House-fed describes an animal, typically a domesticated pet or livestock, that is primarily raised and nourished within a household or enclosed structure. This implies a controlled environment regarding diet and care, often resulting in a less challenging existence compared to animals that forage or roam freely. The term encompasses both the physical location of feeding and the origin of the food source, highlighting the dependence on human intervention for sustenance. It also often infers a level of domestication and reliance on humans for well-being, impacting physical development, behavioral patterns and the nature of social interactions.
House-fed meaning with examples
- The sleek, pampered Persian cat, a quintessential house-fed pet, reveled in its daily salmon meals and the constant affection of its owners. Its life stood in stark contrast to the feral cats that scavenged for scraps, highlighting the stark difference in their lives.
- The family's prize-winning Labrador retriever, meticulously house-fed on high-quality kibble and frequent treats, showed a remarkable level of health and energy. The consistent diet, coupled with regular exercise, allowed it to consistently outcompete other dogs in local competitions.
- Farmer Giles chose to house-fed his young piglets, providing them with a controlled diet of barley and milk to promote rapid weight gain for slaughter. This led to a noticeable increase in profit as the pigs reached market weight sooner.
- Unlike the free-range chickens of the neighboring farm, these house-fed birds were kept in large barns and provided with specialized food formulas. Their eggs, a regular source of sustenance, exhibited distinct size and flavor characteristics.
- The researcher carefully studied the impact of house-fed mice, which, unlike their wild counterparts, lived in sterilized environments, received carefully measured nutritional intake, and displayed distinctly different gene expression patterns.