While the remains of domesticated dogs and pigs in the early stages of domestication were found at some sites associated with the culture, the people of the Houli culture relied mostly on hunting and fishing. The remains of rice, broomcorn millet, and foxtail millet were discovered at Houli sites.
The presence of dog and pig remains at some Houli sites suggests a connection to early domestication, while the reliance on hunting and fishing indicates their primary subsistence strategy. Rice, broomcorn millet, and foxtail millet discoveries further support this understanding.