Abstract: 【Objective】In order to summarize the research history, understand the frontiers and focus and provide a sound foundation for researchers and policy-makers, the comparative analysis of world literature and patents about technology innovation of livestock was carried out. 【Method】Based on Science Citation Index and Derwent Innovation Index database, with bibliometric methods, relevant literature and patents on livestock breeding during the years of 1964 and 2014 were collected. Thomson Data Analyzer, Thomson Innovation, OSviewer and other tools were used. 【Result】Studies on livestock breeding technology have gone through three stages: the start-up and slowly developing phase lasted from 1960 to 1990, focusing on performance determination evaluation; the rapid growth phase lasted from 1990 to 2000, with the wide use of BLUP breeding, artificial insemination, superovulation and embryo transfer technology，the leaping forward phase began in 2000 till now, gender control technology; molecular markers and genomic selection technology boost the development of research, but the patent application experienced fluctuations in the past decade. The United States possesses the prominent capability in the field all over the world, reflected by the amount of paper issued, citations, and European developed countries and Japan have long occupied a leading position while research from China go through a rapid development in recent years, particularly in terms of patents, but the quality of Chinese research needs to be improved according to the average citation. Ten out of top 20 patent applicators are from US, all of which are enterprises while China has 4 universities and institutions in the top 20, indicating that innovation system with the enterprises as the mainstay has not been established in China. Cattle and pigs have been the focus in the field. Research on cattle developed in 1990’s, but was catch up by that on pig after 2000; and research on sheep has a rapid and consistent growth while that the development on horse was slow; finally, research on donkey and camel was always relatively rare. Research about propagation techniques started earlier, with the largest number of literature, but the trend showed greater volatility even in shock down in recent years after the heyday of sex control technology during 1990’s; research on genomics techniques increased rapidly after the completion of gene draft of certain species in 2000, promoting the development of proteome, transcriptome, methylation group and metabolomics group; genetic manipulation techniques transferred from the study of single gene transfer, gene knockout and knock-in, gene targeting technology to bioreactor technology since 1991, and transferred further to TALEN technology, genome editing technology after 2004. Genetic marker technology, as the key of precision breeding, developed from protein level to DNA molecular level since 1991, grew rapidly after 2004 due to the increasing of maker types and the application of SNP marker, and after 2008, the precision breeding technology became the most focused area instead of propagation techniques.【Conclusion】Pigs and cattle are still the main objects of study, precision breeding technique now has become the main method of current research represented by whole genome selection, and nucleic acid assay or test methods are the main directions of patent applications. The United States in this field has outstanding leadership, while Germany, Britain, France, Japan and other developed countries also have a good research base and patent applications situation. The research in China is developing rapidly in recent years, and even has the opportunity of catching up; however, the quality of research still needs to be strengthened.