Animal Production Term 1.4

Terminologies (commonly used in Animal Science)

Parturition

The act of giving birth in animals

Gestation

The period of pregnancy from conception to birth

Conception

The process by which a sperm fertilizes an egg, resulting in the beginning of pregnancy

Fertility

The actual ability of an animal to conceive and produce offspring

Fecundity

The potential reproductive capacity of an animal, often measured by the number of eggs or offspring it can produce over time

Sterility or Barrenness

The inability of an animal to produce offspring, either male or female, due to reproductive defects or disorders

Impotency

The inability of a male animal to successfully mate or copulate due to physical or functional problems

Puberty

The stage in an animal's life when it becomes sexually mature and capable of reproduction. It marks the beginning of estrous or sperm production

Weanling

A young animal that has just been weaned, usually between weaning and one year of age. Commonly used for foals and calves

Weaning

The process of gradually removing young animals from their mother's milk and transitioning them to solid feed

Transmitting ability

The ability of a parent to pass on desirable traits to its offspring

Proven sire

A male animal that has produced offspring with desirable traits and whose performance as a breeder has been evaluated

Litter

The group of offspring born at one time from the same mother

Litter size

The number of offspring/s born in a single birthing

Feed

Edible material needed by animal for growth, health and reproduction

Ration

Feed given to animals for one day

Ruminants

Animals possessing compound stomach

Non-ruminants

Animals with simple stomach

Roughage

Feed with high fiber content and low protein

Concentrates

Feed with high protein content and low fiber

Fodder crops

Feed material for ruminant animals, either fresh or dry, but usually cereals

Silage

Fermented forage crops

Soilage

Fresh forage crops

Abortion

Expulsion of dead fetus before the end of gestation period

Premature birth

Expulsion of live fetus before the end of gestation period

Stillbirth

Expulsion of dead fetus at the end of gestation period

Prolificacy

Ability of the animal to produce large number of offsprings

Potency

Ability of the male animal to perform copulation

Conception Rate

The number of pregnant female to the number of bred female in the herd

Dystocia

Difficult parturition

Heat or Estrus Period

Desire of female animal to be mated

Estrus cycle

Onset of first heat up to next heat period

Ovulation

Shedding of ova from ovary

Copulation

Act of mating

Fertilization

Union of sperm and ova to form a zygote

Nidation

Implantation of zygote in the horn of the uterus

Lactation

Act of nursing the newborn animal