Toad farming is mainly for harvesting toad venom and toad skin

The toad, whose scientific name is Bufo, is farmed artificially mainly to harvest traditional Chinese medicinal materials such as toad venom and toad skin. Toad venom is made from the white secretion of the toad's postorbital glands and skin glands, which is processed and dried, while toad skin is the epidermis that the toad naturally sheds; both are used in traditional Chinese medicine. The main species farmed are common varieties such as the Asiatic toad (Bufo gargarizans) and the black-spectacled toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus).

The farming site should be chosen near a water source with convenient drainage and irrigation, and netting should be set up around the perimeter to prevent the toads from escaping. The site should provide both ponds and a moist land environment, and the land portion can be planted with crops or fitted with shade structures. Toads mostly hide in soil crevices and grass during the day and come out at night to move about and forage, so the site should be kept moist and quiet.

During the breeding season, egg strings can be collected and placed in a hatching pond. At the tadpole stage they feed on algae, plankton and powdered feed, and after metamorphosis and coming ashore they gradually switch to live bait such as yellow mealworms, fly maggots and earthworms; insect-attracting lamps can also be set up to supplement natural insects. In daily management, attention should be paid to controlling stocking density and guarding against natural enemies such as snakes and birds. In winter the toads burrow into the soil to hibernate, so feeding should be appropriately increased before overwintering.

The value of toad farming is mainly reflected in the harvesting of toad venom and toad skin. Toad venom must be collected by standard methods and dried promptly, while toad skin can be gently collected when the toad sheds its skin and stored away from light. It should be noted that wild toads are mostly protected wild animals, so before formally starting farming you should learn about local regulations and complete the relevant procedures; never capture wild individuals directly.