Pastoral farming is focused on the rearing and production of animals. These include beef and dairy cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and poultry. According to DEFRA, 60% of the UK’s agricultural production comes from livestock, valued at £16.3 billion. Of this, the most valuable categories are dairy cattle (£4.8 billion) followed by beef cattle (£3.3 billion). These are followed by poultry (£2.9 billion), sheep (£1.5 billion) and pigs (£1.4 billion). Egg production also contributes a further £0.8 billion.
Different areas of the country are suited to different types of pastoral farming. For example, dairy farms are numerous in the west of England, and pig farming is concentrated in East Anglia and Yorkshire. Some 50% of ewes are reared in upland areas such as the Scottish Highlands, hilly areas of Wales, the Lake District, and the Pennines.
Pastoral farming has its own set of risks. Diseases such as bovine tuberculosis or avian influenza may lead to culling. Working with larger animals means workers have to be mindful of potential injury. Dairy farmers also need to be careful of milk contamination and can be left seriously out of pocket by uncollected milk.