The role of economic activities increases in l imited conditions of employment in rural areas. The one is an alternative for basic employment. Moreover, real income equivalent to wages can be generated by cattle breeding rather than gardening. This labour is physically difficult and financially costly. There are regions with active population engaged in cattle breeding. It is important to understand this activity. It explains by the influence of traditional types of management of ethnic groups, geographical features, as well as informal (sometimes not quite legal) practices on the example of Siberian (Khakass) cattle breeders. However, cattle breeding as an alternative to employment are available only to large cattle breeders. The cattle-breeding activities of small cattle breeding are mainly reduced to providing food. Therefore it is overestimated as a universal alternative. A negative trend is the emergence of dependent dwellers that live solely on social benefits for large families. The growth of this part of the population in the future will lead to a change in the agrarian appearance of the contemporary village.