The most common sources of meat are domesticated animal species such as cattle, pigs, poultry sheep and goats. In some regions other animal species such as camels, horses, ostriches and game animals are also eaten as meat. 

For thousands of years, poultry supplied meat and eggs, cattle, sheep and goats provided meat and milk, and pigs provided a source of meat. These species are the main sources of animal protein for humans. The meat derived from cattle is known as beef, meat derived from pigs as pork and from chickens as poultry. Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world accounting for over 36% of the world meat intake. It is followed by poultry and beef with about 35% and 22% respectively.