal’s behavior and traits to fit the needs/desires of humans

artificial selection/controlled breeding

used to develop traits not found in wild relatives by containing animals and the environment for certain species to reproduce

confined for a purpose: milk, meat, hides, labor, fuel

animal contributions/roles

food, by-products, body coverings, manure, transportation/work, service, companionship, currency/capitol, conservation, sports/recreation/entertainment, research, religion

An animal’s role in society depends on:

• politics

• religious & cultural norms

• economic status

  • developed/industrialized

  • developing

The role of animal’s depends on:

• climate (temp, precipitation, sun, wind, humidity)

• topography

• soil type

impact of cold environments vs temperate environments

• livestock production is hampered by cold stress and food availability

  vs.

• the most productive agricultural region in the world

• all developed countries have at least one temperate region within their boundaries

developed agriculture

intensive: concentrated, labor intensive

extensive: large, range land units

small proportion of total population engaged in farming (<10%)

highly specialized - each unit produced 1-2 products

highly mechanized - little/no animal or hand labor

high per capita income & literacy

subsistence agriculture

around half the population engaged in agriculture

each farm produces roughly what it would consume plus some surplus for sale/barter

little mechanization - much hand/animal labor

relatively low per capita income/literacy

primitive agriculture

almost entire population involved in food production

generally a scarcity of food and low nutritional level

no mechanization and very little animal power is used

• humans are doing most of the work

extremely low per capita income & literacy rate

animals contribution to food

supply 18% of energy (calories)

supply 40% of protein consumed in the world (ex. meat, milk, fish, eggs)

developed countries obtain a higher % of their total protein from animal products

animal products

increase in income → demand for animal products increases

1. palatable

2. nutrient dense

3. more essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals

milk and milk products

provides protein, minerals, vitamins and FAT (calories + essential amino acids)

Eggs/poultry

high quality protein and fat (essential amino acids and energy)

low investment + low input species

• chickens grow fast, easy transport, less time + money

poultry consumed the most

By products

once the products of greatest value have been removed from the carcass, whatever is left are by products

• edible

• inedible

edible slaughter products

in developed countries, these products are typically thrown away

in developing countries, they are dietary staples

ex. brain, heart, tongue, stomach

inedible slaughter products

multibillion dollar industry

blood → can be used for pharmaceutical products

hooves/horns →gelatin/glue

endocrine glands → pharmaceuticals

body coverings (feathers, skins, fiber)

can be very valuable or simply just by products

cattle - hides

sheep - wool + sheepskins

birds - feathers

Manure

fertilizer → 50% of world farmers depend on manure for fertilizer

• only 5% of US cropland is fertilized with manure

can be fuel for cooking, construction, animal bedding

Transportation/work

different species can be used for plowing, pulling carts/sleds, packing

species for draft purposes: oxen, horses, donkeys, mules

Service

trained to assist people

• disabilities: visual, hearing, seizures, diabetes

• law enforcement: search and rescue, explosive/drug detection

Companionship

health benefits of human - animal interactions:

• improved social access and skills

• increased physical activity

• increased happiness

• decreased stress ( which can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, risk of heart disease)

Currency/capitol

developed/developing countries →animals generate income/earning

developing countries →animals can be sold and bartered (“currency”)

Conservation

pest and weed control

• grazing animals reduce insect & snail populations which decreases damage to neighboring crops

• land left to rest and can be grazed to control weeds while manure rejuvenates the soil

Sports/Entertainment/Recreation

ex. rodeos, races, circuses, zoo

Research

animal research has increased the avg. American lifespan

• rodents have been the most important species in biomedical research

ex. recombinant DNA, xenotransplantation

religion

major religions affect the number and use of livestock

(ex. Hinduism, Judaism, Islam)

U.S GDP

1869: 46.3% of the U.S pop involved in agriculture, 37.5% of the GDP came from agriculture

2020s: 1% of U.S pop involved in agriculture, 0,6% of the GDP comes from farms

Trends in the U.S agriculture sector

• decreasing number of people involved in farming

• decreasing total # of farms

• increasing size of farms → both acreage and number of animals

• changing total number of animals

• 97% of U.S farms are operated by individual families, family partnerships, or family corporations