The Current Livestock Industry is Flourishing in the US - Research Paper Example

of the of the of the Changes in the Livestock History of the USA. INTRODUCTION The welfare ofthe human society has by far been excessively dependent on agricultural animals. They have been a source of the providence of food, fuel, shelter, fertilizer and other services and products. The utmost advantage that these animals provide to the human beings is that they are a renewable resource. Moreover, they themselves utilize renewable resources such as plants themselves. Thus their utilization is not much of a problem in terms of the scarcity of resources. Along with the above mentioned advantages of animals, another additive advantage is that the manure of animals helps in improving the fertility of the soil and thus assists in the healthy upbringing of plants. Manure is also often used as a source of fuel in some developing countries. The domestication of animals has been practices for long owing to their beneficial nature for the society. Their use as a source of food products for man is the most widely used means of their existence. Their importance is stressed moreover by the fact that they are a source of protein. They supply approximately one third of the protein supplied in the world today. Below is an account of the history of livestock in the United States of America HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Domestication of cattle or the history of livestock in the United States of America encompasses a rich heritage. The History of livestock itself dates back to 7000 years BC. Initiating with the domestication of sheep, pigs and goats, it took just about a few hundred years more till the domestication of cattle began in the year 6000 years BC. LIVESTOCK IN USA 16TH CENTURY. The livestock arena in the United States of America began in the years pertaining to the 16th century. It was then that Spanish cattle were bought into the American country for the first time. They were introduced into the southwestern region of the country. Branding of the livestock was introduced in the year 1541 (Washington State Department of Agriculture, 2011). This concept was bought to America by Hernando Cortez from Spain when he bought cattle that were branded with three crosses. 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES Some more forms of animals that belonged to livestock were imported into the country. These excluded the import of turkeys. The very first cows were bought to the Jamestown Colony in the year 1611. Similarly their first introduction into the Plymouth colony was in the year 1624. Noticeably the import of the very first Merino Sheep was done in the year 1793. The livestock industry in the regions of America that belonged to its northeastern corner was greatly emphasized upon during the 17th and the 18th century. These areas were commonly referred to as the areas of New England. The Southhorn were bought into America in the year 1783. They were popular with the early settlers of the region that belongs to the current United States of America. Goshen, Connecticut became the home of the very first organized dairy co-operative of the U.S in the year 1810. 19TH CENTURY. The first two decades of the 19th century saw an increasing demand for the Merino sheep throughout the country. In the year 1817 America began the very first imports of Herefords cattle. Development of the Poland-China and Duroc-Jersey swine began in the 1820s. The year 1823 saw the import of the very famous breed of pig named Berkshires. These were much cherished breed of pigs that were famous throughout Britain for their remarkably delicious meat. They were much cherished by the British monarchy as well. Once imported into the United States of America, the Berkshires were quickly absorbed into the then current local population of hogs. This was because when crossed with the existing population of hogs, they showed a noticeable improvement. At least one of the American breeds showed noticeable inclusion of the Berkshire breed in its foundation as it carried identical markings. In the year 1875 it was attempted that the Berkshire breed be kept pure so as to retain its specification. For this reason a convention of Berkshire breeders and importers was held at Springfield, Illinois. In order to use this breed to improve the existing breeds in USA the American Berkshire Association was founded on the 25th of February in the same year. This was the very first swine registry of its kind to have established world over. Some breeds of imported stock were being used in the country then however after the successful results of cross breeding with the Berkshires it was decided that only stocks directly imported from the British herds would be accepted as part of the prospective herds in livestock. The hog breed of present day American livestock descends form these hogs only. In the mid 19th century, specifically in the years 1840-1860 the cattle belonging to the Hereford, Ayrshire Galloway, Jersey and Holstein cattle were imported. There breeding was also further initiated. Breeding of the Hereford cattle was initiated in the year 1840. The establishment that controlled this breeding took place. Its name was changed to the Hereford Cattle Society in the late twentieth century. Herefords have the ability to thrive under climatic conditions that prevail in the ranching lands of the USA and tropical South America. The revolutionization of beef at the end of the Civil War in the USA was assisted immensely by the Hereford. The beef production in America was greatly assisted then when the Herefords were crossed with tough long horns. The resultant of this breeding was the production of cattle of better quality. The beef from these cattle could survive for long hours that were spent during drives “to railheads and subsequent rail trip to slaughter.” (Evans, 2008) The year 1846 saw the very first publishing of the American Shorthorn Herd Book. This was the first record maintenance attempt for any breed in the US. Presently, a number of breeds of cattle including ‘Santa Gertrudis’, ‘Angus’ and ‘Milking Shorthorns’ show sign that they have descended from the “Southhorns”. 1849 was the year in which the first poultry exhibition took place in Boston, USA. In the year 1868 the first formal branding of livestock took place in the state of Washington. More specifically on the 11th of June the first registration of the brand of Balloon Bar took place. Earlier the balloon bar brand was recorded with the Schenbly family of Ellensburg. The first foot and Mouth disease outbreak in USA took place in the year 1870. The decade of the 1880s witnessed the spread of livestock in the western and southwestern Great Plains. The cattle industry of the northern plains of the USA faced a severe disaster when the area was faced by blizzards in the years 1886 and 1887. This resulted in the facing of drought and overgrazing of the lands. The TICK FEVER (also called the Cattle Fever) was discovered for the first time in the year 1889. In 1899 the contagious and dangerous disease of anthrax is eliminated finally after it had caused severe disasters to the livestock industry of the USA over the past 49 years. LIVESTOCK AND THE LAW IN THE 19TH CENTURY: The governmental handbook of animal health quotes laws pertaining to livestock in the following words: “1853 - 1889 Washington territorial days -- there is no regulated control of veterinary medicine. 1860 -1870 1869 A Territorial law entitled "An act to prevent the introduction of Texas Cattle, or cattle infected with Texas fever in the Territory of Washington," was passed over the Governors veto.” (Washington State Department of Agriculture, 2011) The first dairy law of the United States of America was formulated and implemented in the year 1895. This came along with the appointment of the first Dairy Commissioner in the same year. THE TWENTIETH CENTURY The advent of the twentieth century was marked by the introduction of the first co-operative cow testing association in the year 1905 in Michigan. Tubercullin testing was introduced for all cattle entering 35 States and territories in the year 1910. Panama and Columbia sheep were developed in the year 1910. The Targhee sheep were developed in the year 1926. Landrace Hogs were imported from Denmark in the year 1934. The year 1947 marked the beginning of a co-operation between America and Mexico for the prevention of the spreading of the Foot and Mouth Disease. In the year 1978 Hog cholera was finally eradicated from the country. 1983-1984 were the years in which the Avian influenza of poultry was eradicated. It had only spread across a few counties of Pennsylvania. The waste products of Livestock become a controversial issue in the year 1990s. THE PRESENT TIMES Sustaining survival over numerous years the current livestock industry is flourishing in the US. The country is one of the leading Beef manufacturers of the world presently. Each and every State of the US possesses beef cattle. Almost thirty of the states possess at least 10,000 cattle. The country possesses less than 10% of the cattle percentage of the world. Still it produces about 25% of the world’s beef supply. Texas and Kansas stand on the first and second numbered beef producing states in the US. Presently, many of the livestock in America are crossbreeds and can be traced back to two or more breeds. WORKS CITED: http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/swine/berkshire/ http://www.helium.com/items/1208527-cattle-breed-reviews-hereford http://cattle-today.com/Shorthorn.php http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/docs/Heritagedocument.pdf http://www.dasc.vt.edu/pdfs/misc/dairy-dates-history.pdf www.google.com.pk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBsQFjAA&url=http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blfarm5.htm&ei=Q01-To7NLO_54QTr48nlDg&usg=AFQjCNECGBIxurFcRjI_4YiwbDvz-YQ7NA http://www.agclassroom.org/gan/timeline/crops_livestock.htm# http://www.talktalk.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0096871.html http://www.cyberspaceag.com/farmanimals/beefcattle/beefhistory.htm http://www.beefusa.org/anevolvingindustry.aspx Read More