Poultry and livestock are two different animal classifications. They have some significant differences, mainly reflected in their uses, feeding methods and living habits.
Definition and classification:
Poultry usually refers to poultry raised at home, such as chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, etc. They are mainly used to obtain meat, eggs and to embellish family life. In zoology, livestock usually refers to mammals raised at home, such as cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, camels, etc. They are used in the production of meat, dairy products, wool, leather, etc.
Feeding purposes:
The main uses of poultry are for egg production, meat consumption or ornamental purposes. For example, chickens mainly provide eggs and meat; ducks and geese also mainly provide eggs and meat. The main uses of livestock include providing meat, dairy products, leather, hair, etc.
Breeding environment:
Poultry are generally kept in poultry houses or pens and require relatively little space. Livestock, on the other hand, require larger space for feeding. For example, cattle, sheep, etc. need to graze on grasslands or grasslands.
Feeding and management:
Poultry and livestock also differ in the way they are raised. For poultry, management mainly includes the provision of suitable feed, water, sanitation and disease prevention and control. For livestock, in addition to providing feed and drinking water, regular grazing, grooming, and livestock disease control and prevention are also required.
Living habits:
Poultry and livestock also have certain differences in their living habits. Generally speaking, poultry, such as chickens, ducks, geese, etc., prefer to move in smaller areas. In contrast, domestic animals are more accustomed to moving over larger areas, such as cattle and sheep on grasslands.
In general, there are obvious differences between poultry and livestock in terms of use, feeding methods, feeding environment, feeding management, and living habits. Therefore, when breeding, different management and care methods need to be adopted according to their characteristics to ensure their health and production performance.