‘Nomadic herding and Commercial Livestock Rearing are the two types of animal rearing.’ Define them and give their important features.

The domestication of animals, their protection and watch over gave rise t the practice of rearing of animals. Thus different types of animal rearing were practised in different geographical and climatic zones. Nomadic herding and Commercial Livestock Rearing are the two types of animal rearing.

Nomadic herding: Nomadic herding is also known as pastoral nomadism. It is the primitive and earliest subsistence activity. In this, the herders depend on animals for food, clothing, shelter, tools and transport. The features of early pastoralism are:

• They are nomadic and moved from one place to another with their livestock, on the basis of the quantity and the quality of pastures and water available.

• Each nomadic community occupies a well-defined territorial region. It is considered as part of the tradition.

• The type of pastoralism and the animals domesticated differs according to different regions. In tropical Africa, cattle are the domesticated livestock. In Sahara and Asiatic deserts, sheep, goats and camel are domesticated. In the mountainous and hilly regions of Tibet and Andes, yak and llamas and in the Arctic and sub-Arctic areas, reindeer are tamed.

• Pastoral nomadism is mainly found in three regions of the world. The primary region of pastoral nomadism spans from the Atlantic shores of North Africa eastwards across the Arabian peninsula into Mongolia and Central China. The subsequent region extends over the tundra region of Eurasia. In the southern hemisphere, this is found on a smaller scale in the areas of South-West Africa and on the island of Madagascar.

• The nomadic movement in search of pastures is either done over vast horizontal distances or vertically from one altitude to another in the mountainous regions. In mountain regions of the Himalayas, the pastoral communities of Gujjars, Bakarwals, Gaddis and Bhotiyas wander from plains to the mountains in summers and again back to the plains from the high altitude mountains in the winters. Similarly, in the tundra regions, they move from south to north in summers and from north to south in winters.

Commercial Livestock Rearing: Commercial livestock ranching is basically carried out in the western economies. It is more scientifically organised and capital intensive and is practised on permanent estates. The main features of commercial livestock rearing are:

• The rearing estates cover large areas and are divided into a number of plots. These plots are regularly fenced to regulate grazing. When the grass of one plot is fed, animals are moved to another plot. The number of animals in a pasture is regulated according to the carrying capacity of the pasture.

• It is a commercialised rearing activity in which only one type of animal is reared. It can be sheep, cattle, goats or horses. Products extracted from them including meat, wool, animal hides and skin are scientifically processed and exported to world markets.

• The animals are nurtured and protected more scientifically. Special steps and emphasis would be taken to control the outbreak of diseases. Breeding, genetic improvement, disease control and health care of the animals are given prominence.

• It is mainly practised in western countries including New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Uruguay and the United States of America.