Common animal Husbandry terms

Act of giving birth

Parturition

Pregnancy time from conception to birth

Gestation

Act of fertilization

Conception

Female parent

Dam

Male parent

Sire

Ability to giver birth to offspring frequently or to numerous young at frequent intervals

Fecundity/ prolificacy

Failure to copulate

Impotency

Properly dressed flesh derived from mature animals in good condition at the time of slaughter

Meat

From fasting through stunning, bleeding, skinning, and evisceration

Slaughtering

From splitting and quartering, to cutting the carcass into retail cuts

Butchering

Game animals meat

Game meat

Deer meat

Venison

Sexually mature male cattle used for breeding

Bull

Sexually mature female cattle used for breeding; has given birth

Cow

Young ox of either sex under one year of age 

Calf 

Young female cattle under three years old. Usually one that has not yet given birth

Heifer

Ruminant member of the bovine family; male used for draft purposes

Ox

Male cattle that has been castrated before reaching maturity. It is usually fattened.

Steer

Male cattle that has been castrated after undergoing puberty

Stag

Young cattle of either sex below 1 year old

Calf

Act of giving brith for a cow

Calving

Meat of a mature cattle

Beef

Meat of a young cattle less than one year old

Veal

Sexually mature male horse

Stallion

Mature male horse used for breeding

Stud horse

Sexually mature female horse

Mare

Mature female horse used for breeding

Broodmare

Young male horse usually up to 3 years old

Colt

Young female horse usually up to 3 years old

Filly

Young horse of either sex below one year old 

Foal

Male horse castrated below puberty

Geiding

Stallion with only testis (monorchid) or none at all (cryptorchid)

Ridgling

Horsemanship; the art of riding on horseback

Equitation

Male horse castrated after puberty

Stag

Act of giving birth for horses

Foaling

Horses used for driving and riding

Tack

Meat from horse

Horsemeat

Is a crossbreed between a stallion and a female ass (donkey). The resulting offspring is always sterile

Hinny

Is a crossbreed between a mare and male donkey (jack)

Mule

A collective term for all domestic birds rendering economic service to man

Poultry

Animals kept for reproductive purposes

Broodstock

Mature male chicken used for breeding 

Rooster

Mature female chicken used for breeding

Hen

Young female chicken less than one year old

Pullet

Male fowl less than one year 

Cockerel 

Young chicken while in the down stage

Chick

The feathers of a fowl

Plumage

Mature male ducks

Drake

Young duck in the down stage 

Duckling

Mature male goose

Gander

Young goose regardless of sex

Gosling

Mature male turkey

Tom

Young turkey regarless of age

Poult

Mature male rabbits

Buck

Mature female rabbits

Doe

Young rabbits regardless of sex

Bunny

Act of gving birth in rabbits 

Kindling

Cage or pen for rabbits

Hutch

“Rabbit Farm”

Rabbitry

Mature male goat used for breeding

Buck (Billy) 

Mature female goat used for breeding

Doe (Nanny)

Mature female goat that has not yet kidded

Doeling

Young goat of either sex that is below one year old

Kid

Male goat that has been castrated before puberty

Wether Goat

Act of giving birth in goats

Chevon

Mature male sheep used for breeding

Ram 

Mature female sheep used for breeding

Ewe

Young sheep of either sex that are below one year old

Lamb

Male sheep castrated before reaching puberty

Wether sheep

Wool covering of the sheep

Fieece 

Act of giving birth of the Ewe

Lambing

Meat of mature sheep that is more than one year old

Mutton

Meat of young sheep

Lamb

Yearling sheep with two teeth

Shearling

Wool and skin of a sheep

Pelt

Male pig of any age (intact)

Boar

Mature female pig; has given birth

Sow

Young female pig usually under one year of age; has not given birth 

Gilt 

Young pig of either sex weighing approximately 60kg

Shote

Male pig that has been castrated before puberty

Barrow

Male pig castrated after puberty

Stag

Act of giving birth by a sow

Farrowing

Younng pigs from the day of birth up to when they are weaned

Suckling

Young pigs separated from their dam, they are approximately 2 months of age

Wealing

Group of piglets in one farrowing

Litter

Number of young pigs in one litter

Litter size

Meat of pig

Pork