Meaning & use
animal husbandry
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountabletechnical
the practice and science of breeding and caring for farm animals for food, work, or other products.
Grammar: Uncountable: no plural and usually no article. Say 'He studied animal husbandry', not 'an animal husbandry'.
Patterns
- study animal husbandry
- good animal husbandry
- animal husbandry practices
The college offers a degree in animal husbandry.
Good animal husbandry keeps the cattle healthy and productive.
She learned animal husbandry from her grandparents on their dairy farm.
noununcountabletechnical
the branch of agriculture that deals with the raising and management of livestock.
Grammar: Also uncountable when referring to the subject or field of study.
Patterns
- a course in animal husbandry
- the department of animal husbandry
He teaches animal husbandry at the agricultural university.
Animal husbandry is a key part of the rural economy.
Common combinations
- animal husbandry practices
- Modern animal husbandry practices focus on animal welfare.
- good animal husbandry
- Good animal husbandry reduces the need for antibiotics.
- study animal husbandry
- She went to study animal husbandry in the Netherlands.
- animal husbandry skills
- The job requires basic animal husbandry skills.
- sustainable animal husbandry
- Sustainable animal husbandry protects soil and water.
Synonyms and how they differ
- livestock farming
- A more everyday term that focuses on the business of raising animals rather than the science.
- stockbreeding
- Narrower: it emphasizes breeding rather than all aspects of care and management.
Word family
- animal husbandman noun
- A person who raises and cares for farm animals.
Commonly confused: animal husbandry or agriculture?
animal husbandry vs agriculture
Agriculture is the wider term that includes crops as well as animals; animal husbandry is only the livestock part.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'animal husbandry' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Animal husbandry' is uncountable, so it takes no article and no plural. Option C uses it correctly as a field of study. Options A, B, and D treat it as a countable noun, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “animal husbandry”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.