Micro-Livestock: A Possible Future

Although animal science has traditionally emphasized bigness, the 1991 report Micro-Livestock: Little-Known Animals with a Promising Economic Future shows that smallness has many advantages. If in the future the human species will become smaller, we will benefit from most of the advantages listed below.

• Small animals are cheaper and give faster return on investment since they generally have a high reproductive capacity.
• Small animals are often more efficient converters of food energy.
• Farmers can more easily change the size of their herd or flock according to market developments.
• Breeding stock is more likely to be retained in times of scarcity.
• Easy and more sustainable transport.
• Efficient use of space and availability to landless inhabitants.
• A much smaller food-related footprint.
• Less expensive facilities and tools.
• Easier Management.
• Valuable by-products. Many species have by-products that are more valuable than their meat, milk, or eggs.