The subject of scientific research is the scientific and practical principles of development of the labor market and the market of livestock products in Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the areas of formal employment and increase livestock production in agricultural enterprises. The data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, normative-legal acts of Ukraine and the following methods of scientific research are used: abstract-logical; system approach; monographic; statistical and economic; balance.
Based on the analysis of meat and milk consumption by the population of Ukraine, it is proved that there is a violation of the balanced diet of the population, which is one of the main tasks of state social policy. Its structure has a large shortage of meat products (35 % of norm); dairy products (46 % of the norm), etc. In the studied period of 2014-2019, the production of livestock products, in particular beef and veal, significantly decreased.
The scenario-empirical calculation of the increase in formal employment in agriculture due to the increase in domestic production of livestock products to ensure a rational food balance of the country and the formation of export supplies showed the following. It is possible to involve more than 900 thousand workers in agricultural enterprises. These indicators correspond to the need to increase the number of jobs in rural areas (about 500 thousand unemployed and more than 600 thousand self-employed people in households alone).
It is proved that to ensure a socially oriented direction of livestock development in agricultural enterprises it is necessary to increase the efficiency of livestock production to ensure short-term employment and wages, stability of employment, development of rural areas and communities.
Based on the analysis of economic indicators, livestock and cows in different types of agricultural producers, the content of employment in animal husbandry, it was possible to substantiate social and labor imperatives and the relevant organizational and economic principles of livestock development in large, medium and small agribusiness. The development of the latter is especially important due to the transformation of efficient rural households into farms and small agribusiness enterprises.
Key words: rural population, employment, labor market, territorial community, development, cattle breeding, agricultural enterprise, farm.