Phosphorus is not only an essential nutritional element for plants and animals, but it is also a significant factor in environmental pollution. Understanding phosphorus flow and balance in animal husbandry systems is very important for nutrient management on both a regional and national scale. Numerous research programs are underway to reduce pollution from animal excreta in North American and European countries such as the Netherlands, USA, Canada, Germany, Denmark, as well as in some countries of Africa. In China research about nutrient pollution from animal excreta is very limited, but this work is still very valuable. In this paper, Phosphorus flow and balance in animal husbandry systems is summarized. The study was focused on the P flow, balance and fate in a pig production system, a cattle production system, and in a fowl production system. Phosphorus flow, balance and fate in animal production systems were calculated based on actual inputs and outputs. The input included the animal feed, and the outputs included both the animal production and the animal excreta. The fate of phosphorus in such animal production systems includes mainly the phosphorus retained in the animals body as well as the fate of the phosphorus contained in the animal excreta. The utilization of excreta was evaluated according to the ratio of excreta to farm land and to the environment, etc. This research indicated that the total P output from the pig, cattle and fowl production systems used was 2729kt. This included 490kt P that was in the edible and inedible parts of the animal's body. The remainder (2230kt) was contained in the animal excreta. The transition efficiency from the feed was very low (only 18.3%). Most of the P in the animal's bodies was in the bones. According to calculations made, the P ratios ([bone P/ total body P]X100) in the bones of pigs, meat chickens, and meat cows were 71.5%, 71.1% and 71.6%, respectively. The total amount of P in the manure of pigs, cows and fowl was 2230kt in 2001, of which 717kt was estimated as being lost to the environment. The research results also indicated that the laying hen and pig systems contribute the most to environmental risk, with the amount of P going into the environment being 308kt for layers and 153kt for pigs, which contributed 43.0% and 21.3% of the total P going into the environment, respectively. Suggestions were also proposed on developing large scale animal production facilities with ways to decrease pollution in the future.