Difference Between Food Animal and Large Animal

[russellang]

I am filling out supplementals and one of them asks my primary interest in veterinary medicine and has a list I can choose from. They have both large animal and food animal. What is the difference between the two? I thought they were one in the same. Is the difference that large animal includes equine?

Thank you

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[New Foundland]

You just gotta ask yourself a couple questions...

Do you eat horses?
How big is a chicken really?

 

[pennyonthefloor]

They have both large animal and food animal. What is the difference between the two?

My snarky response: a knife and fork.

Anyhoot.... in all seriousness... food animal: poultry, cattle, swine. Large animal: anything else 'large' that... well.. isn't initially kept for consumption.... llamas, horses...

They can be the same species in both areas but the sole purpose of raising/caring for food animal animals is strictly to end up as a protein source. It all depends on the circumstances.

 

[Escalla]

How big is a chicken really?

 

[russellang]

I guess my confusion was that there is some overlap.

Basically, my interests are all animals other than small animals, exotics and wildlife. How should I phrase that in my essays? Would I say mixed or large animal?

I have just read alot of places where "large animal" refers to everything except SA, wildlife, and exotics. This is even true for alot of vet school hospitals where they have a "large animal hospital" and see both animals used for production and also horses, goats, sheep, llamas etc.

Thank you

 

[LetItSnow]

Basically, my interests are all animals other than small animals, exotics and wildlife. How should I phrase that in my essays? Would I say mixed or large animal?

I would not say mixed. I think for most readers that would imply SA as well.

It sounds like the best choice for the list is large animal; then just be clear in the essay(s) what you mean.

 

[russellang]

In my personal statement I talk about cattle and horses and my experiences with them and in my description of duties I go into a larger list of animals I work with (swine, sheep, goats, alpacas, etc). Im trying to find a way how to say thats better than "Everything except SA, exotics, wildlife."

 

[Lissarae06]

I would go with large animal and then maybe clarify with specific animals. At Ok-State our large animal hospital treats both equine and food animal. It is divided into an equine barn and a food animal barn. I hope that makes sense.

 

[twelvetigers]

I would go with large animal and then maybe clarify with specific animals. At Ok-State our large animal hospital treats both equine and food animal. It is divided into an equine barn and a food animal barn. I hope that makes sense.

And the llamas/alpacas are in the food animal barn. We won't eat them, no, but they're part of the general industry. We use their hair for stuff. I dunno. I just lump them with food animal, regardless.

 

[cowgirla]

And the llamas/alpacas are in the food animal barn. We won't eat them, no, but they're part of the general industry. We use their hair for stuff. I dunno. I just lump them with food animal, regardless.

there was a camel in not to long ago, and we certainly weren't going to eat him! Alpaca meat is a delicacy in some places. Probably camel too. I think just about everything gets eaten somewhere.

In general, it's probably more of a "farm animal" than a "food animal" thing when you take into account all the fiber animals. Then again, I have no idea where all the sick chickens go (besides the soup pot!)

As for Food vs Large, I guess large would include horses and that would be a big difference. It probably varies from person to person and school to school what exactly is in each division.

 

[twelvetigers]

Yanno, they had some ducks in once. They went to exotics, not food animal, so they were in one of the dog runs. Funny thing to see.

I was there when they had a camel! I asked the 4th year about their dentition pattern, so he tried to look. Mad camels make a funny noise.

 

[Lissarae06]

I just wish I would have been able to see the elephant when it came in. Seems like all the cool stuff happens at the Ok-State large animal hospital.

 

[jmo1012]

And the llamas/alpacas are in the food animal barn. We won't eat them, no, but they're part of the general industry. We use their hair for stuff. I dunno. I just lump them with food animal, regardless.

llamas/alpacs = $$$ i was shocked to learn their worth from one of our vet speakers! i decided then that if large animal was where i had to go, that was the path i was taking (since they are worth quite a bit, they tend to actually get treated!)

 

[LetItSnow]

llamas/alpacs = $$$ i was shocked to learn their worth from one of our vet speakers! i decided then that if large animal was where i had to go, that was the path i was taking (since they are worth quite a bit, they tend to actually get treated!)

Dude! It's a llama!

 

[russellang]

So I have been debating for a while about this and I thought I would say that I want to be a large animal vet treating farms animals, something like that. What do you guys think? I really dont want to say I want to treat cows, horses, pigs, chickens, goats, sheep etcccc.

 

[that redhead]

So I have been debating for a while about this and I thought I would say that I want to be a large animal vet treating farms animals, something like that. What do you guys think? I really dont want to say I want to treat cows, horses, pigs, chickens, goats, sheep etcccc.

Fortunately, I don't think they're going to come check on you in your career and rescind your degree because you didn't follow through. I would think "large animal" would be your best bet because it encompasses livestock (which horses are considered in some/most? states). Also, I'd imagine that if you're treating cows a number of them will be food animals anyway, unless you find a hobby farm niche.

 

[Ben and Me]

At Penn, we have the following majors:

- Small Animal
- Mixed
- Large Animal
- Food Animal
- Equine

Food Animal = cattle, pigs, etc
Equine = horses
Large Animal = Food Animal + Equine

 

[Bill59]

At Penn, we have the following majors:

- Small Animal
- Mixed
- Large Animal
- Food Animal
- Equine

Food Animal = cattle, pigs, etc
Equine = horses
Large Animal = Food Animal + Equine

I think that's how most people divide it up. The economics and overall mindset in equine is much different than food animal, for example, individual animal vs. herd health.

 

[deleted387118]

I think that's how most people divide it up. The economics and overall mindset in equine is much different than food animal, for example, individual animal vs. herd health.

That's very true. But its also true for camelids. I believe most people include them under food animal. (Although you can eat them, so I guess that works!)

 

[Robdude]

If you are determined, you can eat just about any animal.

 

[kaydubs]

If you are determined, you can eat just about any animal.

Humans included.

 

[david594]

You just gotta ask yourself a couple questions...

Do you eat horses?
How big is a chicken really?

You dont eat horse?

Everything gets eaten somewhere.

 

[twelvetigers]

Nice socks.

 

[Trematode]

One of our grocery store chains in the capital started selling horse meat and people were freaking out, especially the horse owners, so they stopped selling it. I did not understand why it was such a big deal. Then again, I have a slightly different view on things (I do not eat meat). If it is tasty, someone is going to eat it somewhere.

Do the jobs differ depending on whether you are food animal versus large animal? I imagine that a food animal vet would be more likely to land a job in public health than a large animal vet would (correct me if I am wrong). And when you are dealing with heard health, research is an important area. Are there any other differences?

 

[breenie]

What cut is that?