Agriculture and biodiversity are both key elements of the South African economy. The management and use of livestock in support of society has been a feature of the peoples of southern Africa for over two millennia. The production of meat, fibre, skins and other animal products such as milk, on a sustainable and adequate scale are important factors contributing to the economy and food security of the country. A role of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is to provide an enabling regulatory environment for the production of goods and services by the livestock industry. Equally important is the role of the Department of Environmental Affairs to provide a regulatory environment for the management of the natural environment in a manner that enables growth and development today without limiting the options of future generations.