家畜一般是指由人类饲养驯化，且可以人为控制其繁殖的动物，一般用于食用、劳役、毛皮、宠物、实验等功能。另一种较狭义的家畜，是指相对于鸟类动物的家禽而言的哺乳类动物，亦即将鸡、鸭等等被排除在外。除此此外，哺乳类和鸟类之外的鱼类、昆虫等也通常不被视为家畜。

一般较常见家畜饲养方式的舍饲，圈饲、系养、放牧等。

人类最早饲养家畜最早起源于一万多年前，代表了人类走向文明的重要发展之一，家畜尤其对于提供了较稳定的食物来源作出重大贡献。

中国人古代所称的「六畜」是指马、牛、羊、鸡、狗、猪，亦即中国古代最常见的六种家畜。

Livestock are domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber, and labor. The term is often used to refer solely to those raised for food, and sometimes only farmed ruminants, such as cattle and goats. In recent years, some organizations have also raised livestock to promote the survival of rare breeds. The breeding, maintenance, and slaughter of these animals, known as animal husbandry, is a component of modern agriculture that has been practiced in many cultures since humanity's transition to farming from hunter-gatherer lifestyles.