The Livradois-Forez is a rural medium mountain territory in the center of France, where livestock is a major activity, based on the breeding of ruminants, and the valorization of grassland and pastoral areas. Like in lots of French mountain regions, because of globalization and local changes, the future of livestock is often questioned, whereas it contributes to the sustainable development of the territory. The objective of our study was to investigate how local stakeholders perceive the present and future role of livestock in this development. Individual interviews were carried out with 28 persons involved at different stages of the livestock chain (production, up- and down-stream, territorial, agricultural and environmental). The discourses analysis shows various but complementary regards on the roles of livestock between economic, social and environmental aspects. The described forms of livestock farming able to fulfil these roles are very different. At farm and production scale, the divergences of views are particularly marked (high volumes with little added-value versus little volume with a high added-value. At sector and commercialization scale, two models are also highlighted (industrialized and globalized versus local and artisanal). But at territory scale, the vision is more shared, in favor of diversified livestock farming and commercialization.