[BASC108B] Cattle Terminologies

Bull

a matured male breeding cattle

Bulling

when a cow tries to ride other cows or when she stands if others try to ride her. A "______" cow is in heat.

Beef

meat of cattle

Calf

young cattle of either sex under one year

Calf drop

the number of calves born

Calving

act of giving birth in cows

Calving interval

the average length of time in days between successive calving.

Casein

the major protein in milk.

Cattle

general term for any class of animals of bovine family, genus Bos; domesticated bovine animals collectively.

Cod

scrotal area of steer remaining after castration

Cow

mature female cattle

Cud

partly digested feed returned from the rumen to mouth for further digestion

Curd

Coagulated milk

Days open

number of days between freshening and conception. (Service period)

Dry cow

a cow that is not producing milk

Dry the cow

Stop milking the cow to let her body replenish fat and protein depleted by previous lactation.

Fattener

feeder or steer herd- these consist of those ready for market

Feeder stock

cattle which is fattened prior for slaughtering

Feedlot

area with its facilities for cattle fattening

Foremilk

the first few streams drawn from the udder, usually contains a larger proportion of bacteria than the last milk, called the stripping.

Free martin

a sterile calf is born twin to a male calf

Freshen

To give birth to young and initiate milk production.

Hard (Slow) milker

a cow with teat canal that is too small of the sphincter muscle too strong.

Heifer

young female cattle usually under 3 years old and has not given birth

Homogenized milk

Milk that has had the fat droplets broken into very small particles so that the milk fat stays in suspension in the milk fluid.

Lactiferous

Yielding or conveying milk; forming a milky fluid.

Mastitis

the inflammation of the udder or mammary gland.

Meaty udder

the amount of connective tissue is excessive (fibrosis)

Pasteurization

the process of heating milk to 161◦F and holding it at that temperature for 15 sec.

Persistency of Lactation

the degree to which lactation is maintained.

Replacement stock

yearling heifer or bull raised primarily for breeding purposes

Stag

castrated male cattle after the age of puberty

Steer

castrated male cattle before the age of puberty

Stripping

the last portion of milk drawn during milking; is highest in fat and solids-non-fat.

Tethering

To tie with a rope

Veal

meat of calves

Udder breakdown

a condition that happens in high milk producing cows because of great stress placed on the udder, the middle suspensory ligaments can no longer hold up the udder.

Yearling

one to two year old cattle of either sex