Taxonomy, Physiological Info, Terminology

Animalia, Chordata, Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Bovidae, Bos taurus or Bos indicus

taxonomy

48 - 84 bpm

heart rate

26 - 50 rpm

respiration rate

100.0 - 102.5 degree F

temperature

~7 - 18 months

puberty

polyestrous (year round)

estrous cycle

avg 21 days (18 days for heifers)

estrous system frequency

12 - 18 hours

duration of estrus

12 - 18 hours after estrus

time of ovulation

14 - 16 months

avg age at first breeding

12 hours after standing heat is detected

optimal time for breeding

avg 283 days

gestation

1 - 2 calves

litter size

dairy avg ~3 months, beef avg 6 months

weaning age

60 - 100 pounds

birth weight

cow

mature female

bull

mature male

steer

castrated male

heifer

immature female

calf

neonate

heifer calf

female less than 1 year of age

bull calf

intact male younger than 1 year of age

calving

specific parturition term in cattle

horned

cattle naturally born with horns

polled

cattle naturally born without horns

dehorned

the horns are removed after they have erupted

freemartin

female born twin to a male; almost always sterile

marbling

the fat between the muscle fibers that contribute to tenderness

calving season

the time of year when calves are born (usually spring or fall)

calf crop

the % of calves born within a herd in a given year relative to the # of cows & heifers exposed to breeding

cull

an animal of low or substandard quality (noun); to eliminate an animal of low quality from the herd, usually due to reproductive or medical problems (verb)

feed efficiency

the production of a product (milk or meat) per unit of feed