Abstract: The present invention relates in general to the field of animal husbandry, and more specifically, to a livestock monitoring system utilizing an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) and methods of using such systems. The system and method of the present invention for monitoring the health and welfare of livestock comprises six primary components: (1) at least one UAV; (2) a plurality of cameras and sensors; (3) a transmitter; (4) a receiver; (5) a server connected to a computer system for receiving images, video, and data from the plurality of cameras and sensors; and (6) a display for viewing in real-time images, video and data obtained from the plurality of cameras and sensors for monitoring the condition of livestock on a farm or ranch. The purpose of the invention is to provide a convenient and cost-efficient system and method for monitoring the condition of livestock to obtain information in real-time about the behavioral and physiological states of individual animals.