Domestic animals

Domestic animals have lived alongside people for generations, providing food, materials, transport or help with work.

What are domestic animals?

Domestication involves inherited changes in populations over generations. It differs from taming an individual wild animal. Familiar examples include:

• Cattle: raised for milk, meat and other products.
• Sheep: raised for wool, meat and milk.
• Pigs: widely raised for meat.
• Chickens: kept for eggs and meat.
• Horses: used for transport, farm work, sport and companionship.

Selective breeding has helped shape these animals for different roles alongside people.