Glossary of Important Terms

Ad Libitum

Commonly used to express the availability of feed on a free choice basis, feed is available at all times

Afterbirth

The placenta and allied membranes with which the fetus is connected. It is expelled from the uterus after delivery.

Anestrous Period

That time when the female does not cycle or exhibit estrus (heat)--the nonbreeding season.

Barrow

A male pig castrated before the development of secondary sex characteristics.

Boar

Uncastrated male of swine, any age.

Bovine

Pertaining to the cow.

Breed

Animals with a common ancestry and characteristics which distinguish them from other groups within the same species.

Brood Animal

(brood sow, brood cow, brood ewe, brood mare) females used for breeding and raising young.

Buck

Uncastrated male of sheep (same as ram).

Bull

Uncastrated male of cattle, any age.

Calf

Offspring of cattle, from birth to 1 year of age.

Calf Crop

Calves produced by a herd of cattle in 1 year (90% calf crop = 90 calves per 100 cows bred).

Castrate

To remove the testicles or ovaries.

Colostrum

First fluid secreted by the udder for a few days pre and postpartum.

Colt

Uncastrated male horse, under 4 years of age.

Concentrate

A feed high in digestible energy and low in fiber.

Conformation

Structure or shape of an animal or its carcass.

Cow

Female of cattle, usually over 3 years of age.

Crossbred

Animal whose parents were of different breeds.

Crossbreeding

Mating of animals of different breeds.

Cryptorchid

A testis that fails to decend is called a Cryptorchid testis. An animal in that condition is called a Cryptorchid.

Culling

The process of eliminating undesirable animals.

Cwt.

An abbreviation for 100 pounds of weight.

Dam

The female parent.

Dock

To cut off the tail.

Dystocia

Abnormal or difficult labor, causing difficulty in delivering the fetus.

Environment

All of the conditions an animal is subjected to.

Equine

Pertaining to the horse.

Estrous Cycle

(heat cycle) cycle of events from one heat period (or estrous period) to the next.

Estrus

(heat) that period when the female is receptive (will stand for mating) to the male.

Ewe

Female sheep, any age.

Farrow

To give birth to a litter of pigs.

Flock

A group of sheep, goats, chickens.

Filly

Female horse, under 4 years of age.

Foal

Offspring of horse, under 1 year, either sex.

Free choice

Feed available to animal at all times (same as self-fed).

Freemartin

Sterile heifer born twin to a bull (about 10% of the heifers born twin to a bull are normal. These are not freemartins).

Full-fed

Provided with as much feed as the animals will normally consume.

Gelding

Castrated male horse.

Gestation period

The period from conception to birth.

Get

The offspring of a male animal.

Gilt

Female of swine, under 1 year of age.

Grade

(breeding animal) any animal. (not purebred or not eligible for registration) that possesses the major characteristics of a breed (grade Angus, grade Hereford, etc.).

Hand mating

Males and females separated except at mating.

Heat period

That period when the female will accept the male (same as estrous period).

Heifer

Female of cattle, usually under 3 years of age.

Herd

A group of animals (cattle, hogs, horses).

Lactation period

The period of milk secretion.

Lamb

Offspring of sheep, under 1 year of age.

Libido

Male sex drive.

Litter

The pigs farrowed by a sow at one delivery period.

Mammal

Any animal which gives birth to live young, is warm-blooded and suckles or provides milk for its young.

Mare

Female horse, over 4 years of age.

Marbling

The distribution of fat in muscle tissue.

Maternal

Pertaining to the mother.

Meatiness

Ratio of muscle to fat and bone, degree of muscling.

Ovine

Pertaining to sheep.

Packer

One who operates a slaughter and meat-processing business.

Parturition

The process of giving birth.

Pedigree

A record of ancestry.

Per Capita

Per person.

Photoperiod

Length of day (or length of period artificial light is provided).

Polled

Naturally hornless.

Porcine

Pertaining to swine.

Postpartum

Occurring after birth.

Prepartum

Occurring before birth.

Primal cuts

The most valuable cuts on a carcass (beef = loin, rib, round; swine = loin, ham, shoulder; lamb = loin, leg, rib).

Progeny

Offspring

Puberty

Age at which the reproductive organs become functional and secondary sex characteristics develop.

Prolific

Tendency to produce many offspring.

Purebred

An animal of a recognized breed that is eligible for registration in the official herd book of that breed.

Ram

Uncastrated male of sheep, any age.

Red Meat

Includes beef, pork, lamb, veal, (mutton, but of little importance).

Registered

An animal registered (listed) in the herd book of a breed association.

Ridgling

Same as cryptorchid.

Roughage

A feed high in fiber and low in digestible energy.

Ruminant

Animals which have a four compartment stomach (rumen or paunch, reticulum, omasum, abomasum).

Scrub

An inferior animal.

Semen

A mixture of sperm and accessory sex gland fluids.

Settle

To become pregnant or conceive.

Service

The act of breeding or mating.

Shrink

Loss of weight during shipping, etc.

Sire

Male parent.

Sow

Female of swine, usually over 1 year of age.

Stag

Male animal castrated after secondary sex characteristics develop.

Stallion

Uncastrated male horse, over 4 years of age.

Steer

Male of cattle, castrated before secondary sex characteristics develop.

Stocker

Term applied to light or thin animal purchased to utilize roughage or pasture.

Type

A combination of the characteristics which make an animal useful for specific purpose (beef type, dairy type).

Unsoundness

Structural defect in an animal.

Wean

To separate nursing offspring from their dam so that they no longer receive milk.

Wether

Male of sheep, castrated before secondary sex characteristics develop.

Yearling

Animals between one and two years of age.

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Last modified July, 1996 by Dr. Jeannette A. Moore.
E-mail: jeannette_moore@ncsu.edu