Final answer:
Pastoral societies are nomadic, focused on animal husbandry as a means of subsistence, and typically move periodically to ensure sustainable grazing for their herds. These societies are culturally centered around their livestock, are considered to have a deep environmental knowledge, and often trade with neighboring agricultural communities.
Step-by-step explanation:
A food-producing society that practices pastoralism is characterized by the domestication of animals as a crucial resource for survival. Pastoral societies, such as the Maasai, are traditionally nomadic, moving their herds to fresh pastures as required by the need for adequate grazing land. This mobility is often on a seasonal basis over large rangelands which prevents overgrazing and allows for a sustainable way of life. These societies maintain a deep understanding of their environment, and have a culture heavily centered around the care for and use of domesticate herds, which includes cattle, sheep, goats, and other animals.
Pastoralism developed alongside horticulture and agriculture, providing a complementary mode of subsistence in regions that are not optimal for farming due to marginal soils or unpredictable rainfall. Sociocultural aspects of pastoralism include defining social status by the size of herds, using animals for food resources like meat and milk, and for creating textiles and tools, making it an integral part of society's identity. Trade is also common with neighboring agricultural societies for necessary goods not produced within pastoral communities.