Livestock Terminology (by Species)

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering common livestock terms by species.

Breed

Animals within a species with a distinctive appearance, typically developed by deliberate selection.

Breeding animal

An animal used to produce offspring, typically in a controlled and organized way.

Dam

The female parent of an animal.

Flock

Grouping of a species of livestock, such as sheep or poultry.

Herd

Group of a single species of animals (e.g., cattle, horses, swine, goats).

Litter

Multiple offspring born at one birth by a multiparous mammal; also called brood.

Livestock

Domestic farm animals kept for productive purposes (meat, milk, work, wool).

Market animal

Livestock bred and raised for food consumption.

Parity

Number of times a female has had offspring.

Polled

Naturally hornless animal.

Sire

Uncastrated male parent.

Stag

Male castrated after reaching sexual maturity.

Weanling

An animal that has recently been weaned.

Yearling

An animal about 1 year of age.

Bovine

Relating to or resembling cattle.

Bull

Sexually mature uncastrated male bovine.

Calf

Sexually immature young bovine.

Calving

Process of giving birth in cattle.

Cow

Mature female bovine.

Fed steer or heifer

Steer or heifer ready for slaughter at the end of a finishing period.

Feeder steer or heifer

Steer or heifer ready to enter a feedyard and begin the finishing phase.

Heifer

Young female bovine which has not yet had a calf (usually < 22–24 months old).

Ox

Castrated male bovine at least 4 years old.

Steer

Castrated male bovine.

Ewe

Female sheep.

Ewe lamb

Female sheep under 1 year of age.

Lamb

Sheep less than one year of age.

Lambing

Process of giving birth in sheep.

Lambkin

Newly born lamb (aka lambling).

Ovine

Relating to or resembling sheep.

Ram

Uncastrated male sheep at least 1 year old.

Ram lamb

Uncastrated male sheep under 1 year old.

Wether

Castrated male sheep.

Buck

Goats (aka billy); a sexually mature uncastrated male goat.

Buckling

Young uncastrated male goat less than 1 year old.

Caprine

Relating to or resembling goats.

Doe

Goats (aka nanny); a female goat over 1 year of age.

Kid

Young goat of either sex.

Kidding

Process of giving birth in goats.

Wether (Goats)

Castrated male goat.

Barrow

Young, castrated male swine (castrated before sexual maturity).

Boar

Sexually mature uncastrated male swine.

Farrowing

Process of a sow giving birth.

Feeder pig

Young pig (40–70 lbs) ready to be finished to market weight (260+ lbs).

Gilt

Young female pig that has not yet given birth.

Hog

Mature swine (usually weighing more than 120 lbs).

Pig

Young swine (aka piglet).

Porcine

Relating to or resembling pigs.

Sow

Mature female swine.

Swine

Refers to animals in the pig family.

Galline

Relating to or resembling chickens.

Hen

Female chicken over one year of age.

Pullet

Female chicken under one year of age (typically has not yet started laying eggs).

Laying

Act of giving birth in chickens.

Rooster

Uncastrated male bird over one year of age (aka cock).

Broilers

Meat chicken that is 1.5–3.0 months of age at slaughter.

Fryer

Meat chicken slaughtered at 3–5 months of age.

Capon

Castrated male chicken slaughtered at 4–8 months old.

Chick

Newly hatched or very young chicken.

Cockerel

Uncastrated male chicken under one year of age.

Drake

Uncastrated adult male duck.

Duck

Adult female duck.

Ducklings

Baby ducks.

Gander

Adult uncastrated male goose.

Goose

Adult female goose.

Gosling

Young goose (until feathers replace all down).

Poult

Young domestic turkey.

Tom

Uncastrated adult male turkey.

Meleagrine

Relating to or resembling turkeys.