General Animal Science Lecture - Animal Growth and Development

Flashcards covering key concepts from the General Animal Science lecture on animal growth and development.

Animal Development

The processes that lead eventually to the formation of a new animal starting from cells derived from one or more parent individuals.

Growth

An increase in body height, length, girth, and weight that occurs when a healthy young meat animal is given adequate food, water, and shelter.

Fertilization

The fusion of the sperm and egg to form the zygote.

Blastula

A stage of embryonic development characterized by the rearrangement of cells to create embryonic tissue layers.

Gastrulation

An early developmental process in which an embryo transforms from a one-dimensional layer of epithelial cells (blastula) into a multilayered structure called the gastrula.

Organogenesis

The process of organ and tissue formation via cell division and differentiation.

Gestation

The period from conception to parturition during which a calf grows in the uterus of the dam.

Hyperplasia

An increase in the number of muscle fibers during fetal development.

Hypertrophy

An increase in the size of muscle fibers during the latter stages of prenatal development.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)

A hormone that stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce adrenal cortical steroid hormones, affecting growth.

Somatotrophic Hormone (STH)

A hormone from the pituitary that promotes growth, especially in muscle and bone cells.

Endocrine Glands

Special groups of cells that produce hormones affecting various body functions.

Acclimation

The active process of adaptation of an organism to changes in its environment, such as temperature.

Vasoconstriction

The narrowing of blood vessels to reduce heat loss in cold weather adaptation.

Vasodilation

The widening of blood vessels to increase heat loss in hot weather adaptation.

Critical Temperature

A temperature threshold that indicates the need for animals to maintain body temperature for optimal physiological functions.

Thermoneutral Zone

The range of ambient temperatures where animals do not need to expend energy to maintain body temperature.

Water Intake

The amount of water consumed by livestock, which varies with body weight and environmental temperature.

Nutrition

The process by which organisms take in and utilize food substances to support growth and development.