Terminology in Cattle, Sheep, and Goat Management

Stag

castrated male cattle after the age of puberty

Steer

castrated male cattle before the age of puberty

Tethering

To tie with a rope

Upgrading

improving the genetic potential of an animal by using purebred sire on native animal

Weaning

separating the suckling calf from its dam usually done at 6-8 months old

Yearling

one to two year old cattle of either sex

Caracow

matured female carabao

Carabull

matured male carabao

Carasteer or carabullock

castrated young male carabao

Carastag

castrated matured male carabao

Caracalf

young carabao of either sex

Caracalving

parturition in caracows

Carabeef

meat of matured carabao

Caraveal

meat of young carabao

Yoke

a wooden bar that is fastened over the neck of draft carabao and attached to the plow or cart

Wallowing

rolling or lie relaxed in mud or water to keep the body cool

Ewe

female sheep

Ram

male sheep

Lamb

young sheep of either sex

Lambing

parturition in sheep

Mutton

meat of matured sheep

Lambchop

meat of young sheep

Shearing

cutting the wool of sheep

Fleece

synthetic material similar to wool

Wool

the hair covering of sheep

Afterbirth

other term for placenta

Browse plants

shrubs or trees nibbled by goats

Buck or billy goat

mature male goat

Cauterize

to burn with hot iron

Chevon

meat of goat

Conception

pregnancy

Docile

easy to manage; tamed

Doe

mature female goat

Doeling

young female goat

Kid

a young goat

Kidding

parturition in female goats

Meconium

first fecal matter of newborn goat

Wattle

fleshy lobe or appendage hanging down from the throat or chin of goats

Wether goat

castrated young male goat

Cria

young Llama

Camelid

Llama, alpaca, guanaco, vicuna

Cervidae

deer, elk, moose, caribou

Chute

mechanical device that is used to restrain cattle

Fawn

young deer

Barren

animal that was not bred

Herd

group of goats

Cleaning a cow

common term for removal of retained placenta, also called cleansing a cow

Cod

remnants of steer scrotum

Cud

regurgitated food particles, fiber, rumen fluid and rumen microorganisms

Cudding

act of chewing the cud

Cull

to remove an animal from the group

Dehorn/disbud

remove horns by mechanical, thermal or chemical means

Ruminating

Cud chewing process

Scurs

underdeveloped horns that are not attached to skull

Stall

small compartment to house an animal

Stanchion

restraint device that secures cattle around the neck to allow accessibility for milking, feeding and examining

Switch

Distal part of a bovine tail that consists of long, coarse hair

Strip cup

metal cup with a lid that is used for detecting mastitis

Teat

nipple, especially the large nipples of ruminants and equine

Wean

to remove young from the dam

Dry cow

not lactating

Teat cistern

cavity in the udder where milk is secreted before leaving the teat