There are dozens of large mammals which are herbivores or omnivores. However, there are only 15 suitable to domesticate. Some are too picky eaters. Others grow too slowly, are too aggressive or to easily frightened. They may have trouble reproducing in captivity too. Moreover, they have to be social animals with a clear hierarchy. Then they can accept the human as the group’s unambiguous leader.
If a species suites domestication people have also done so millennia ago. The species which were domesticated are:
• African wild ass (Equus africanus) has been domesticated into tame donkey.
• Aurochs (Bos primigenius) has been domesticated into cattle.
• Banteng (Bos javanicus) has been domesticated into Bali cattle.
• Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) has been domesticated into tame dromedary.
• Gaur (Bos gaurus) has been domesticated into gayal.
• Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) has been domesticated into llama.
• Horse (Equus ferus) has been domesticated into tame horse.
• Mouflon (Ovis gmelini) has been domesticated into sheep.
• Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) has been domesticated into tame reindeer.
• Two-humped camel (Camelus bactrianus) has been domesticated into tame camel.
• Vicuña (Lama vicugna) has been domesticated into alpaca.
• Water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) has been domesticated into tame water buffalo.
• West Asian ibex (Capra aegagrus) has been domesticated into goat.
• Wild boar (Sus scrofa) has been domesticated into pig.
• Yak (Bos mutus) has been domesticated into tame yak.
Dromedary, camel and aurochs are now extinct in the wild. There are wild camels having two humps. But they are to genetically different from tame to have given rise tom them.
Tame animals are not as human friendly as one might think. The females only provide milk for a certain time after giving birth. For cows it is a little less than an entire year. This moreover presupposes they gets enough food. Though breeding we can make cows provide more milk per day. However, we can’t breed them to provide milk constantly from having reached adulthood. Same applies to camels, dromedaries, goats, sheep, water buffaloes and yaks. Horse and reindeer milk occurs too.
In the same way the behaviour of animals is not that human centred. Fully domesticated animals view humans having hand of them as leaders. They are naive and calm compared to their wild form. But this does not mean they would stand by anything. Tame animals intended as mounts have to be taught to be ridden. Otherwise they would never accept it. Same applies to draught animals which have to be trained for pulling. In both cases one has to teach them what the different signals humans give means. Which signals are used is decided by local tradition.
Which animals people eat are culturally determined too. All mammals can be eaten except for the liver of large carnivores. The liver of such is poisonous. Otherwise it is just a question of being able to slaughter hygienically. In some climates this is not possible for some species without refrigeration. Consequentially it is taboo to eat these species there. Animals can be more valuable as working animals than for slaughter too. Then taboos also arise for this reason. In modern times I don’t think people want to eat species they view as pets. I perceive this attitude as an emotional reason.
Montane guinea pig (Cavia tschudii) and European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) have been domesticated to be eaten. Tame guinea pigs on average weight a little less than one kilogram (or about 2 pounds). All rabbit breeds except the largest weight less than 6 kilograms (or at most 13 pounds). The largest still on average weight less than 9 kilograms (20 pounds). Both species being domesticated is because they grow quickly and reproduce quickly. This to some degree weights up them not being so large.
Also, different birds have been domesticated to be eaten. These include:
• African collared dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) has been domesticated into Barbary dove.
• Helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) has been domesticated into pearl hen.
• Graylag goose (Anser anser) has been domesticated into North African goose.
• Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) has been domesticated into Chinese duck.
• Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) has been domesticated into Barbary duck.
• Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) has been domesticated into chicken.
• Rock pigeon (Columba livia) has been domesticated into Mediterranean dove.
• Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) has been domesticated into tame turkey.
• Swan goose (Anser cygnoides) has been domesticated into Chinese goose.
I think this is because they grow quickly and reproduce quickly. Otherwise the same limitations apply as for mammals above. Al species other than the doves have been breed for their eggs too. Today pigeons are probably most known for their ability to find their way home. If people don’t mostly think of them as feral pests.
Animals living in water have long been farmed. Sweetwater animals can be farmed in ponds, rice and taro paddies. In the ocean I think mussels are what have been farmed the longest. No water animals farmed to eat have been domesticated. The only fishes which have been domesticated are Amur carp and goldfish. (The wild form of the later is found in rivers in southern China.) Both don’t have much in the way of food in them.
Uploaded on the 28th of January 2025.
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This site was last changed on the 28th of January 2025.