Mongolian culture has been heavily influenced by the Mongol nomadic way of life. The Mongolian pastoral nomads relied on their animals for survival and moved their habitat several times a year in search of water and grass for their herds. The life of the Mongols almost totally depended on those animals. They ate the meat and the milk, even distilled wine from the sour cream; they made clothes from the skin and made the felt of the yurts from the wool. Mongols are very fond of those livestock and they can recognize every single one and call its name from hundreds of them. Mongols raise five kinds of livestock, which are horse , sheep, cattle, camel and goat.
Horse: the Mongol name is aduu is the most beloved animal of the Mongols. Those famous Mongolian small horses carried the Mongols, conquered half of the world. It was the major transportation of the Mongols. The mane and the tail hair is used for making rope and bags. It has “a powerful neck, somewhat thick legs, and a dense coat, but it is wonderful for its fiery spirit and its vigor, endurance, steadiness, and sureness of foot”. The horse is a symbol of the Mongol nation.
Sheep: the Mongols call a sheep as ‘ khoni ’. Mutton is the most favorable meat of the Mongols . The original Mongolian sheep has a straight and coarse hair, it is good for tough weather. Skin is for coats and shoes, wool is for felt, carpet and clothes, and milk is for sour cream and cheese. Sheep is a symbol of submissiveness and weakness since it keep quiet when it is slaughtered.
Cattle: the Mongol name is 'ukher'. The cow milk is considered as the best milk for milk tea, cream and cheese. Good leather is always made from cattle skin. Ox is also the only animal for the Mongolian cart, a wooden cart with a pair of big wooden wheels. Usually the cart is driven by single ox, but the royal cart of Genghis Khan was driven by 80 white oxen. Ox is the symbol of sturdiness and sometimes, stubbornness. Yaks are poppular in the cold regions of Mongolia and considered as a kind of ox.
Camel: the Mongol name of a camel is 'temee'. Camel is the tallest animal. It is the most important livestock of the Mongols who live in the Gobi deserts. The wool of female camel is a very fine resource of textile. It offers good transportation and meat source for locals. A camel can drink 20 gallon water once and survive for a month without drinking any water. Camel is a symbol of dignity and highness.
Goat: the Mongol name of a goat is ' yamaa '. Goat is an animal that the Mongols consider as the least important livestock. However, cashmere, fine wool growing beneath the outer coarse hair of the goat is the finest and most expensive natural fiber. The 1kg raw cashmere is worth US$60 in the international market. Goat is the symbol of casual manner.