According to the research of geological scientists, there were many lakes and dense forests in ancient Ireland. The island has a humid climate and abundant rainfall, which is very conducive to the growth and development of virgin forests. At that time, the whole island of full of green was densely forested. The arrival of the ice age destroyed all the forests on the island of Ireland. 7000~ 10000 years ago, shallow plants on the island of Ireland died in the lake, and new plants grew on it. Then algae and weeds accumulate from generation to generation, and lakes become shallower and shallower, eventually forming swamps or grasslands. There are 20 million hectares of such marshland, accounting for 16% of Ireland's land area. Most of the 20 million mu of marshland contains peat layers, with a thickness of more than 6 meters. In this way, Irish people have rich peat resources. Peat is a kind of wealth. Ireland can get a lot of foreign exchange by exporting peat. This export peat comes from the surface of the swamp. It has short carbonization time, loose structure and contains a lot of humus, so it is an excellent organic fertilizer. Such peat can absorb 7 to 10 times of its own water, which is helpful to improve the soil and cultivate huge delicious mushrooms and beautiful horticultural crops. Peat is very popular in the international market, and many countries are scrambling to order it. The Irish have a shrewd mind. They put peat in beautiful bags, put it in containers and transport it everywhere. Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia and other countries import a large amount of peat from Ireland every year, and a large amount of foreign exchange is put into Irish pockets. Since peat is so useful, Irish people should certainly enjoy some by themselves. In Dublin, there is no heating in winter, and people put a fireplace in every room. The fuel of the fireplace is peat, which is not only pollution-free, but also has a huge fragrance. Irish people also use peat as fuel for power generation. More than 4 million tons of peat are mined for more than a dozen power stations every year, and the power generation accounts for 25% of the total power generation. Ireland has a typical maritime climate, which is warm as spring all year round. The average temperature in Leng Yue is 4℃~7℃, and the hottest monthly average temperature is 12℃~ 15℃. There is abundant rainfall, with the average annual rainfall exceeding 100 inch. Such warm and humid climate conditions make the land in Ireland full of grass. As the saying goes, "eat the mountain by the mountain and eat the sea by the sea." Of course, the smart Irish will take the road of "eating grass". Therefore, pasture industry has become the pillar industry of Ireland's national economy. Animal husbandry products have also become the main export products. Of the more than 3 million people in Ireland, 1/3 is engaged in agriculture, and most of them are engaged in animal husbandry.
Ireland's animal husbandry is also very developed, and its animal husbandry products are highly competitive in the international market. Animal products in Ireland include cattle, sheep, horses, pigs and dogs, but mainly cattle, pigs and sheep. In the past, Ireland has always been a famous exporter of live cattle, and its capital is also known as the "live cattle export port", ranking first in the world in the export volume of live cattle. In recent years, the export volume has actually decreased, but at present, the number of cattle still reaches 78 million, and the number of sheep is 34 million. Every year, dozens or nearly a million live cattle are still concentrated in Dublin, driven into special cabins and transported to ports such as Liverpool.
After 1970s, Ireland's industrialization accelerated, and animal husbandry took a back seat. However, Ireland's industry is mainly food, beverage and livestock products processing industry. Therefore, animal husbandry is still dominant in the whole economy of Ireland.