Terminologies in animal breeding

 Terminologies in animal husbandry

Below are common terminologies used in animal husbandry

Cattle: This refers to the entire bovine species

Cow: A female cat that has not given birth

Bull: A matured male cattle

Calf: A male or female cattle under one year

calve/calving: Act of given birth in cattle

Bull Calf: A male cattle under two years

Steer: A castrated young cattle

Stag: A matured castrated cattle after maturity

Freemartin: A female cattle born along with a male that is usually sterile

In-calf: A pregnant cattle

Swine: an entire porcine species of pig

Farrowing: The act of given birth in swine

Gilt:  A female pig of immatured age that has not given birth

Boar: A matured male pig

Piglet: A young pig of either sex

Litters: An entire offspring produced at a single birth

Barrow: A male swine castrated at early stage

Hog:  matured pig

In-sow: A pregnant female pig (also called sow)

Sheep: An entire ovine species

Ewe: A female matured sheep that has given birth one or twice

Ram: A matured male sheep

Lamb: The act of giving birth in sheep

Ram-lamb: An immatured male sheep

In-lamb: A pregnant sheep

Wether: A male sheep castrated at early stage

Fleet: The wool on a sheep

Goat: The entire caprine species

Buck/Billy: A matured male goat

Doe/Nanny: A matured female goat that has giving birth one or twice

Kid: A young immatured goat

In-kid: A pregnant goat

Poultry: The entire avian species

Hen: Sexually matured female chicken

Cock: Sexually matured male chicken

Pullet: Sexually immatured female chicken

Cockerel: Sexually immatured male chicken

Capon: A chicken castrated at early age

Chick: A very young chicken of either sex

Chicken: A domesticated chicken of either sex and of any age

Rabbit: it refers to oryctolagus cumilus

Rabbit buck: A matured male rabbit

Rabbit doe: A matured female rabbit

Kindling: The act of giving birth in rabbit

Broiler: A poultry of either sex produced for meat purpose, slaughtered between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks and weighing 1.6 to 2.4 kg

Lactation: The act of milk production

Parturition: The act of giving birth

Weaning: The separation of young animal from their mother

Concentrate: Feeds that are low in fibre and high in total digestive nutrients

Roughages: Feed high in fiber and are low in total digestive nutrients

Udder: A mammary gland of a female animal

Coitus/copulation: This refers to mating between a male and a female animal

Artificial insemination: it an act of mating that involves the placing of the spermatozoa in a position of contact with the female ovum or egg

Oestrus cycle: The interval from the beginning of one period to the beginning of another period

Libido: The period of sexual desire in male animals

Still-birth: This is a situation whereby the foetus is born dead after a full term pregnancy

Abortion: A situation whereby the foetus is born before full term