Dairying

dairying, also called dairy farming, branch of agriculture that encompasses the breeding, raising, and utilization of dairy animals, primarily cows, for the production of milk and the various dairy products processed from it.

Milk for human consumption is produced primarily by the cow and the water buffalo. The goat also is an important milk producer in China, India, and other Asian countries and in Egypt. Goat’s milk is also produced in Europe and North America but, compared to cow’s milk, goat’s milk is relatively unimportant. Buffalo’s milk is produced in commercial quantities in some countries, particularly India. Where it is produced, buffalo’s milk is used in the same way as is cow’s milk, and in some areas the community milk supply consists of a mixture of both. This article treats the principles and practices of dairy farming. For a discussion of dairy products, see the article dairy product.