livestock-management
Livestock management encompasses the practices and techniques for raising domesticated animals within agricultural systems. It is integral to plant science because livestock management directly influences soil nutrient cycling, vegetation composition, and ecosystem health through grazing pressure, manure deposition, and land-use patterns. Effective integration of livestock management with plant research is essential for developing sustainable agricultural systems that support both crop and forage productivity.
PubMed · 2026-01-01
Researchers developed a welfare assessment protocol for migratory goats in the Himalayan region, adapting an existing animal welfare framework to account for the unique stressors of nomadic herding, including harsh environments and nutritional challenges.
Existing animal welfare frameworks are designed for intensive farming systems and are inadequate for assessing migratory or pastoral livestock conditions.
The protocol was developed by combining a systematic review of scientific literature with expert consultation, adapting the established AWIN welfare framework.
Migratory pastoralism, while allowing natural behavior expression, can compromise goat welfare through environmental stressors and malnutrition specific to long-distance herding routes.