cattle/goat terms

the terms

Bull

- Entire male bovine animal of breeding age, usually over one year old.

Bullock

- Mature castrated male cattle destined for meat production.

Calf

- bovine animal less than a year old. (In some legislation six months old or even less)

Steer (goat)

castrated male animal over one year of age.

cow

mature female bovine after having had one calf. The term is also used to describe mature females of some other species, eg elk, moose, reindeer etc.

Yearling

• an animal in its second year of age.

Weanling

– an animal that has been weaned off of milk from it’s mother or an artificial source

cull cow

Cow slaughtered out of herd for variety of reasons, eg age (over thirty months scheme), end of productive span, illness etc.

dry cow

a cow in the two - three month period between the end of lactation and the subsequent calving

heifer

young female bovine animal up to birth of first calf or in lactation following the first calving. A springing heifer is in the last one or two weeks of pregnancy. After second calving known as a cow.

veal calf

one to three weeks old, sold for baby veal, often the male calves from dairy farms, average weight 150lbs (68kgs).

bull calf

entire male young animal up to stage of yearling

dairy calf

calf of a mating between a bull and a cow both of dairy breeds.

dairy cow

cow of a breed specifically defined as being for milk production, as distinct from beef or dual purpose breeds.

buck goat

male animal

doe goat

female animal

kid

youngster

wether

castrated male

buckling (goat)

immature male (can be breed at 2 mths)