Livestock Terminology

Terminology Actual Meaning
BreedThis indicates a group of animals that have some common characteristics and can be distinguished from another animal group.
SpeciesThis indicates young cattle are usually below six months of age.
CalfThis term indicates the younger female of cattle above the age of six months to first calving.
SireThe male parent (Father) of the Calf.
DamThe female parent (Mother) of the Calf.
HeiferThe adult female of cattle from the date of first calving is called a cow.
CowThis is matured male cattle used for breeding purposes or covering the cow’s flock.
BullConception rate is a measure of a cow’s fertility at service or the successful union of males and females in the reproduction process.
BullockIt is the castrated male of cattle used for farming /cultivation work.
ConceptionThis term indicates the process in which a mature male covers the female.
ServiceIt is the process or period of development inside the womb between conception and birth. This is applicable to any group of animals.
GestationThis is the timeframe between the conception date and the birthdate. This varies from animal to animal.
Gestation PeriodThis term indicates the act of giving birth to a young one.
ParturitionThis indicates the duration or time the female animal produces the milk after giving birth. This period also varies from animal to animal. Example: Cows’ lactation period is different from goat/sheep’s lactation period.
Lactation periodThis is the period after lactation, during which animals do not produce any milk.
Dry periodThis term indicates the period between two successive calves.
Calving intervalThe combination of genes it possesses influences its character.
AverageIt is the Total milk yield. Of a lactation (kg or Lt) divided by lactation period (in days).
West average (W.A)The phenomenon whereby, in an individual containing two allelic forms of a gene, one is expressed to the exclusion of the other or genes that have observable effects when present in any one member of a chromosome pair.
Herd Average (H.A)It is the total milk yield of lactation divided by calving interval (days).
Overall average (O.A)These are mature male cattle used for breeding purposes or covering the cows’ flock.
GenotypeIt is a total milk yield of a day divided by the number of milking animals.
PhenotypeIt indicates the external look.
Half sibIt indicates half-brothers or half-sisters.
Full sibIt Indicates full brothers or full sisters.
HeredityThe passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another.
GeneIt is the unit of inheritance, which is transmitted in reproductive cells.
AllelOne or two or more alternative forms of a gene.
DominanceThis Indicates the inability to produce any offspring.
RecessiveRelating to or denoting heritable characteristics controlled by genes that are expressed in offspring only when inherited from both parents or Genes that have no. Observable effect unless present in both members of a chromosome pair.
Epistasis
FertilityIt is a measure of ability that an animal gives birth.
SterilityBull is used to detect the heat or estrus of female cows.
PrepotencyUnusual ability of an individual or strain to transmit its characters to offspring because of homozygosity for numerous dominant genes.
FecundityIt indicates the ability to produce abundant healthy growth or offspring.
TeaserIt indicates the cow is always in estrus condition.
BullerThis indicates a sterile heifer-born twin with the male.
Free martinIt indicates a group of cattle/ buffalo
HerdThis indicates the group of goat, sheep, or poultry birds.
FlockThis term indicates a castrated sheep is called a wedder.
SteerThis term indicates the male cattle that are castrated when he is still a calf.
BeefThe meat of cattle/buffalo.
PorkThe meat of pig/swine.
MuttonThe meat of sheep or goat.
ChevonThe meat of goat.
LambThe meat of sheep.
WedderThis is an ability to produce a large number of offspring.
ProlificacyWell, this term is universal and indicates the sum of production divided by the number of animals.
RamA male sheep.
BuckA male goat.

Poultry Terminology

BroilerThis indicates a group of chicks of the same age raised in one batch.
BroodThis is a process of rearing the young chickens from 1 day old stage to 5 to 6 weeks of age, during which heat is to be provided.
BrooderBasically, this is a device for providing artificial heat.
BroodingThis Indicates a hen that has stopped laying eggs temporarily.
BroodyThis is a mature male chicken above 21 weeks of age.
ChickThis indicates a young male or female fowl below 5 weeks of age.
ClutchIt is the number of eggs laid by a bird on consecutive days.
CockThis is a matured male chicken above 21 weeks of age.
CockerelThis Indicates a young male chicken of 6 to 8 months old.
CullingIt is nothing but removing unwanted birds (sick or diseased or useless) from the flock.
Day-old chickUsually, this is a hatched-out chick that is just 1 day old.
GrowerUsually, a young chick of 9th week or 20th week of age is either female or male.
HenThis is nothing but dividing the total eggs laid in the season by the average number of birds in the house.
Hen-day-productionThis is nothing but dividing total eggs laid in the season by the average number of birds in the house.
Hen-housed-averageThis is nothing but dividing the total number of eggs laid in the season by the number of birds originally placed in the house.
LayersThis indicates an egg laying chicken up to 1 year after starting the laying of eggs.
MoltingIt is the process of shading old feathers.
PauseIt is the period between two clutches in which eggs are not laid by the hen.
PulletThis indicates usually a young female chicken of 8 to 19 weeks old.