Splitting parameters in a macro

Question

I have a macro like this:

\newcommand{\listanimals}[1]{
    Animals in the farm: #1.
}

So using \listanimals{pig / sheep / cow / duck / goat} will print:

Animals in the farm: pig / sheep / cow / duck / goat.

I want to know, can I have other macros display only certain information within that parameter?

For example:

\listfirsttwoanimals{pig / sheep / cow / duck / goat}

First two animals: pig / sheep.

\listanimalsafterfirsttwo{pig / sheep / cow / duck / goat}

Animals after the first two: cow / duck / goat.

Answer 1

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xstring}
\newcommand\listfirsttwoanimals[1]{First two animals:
  \StrBefore[2]{#1}{/}}
\newcommand\listanimalsafterfirsttwo[1]{Animals after first two:
  \StrBehind[2]{#1}{/}} 
\begin{document}     
\listfirsttwoanimals{pig / sheep / cow / duck / goat}

\listanimalsafterfirsttwo{pig / sheep / cow / duck / goat}
\end{document}

This assumes that the agrument always has more than two animals, so, for example,\listfirsttwoanimals{pig / sheep } returns no animals, while \listfirsttwoanimals{pig / sheep /} gives pig and sheep. xstring has functions like \IfSubStr which may be used to test this and return, for example, "I have only N animals" if N<3.