Why Some Animals are Raised Outdoors and Others Indoors

Raising animals indoors or outdoors is a choice that farmers and ranchers make based on what is best for them and their animals.

Some farmers choose indoor housing to protect animals from weather, disease and predators. An indoor environment can also ensure that animals are receiving a proper, nutritious and balanced diet. Additionally, many barns today have highly technical ventilation systems that keep animals cool during the hot summer months and warm in the winter, providing animals with the utmost comfort. Tim Nelsen from Nelsen Farms states that raising an animal inside “minimizes the stress [on the animal] as it keeps humidity low and the temperature optimal.”

Other farmers and ranchers raise their animals outdoors to control insects or to add organic matter back to the soil.

Animal care is a continuously improving process, and farmers and ranchers look for new ways to improve the methods they use to care for their animals.