By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Mastering this skill will help you accurately identify and manage different animal species in the agricultural industry.
Compiled by: Esther Wachira
The classification of farm mammals is fundamental in animal husbandry and agricultural extension services. Knowing the types of mammals and their taxonomic relationships aids in managing breeding programmes, disease control, and improving production efficiency. In Kenya, where cattle, goats, sheep, camels, rabbits, donkeys and horses are kept for food, income and work, classifying these mammals helps extension officers give precise advice tailored to each species.
Mammals are a distinct class of animals characterised by unique biological and physiological features that distinguish them from other vertebrates. They play a crucial role in agriculture as many farm animals are mammals, providing meat, milk, hides and draught power. Understanding the definition of mammals helps agricultural professionals identify traits that influence management practices.
The farm mammals covered in this unit are cattle, rabbits, sheep, goats, donkeys, camels and horses. They differ in their digestive systems, their products and the farming systems in which they perform best. Recognising these differences allows extension workers to recommend appropriate species, breeds, feeds and management strategies.
Cattle are large, hoofed ruminants kept for milk, meat, hides and draught power. A farmer in a highland zone may keep Friesian or Ayrshire cows for milk, while a pastoralist in a dry area may keep Boran or zebu cattle for meat because they tolerate heat and limited pasture.
Rabbits are small mammals reared for meat and fur, and their manure is useful in crop production. They breed quickly and need little space, so a farmer with a small plot can keep a few does and a buck in raised hutches. Common meat breeds include the New Zealand White and the California White.
Sheep are small ruminants kept for meat, wool, hair, skins and manure. A flock of Dorper sheep may be raised for meat in a semi-arid zone because the breed copes well with dry conditions, while Red Maasai sheep are hardy local animals suited to extensive grazing.
Goats are small ruminants kept for milk, meat and skins, and they are valued because they thrive on shrubs and rough browse as well as grass. A smallholder may keep Saanen or Toggenburg does for milk, and Boer or Galla goats for meat.
Donkeys are hardy working animals used mainly for carrying loads, pulling carts and fetching water. A donkey with a cart may transport farm produce, water or firewood in places where roads are poor and vehicles are costly.
The camel, in Kenya mainly the one-humped dromedary, is the key livestock species of arid and semi-arid areas. It gives milk, meat, hides and transport, and it survives long periods between drinking. A pastoralist may rely on the milk of a camel herd when pasture for cattle has dried up.
Horses are large, single-stomached mammals used for riding, racing, transport and light farm work. A farm may keep horses to move herders or for farm patrols, and their feeding must be carefully managed because they are easily upset by sudden diet changes.
Taxonomy provides a scientific framework to classify animals based on shared characteristics, aiding in the organisation of biodiversity and informing breeding and conservation strategies. Classification moves from the broadest group (domain) to narrower groups, and every farm mammal can be placed in the same first five levels: domain, kingdom, phylum, subphylum and class. These levels are used below, in order.
The domain is the highest and broadest level of classification. All farm mammals belong to the domain Eukarya, which includes organisms whose cells have a true nucleus enclosed by a membrane and other membrane-bound organelles. A dairy cow, a goat and a rabbit are therefore all eukaryotes, in the same domain as plants, fungi and protists.
All farm mammals belong to the kingdom Animalia. Members of this kingdom are multicellular organisms that cannot make their own food, so they feed on other organisms, and their cells lack cell walls. Most can move and respond quickly to stimuli. Cattle, sheep, goats, rabbits, donkeys, camels and horses all share these features.
Farm mammals belong to the phylum Chordata. At some stage of life, chordates have a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits and a post-anal tail. In mammals the notochord is replaced by the backbone as the animal develops. This classification reflects their evolutionary adaptations, which matter to extension officers when advising on species-specific health and nutrition.
Within Chordata, farm mammals belong to the subphylum Vertebrata. Vertebrates have a backbone made of vertebrae that protects the spinal cord, together with a skull protecting the brain. The vertebral column supports the body, which is why spine, limb and hoof injuries in a working donkey or a dairy cow are treated as skeletal problems and not as problems of an invertebrate body plan.
Farm mammals belong to the class Mammalia. This class includes all animals with mammary glands, hair and warm-blooded bodies, together with live birth in most species. It separates farm mammals from other classes covered in this chapter, such as birds, fish and arthropods, and it is the level at which the characteristics listed under Define Mammals apply.
Below the class, farm mammals are separated into orders, families, genera and species. The order groups animals by anatomical features such as the number of toes. The family refines this grouping, and the genus and species give the specific scientific name.
| Animal | Order | Family | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | Artiodactyla | Bovidae | Bos taurus, Bos indicus |
| Sheep | Artiodactyla | Bovidae | Ovis aries |
| Goats | Artiodactyla | Bovidae | Capra hircus |
| Camel | Artiodactyla | Camelidae | Camelus dromedarius |
| Donkey | Perissodactyla | Equidae | Equus asinus |
| Horse | Perissodactyla | Equidae | Equus caballus |
| Rabbit | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Oryctolagus cuniculus |
Artiodactyla are even-toed ungulates, Perissodactyla are odd-toed ungulates, and Lagomorpha are gnawing mammals with two pairs of upper incisors. Bos taurus refers to European cattle breeds, while Bos indicus refers to the indigenous zebu cattle.
Knowledge of taxonomic classification assists in disease control, as related species may share susceptibilities. For instance, foot-and-mouth disease affects several cloven-hoofed species within Artiodactyla, such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, so extension officers advise coordinated vaccination and movement control across neighbouring herds. Classification also guides feeding, because ruminants, pseudo-ruminants and hindgut fermenters such as horses, donkeys and rabbits need different diets.
Create a free account to open more of this chapter.
Free: practical guides, quick cards, workplace scenarios and more.
Create a free accountThis chapter examined the classification of farm animals across several major groups. It began with mammals, defining them and detailing common farm species such as cattle, rabbits, sheep, goats, donkeys, camels, and horses, followed by their taxonomic classification from domain to class. The discussion then moved to aves, describing birds like chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, geese, and turkeys, alongside their scientific classification. Next, the chapter covered pisces, defining fish including tilapia, Nile perch, catfish, mudfish, and salmon, with their respective taxonomic categories. Finally, the classification of arthropods was explored, highlighting species such as ticks, spiders, lobsters, and crabs, and explaining their place in the taxonomic hierarchy. Throughout, the chapter emphasized the scientific framework that organizes these animals into distinct groups based on shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships.
At the start of this chapter we promised you would be able to:
Tick each one you can genuinely do.
So, are you there yet?
You're competent when you can confidently do 50% or more of what this chapter promised.
Sign in to record how you're doing.