What is the difference in feed and food for animals?

That is a really good question. I have never thought of that before.

Basically, they mean the same thing. For some reason, it appears that food for smaller animals is called "food" and food for larger animals is called "feed". Horse feed is another example. But really there is no difference. I guess anacondas are large and may be an exception to the rule. You know, it really takes a non-native speaker to recognize this nuance. That is an excellent question.

We believe we are buying food…pet food.  But is it made from feed grade ingredients?  There IS a significant difference between feed and food – even acknowledged by FDA.  What’s feed and what’s food – and why pet food consumers need to know the difference.

It is interesting that with almost every other species of animal – besides dogs and cats – their food is referred to as ‘feed’.  Horse feed, cattle feed, poultry feed.  But with our pets it is referred to as food – cat food, dog food.  Food is what humans eat, so perhaps the intent was – from the very beginning – to cause the consumer to think pet food is similar to human food – nothing like a cattle feed or poultry feed.  We want to provide our pets a safer, more quality ‘food’…right?  Here begins the problem for the consumer.

Pet food was a secondary product to animal feed.  AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) – the organization that currently develops pet food/animal feed ingredient definitions, regulations, labeling requirements – began in the early 1900’s with regulations guiding only livestock feed.  A few small mentions of pet food requirements happened in early years, but it wasn’t until the late 1950’s that AAFCO established the Pet Food Committee – whose purpose was to establish regulations over the pet food industry.

food term is used only for Humans but feed is used for animals

Actually Food is SINGULAR and Feed is PLEURAL...

As foot and feet...

Mixing of more than one substance makes feed while solely a single substance is called Food...

feed is food English is weird for sure what is yours