animal science cattle terminology

Bull

A sexually mature male cattle. (____ calf used to denote males under 1 year old)

Cow

A female cattle that has produced a calf

Heifer

female cattle that has not produced a calf (first calf ___ = just calved)

Heiferette

A heifer that has calved once, dried up, and then fed for slaughter

Steer

Castrated male cattle

Calf

a young cattle

Calve

The task of giving birth (sometimes called freshen)

Stocker

A weaned cattle that are run on grass or fed high roughage diets (350/550 +250/300 lbs during growing phase)

Cow-Calf Operation

a management unit that maintains a breeding herd of cows and produces weaned calves for sale.

Yearling

a cattle of either sex that is 1 to 2 years of age. Some cattlemen will refer to short or long yearlings

Crossbred

an animal that is a product of the crossing of two or more breeds

Feeder Cattle

those requiring more growth and/or fattening before slaughter.

Feedlot

beef cattle enterprise where cattle are placed in confinement, fed harvested feeds and fattened for slaughter.

Seedstock Producer

enterprise that produces breeding animals for the commercial segment of the industry. The majority of purebred breeders fall into this category.

Backgrounding

growing program for feeder cattle from time calves are weaned until they are on a finishing ration in the feedlot.

Beef

meat from cattle (bovine species) other than calves. Meat from calves is called veal.

Beef checkoff program

Beef promotion and Research Act established in October 1986. Each time cattle are marketed, $1 per head is paid by the seller to the Beef Industry Council (BIC). Month is used in promotion, research, and education. Generates approximately $70 million per year

Biological type

usually refers to size of cattle (large, medium or small), growth rate, milk production (high, medium, or low), and age at puberty.

Bovine

refers to a general family grouping of cattle.

Boxed beef

cuts of beef put in boxes for shipping from packing plant to retailers. These primal (round, loins, ribs, and chuck) and subprimal cuts are intermediate cuts between the carcass and retail cuts.

Branded beef product

a specifically labeled product that is differentiated from commodity items by its brand name. Certified Angus beef is an example.

British breeds

breeds of cattle, such as Angus, Hereford, and Shorthorn, originating in Great Britain

Bullock

young bull, typically less than 20 months of age

Calf crop

number or percentage of calves produced within a herd in a given year relative to the number of cows and heifers in the breeding herd.

Chuck

Wholesale cut (shoulder) of the beef carcass.

Conditioning

treatment of cattle by vaccination and other means prior to putting them in the feedlot

Cud

Bolus of feed that cattle regurgitate for further chewing.

Custom feeding

cattle feeders who provide facilities, labor, feed, and care as a service but they do not own the cattle

European breed (continental/exotic breed)

breed originating in European countries other than England (these are called British breeds); a larger dual-purpose breed such as Charolais, Simmental, and Limousin

Fed cattle

steers and heifers that have been fed concentrates, usually for 90-120 days in a feedlot

Feedyard

cattle-feeding facility

Finished cattle

fed cattle whose time in the feedlot is completed and are now ready for slaughter.

Herd

group of cattle (usually cows) that are in a similar management program.

Hide

skins from cattle

Long yearling

animal between 19 months and 2 years of age.

Maverick

unbranded animal, usually on the range.

Middle meats

rib and loin of a beef carcass. These primals generally yield the highest-priced beef cuts

Preconditioning

preparation of feeder calves for marketing and shipment, may include vaccinations, castration, and training calves to eat and drink in pens

Short yearling

animal is over 1 year of age but under 18 months of age

“Show List” or “Show Pens”

slaughter cattle that are ready for the cattle feeder to “show” the packer buyers

Stocker

weaned cattle that are fed high-roughage diets (including grazing) before going into the feedlot

Veal

meat from very young cattle (under 3 months of age). typically comes from dairy bull calves