Looking at archaeological evidence, it is hard to distinguish a cattle byre from a stable or any other enclosure. The Romans seem to have made a distinction because the Latin reflects differences among sheepfold (ovile), pigsty (hara), chicken coop (cavea), dovecote (columbarium), and a pen (saeptum) in general.

A team of oxen, a milk cow, two mules, a horse, three little pigs, and a small flock of sheep comprise my livestock. We also keep chickens and pigeons. Two cats, a dog, and a couple of beehives complete our menagerie.