Hutterite colonies are often self-sufficient, raising much of the food that is consumed.  Different kinds of farm animals and poultry are raised, such as hogs, cattle, broilers, geese and ducks. Surplus animals are sold, but not before feeding the members of the colony.

Hogs are usually raised in disease-free barns. Most barns have five different parts, the sow barn, gestation barn, farrowing barn, weanling barn, and the finisher barn.

Some colonies in Canada have dairy barns with require expensive, governmental-controlled quotas. Without a quota, farmers can not produce milk for the marketing boards; in fact, it is illegal to sell milk outside of the marketing board.  As one would expect, obtaining a quota is extremely expensive proposition and as a result, fewer Hutterite Colonies obtain them.  There is no quota system in the United States.

Cattle ranching occurs in the western part of the prairies, in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Washington. 

Poultry like chickens, turkeys, geese, broilers and ducks are also raised by many colonies.  In Canada, chicken, broilers, and turkeys are all regulated by the appropriate marketing boards, thereby making it difficult for new producers to come on board.