This list includes 16 Farm animals that start with A, from “Abalone” to “Axis deer”. They include common livestock and regionally kept species used for meat, milk, fiber, work, and eggs.
Farm animals that start with A are domesticated or semi‑domesticated species kept for food, fiber, labor, and companionship. A notable example is the Asiatic water buffalo, which transformed rice farming in parts of Asia.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Typical uses, Average lifespan, and Region / Notes.
Common name: Shows the familiar name you use to identify animals on farms, markets, or in casual research.
Scientific name: Gives the Latin name so you can confirm species identity and locate related information quickly.
Typical uses: Lists primary farm applications — meat, milk, fiber, labor, or eggs — so you know practical roles.
Average lifespan: Provides typical adult lifespans so you can plan husbandry, breeding cycles, and compare species longevity across options.
Region / Notes: Notes common regions, cultural context, and brief care or legal considerations relevant to you in different areas.
Farm animals that start with A
| Name | Scientific name | Primary use | Typical lifespan (years) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpaca | Vicugna pacos | fiber | 15-20 | South American camelid raised mainly for soft fleece; common on small farms and homesteads for fiber and occasional meat. |
| Ass | Equus africanus asinus | draft | 25-30 | Domesticated donkey used as pack, draft animal and companion; hardy, sure-footed and common on small farms worldwide. |
| Atlantic salmon | Salmo salar | meat | 3-4 | Major aquaculture species grown for flesh; farm cycles typically finish at 2–4 years in cold-water net pens and hatcheries. |
| American bison | Bison bison | meat | 15-20 | Large North American bovine raised for lean beef and conservation ranching; hardy grazer often kept on rangelands. |
| American alligator | Alligator mississippiensis | meat | 30-50 | Farmed in the southern U.S. for meat and leather; raised in controlled ponds with species-specific regulations. |
| Arctic char | Salvelinus alpinus | meat | 8-12 | Cold-water salmonid farmed in freshwater tanks and net pens for delicate, trout-like flesh; suited to northern aquaculture. |
| Arapaima | Arapaima gigas | meat | 15-20 | Giant Amazonian freshwater fish increasingly cultured for meat in tropical ponds; needs large tanks and warm water. |
| Abalone | Haliotis midae | meat | 3-5 | Marine gastropod farmed in coastal aquaculture (notably Haliotis midae); prized edible mollusk raised to market size in a few years. |
| American bullfrog | Lithobates catesbeianus | meat | 8-10 | Commonly raised on frog farms for frog legs; requires ponds or tanks and insect- or pellet-based diets. |
| Aoudad | Ammotragus lervia | meat | 10-15 | Also called Barbary sheep; sometimes kept on game ranches and homesteads for meat and hunting stock in arid regions. |
| Asian seabass | Lates calcarifer | meat | 10-15 | Also known as barramundi; a popular, adaptable farmed foodfish across Asia and Australia in freshwater and marine systems. |
| Atlantic cod | Gadus morhua | meat | 6-12 | Traditionally wild-caught but increasingly farmed in cold-water aquaculture for flaky white fillets; longer grow-out times common. |
| American mink | Neovison vison | fiber | 1-2 | Historically farmed for fur; animals are bred and culled young for pelts—practice is regulated and controversial in many places. |
| Arctic fox | Vulpes lagopus | fiber | 3-6 | Kept on fur farms for thick winter pelts; requires cold-climate housing and specialized diets on commercial operations. |
| Axis deer | Axis axis | meat | 10-15 | Also called chital, farmed on ranches for venison and hunting; adapts well to fenced pastures in warm regions. |
| Addax | Addax nasomaculatus | meat | 15-20 | Desert antelope sometimes maintained on game ranches for meat and conservation breeding; adapted to arid environments. |