Farm Animals Used for Meat & Milk

Farms around the world raise livestock for milk and meat. Depending on the location of the farm, certain livestock varieties are preferred for these purposes. For instance, the yak isn't traditionally associated with the typical meat stock or milk available in the United States. In the mountainous regions of Tibet, however, domesticated yak herds thrive as the main livestock for milk production and they also provide an abundant source of meat.

  1. Cattle

    • When female cows give birth to calves, the milk they produce for suckling is collected for human consumption. Cow's milk has different compositions depending on the breed of the cow and the season the milk is collected in. The stage of lactation of the cow can also affect the composition of any milk produced. Most cow's milk contains between 3 and 4 percent protein, 3.5 to 5 percent fat and 4.7 to 5 percent lactose. High concentrations of fat accompany higher percentages of protein, which yields less milk. Cows that produce milk with lower fat and protein contents yield more milk. Tropical varieties of cattle produce milk with higher percentages of fat and protein whereas temperate breeds produce milk with smaller percentages. Cow's milk also contains calcium and phosphorus along with vitamins A, B and D. Meat from cattle has a protein content ranging between 12 and 15 percent of the chilled weight of a carcass. Beef also contains vitamin B and iron.

    Sheep

    • Sheep's meat is broken into categories based on the age of the sheep before it is slaughtered. Mutton is the meat of sheep that is more than 2 years old. Mutton is usually taken from breeding ewes that become infertile with old age although some people prefer the meat of male sheep that have been castrated. Lamb meat is from a 5-month-old sheep. According to Mutton Renaissance, a British campaign promoting mutton, the best mutton meat is produced from October to March. Many popular cheeses are produced from sheep's milk like feta, Roquefort, Romano and ricotta. Cheesemakers prefer the rich content of fat and minerals found in sheep's milk for the production of these cheeses over cow's milk.

    Goats

    • Goat's milk is extremely similar to cow's milk in flavor but it is easier to process through the digestive system. Goat's milk is a popular substitute for cow's milk for this reason. The key difference between cow's milk and goat's milk is the contrast in color. Goat's milk is extremely white and even the butter and cheeses produced from the milk retain a white color unless they are dyed. Goat's meat is referred to as cabrito or chevron. This versatile meat is prepared in many different ways. You can add goat meat to stews or even barbecue it on the grill.

    Yaks

    • Tibetans eat yak meat and blood, as well as butter, cheese and yogurt produced from yak's milk. Domesticated yaks are now increasingly found at farms around the world as bovine livestock. They live up to 20 years and weigh between 600 and 1,600 lbs. Keeping yaks is a cost-effective alternative to keeping cattle because they eat half the amount of forage that commercial cattle consume. Yak's milk has a powerful rich flavor and the meat has a similar texture to beef.