Domestication

Domestication definition

adapting an animal or plant to live in intimate association with and to the advantage of man

Characteristics of domesticated animals

bred in captivity, control of breeding, territory is controlled, controlling food supply, benefit humans

Wild animal

living in a natural, undomesticated state

Tame animal

relatively tolerant of human presence

Feral animal

have ancestors that were domesticated and have reverted into a wild state

History of domestication

facilitated by hunter/gatherer to agrarian society

Criteria for domestication

diet, growth rate, breed in captivity, disposition/temperment, size, social hierarchy

Commensal pathway

animal moves into area with humans and later develop a partnership with humans

Prey pathway

humans acted to enhance resource yield or predicability of animals (agricultural animals)

Directed pathway

humans deliberatly set out to domesticate species of animal

Canis Lupus Familiaris

dog

Dogs pathway and use

commensal pathways

used for companionship, food, protection, herding

Felis Catus

cat

Cat pathways and use

commensal pathway

companionship

Domestication of herbivores

prey pathway

hunting to herd management 

selective removal of young males

Ovis Aries

sheep

Capra Hircus

goat

Sheep and goats domestication reasons

for size, highly sociable, use wide variety of feed sources, provide wide variety of food sources (meat, milk, wool, hair)

Bos Taurus Taurus/Indicus

cows

Cattle uses

milk, meat, leather, draft

Equus Caballus

horse

Equus asinus

donkey

Horses and donkeys uses

draft, warfare, meat, milk, sport

Camels use

milk, meat, leather, draft

Llama use

meat, milk, leather

Alpaca use

meat, milk, leather, fiber

Sus Scrofa Domesticus

Swine

Swine uses

meat and lard

Gallus Gallus Domesticus

Chickens

Mealeagris Gallopavo Domesticus

Turkeys

Poultry uses

meat, eggs, feathers