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:: General Livestock - Appendix A - Glossary of Livestock Terms
Published in
1989, the Farm Return
Examination Techniques
training course included
valuable information. Its
chapter 1 glossary has been used
here. Terms not related to
livestock have not been
included.
Quick Facts
Related to Livestock Farming
Cattle
-
A cow
usually has a single calf
every 12 months. This will
be true of both dairy and
beef cattle. The young
heifer added to the herd
will usually be bred for the
first time at the age of 16
months.
-
On a dairy
farm, the calf is usually
sold within a very short
time after birth, less than
30 days, unless it is a
heifer which may be kept for
the dairy herd. The cattle
rancher will not sell his
calves until they are 6-8
months old. He may also keep
some of the better heifers
for breeding purposes.
-
Feeder
calves (heifers or steers)
are usually placed in the
feedlot at a weight of 500 -
700 lbs, or around 6 - 9
months old. The calves are
in the feedlot from 4 - 6
months or to a weight of
1,000 - 1,200 pounds before
being sold to packing
plants.
Horses
-
For
registration purposes, all
Thoroughbreds, Arabians,
Tennessee Walking Horses,
etc. are one year old on
January 1 regardless of when
born during the prior year.
-
Many times
the stallions may be
syndicated for breeding
purposes. Generally, up to
40 shares of a stallion are
sold. Each share, breeding,
entitles the holder of the
right to 3 "tries" at
impregnating the same mare
per year. A breeding right
is an intangible,
depreciable asset. The
purchase of a breeding right
many times guarantees a live
foal. This means the foal
has to stand and nurse the
mare.
-
Mares are
eligible to be bred at age
two, but are generally bred
at age three. The mare
usually gives birth to one
offspring each year.
-
Teaser
ponies are used by the
breeder to prepare the mare
forservice by the stallion.
A teaser pony is a
depreciable asset.
-
A gelding
is a male horse that has
been castrated. It cannotbe
depreciated for breeding
purposes. It can be
depreciated if it is used as
a show, work or race horse.
Sheep
-
A ewe will
normally have 1, sometimes
twin, lamb during 12 months.
The lambs are usually born
during the winter or early
spring. The mature sheep are
sheared of their wool in the
spring. The wool production
from each animal is from 7 -
9 pounds annually.
-
The lambs
that are being sold will be
held for 6 - 9 months. Their
weight at selling time will
be about 90 - 100 pounds.
-
Feeder
lambs are purchased at about
eight weeks weighing about
20 pounds. They will be in
the feedlot for 6 - 7
months, weighing 90 - 100
pounds when sold.
Swine
-
A sow will
average two litters a year.
The litters will varyfrom 4
- 12 piglets each. The
average size of a litter
over the productive live of
the sow is about eight.
-
A sow is
usually kept for 3 - 4 years
or 6 - 8 litters before
being sold.
-
Feeder pigs
are held by farmer for 6 - 8
weeks. They are then sold at
a weight of 40 - 60 pounds.
-
Usually,
butcher hogs are sold when
they reach 220 - 280 lbs
which occurs about 5 - 6
months after birth.
Mink
Farming
-
Mink
farmers usually require one
male for five females. There
is one litter of kits a year
with an average of 3 - 4
kits reaching maturity. The
female is bred in March with
the kits being born in late
April. The breeders are
usually kept for 4 - 5
years.
-
The kit is
usually pelted out around
the middle to latter part of
November. The pelting is not
done until after the first
hard freeze.
Glossary
BARROW -
Castrated male hog.
BARTERING
- To trade goods or services for
goods or services.
BEEF BULL
- A male animal which is part of
the breeding herd for raising
beef calves.
BEEF CATTLE
- Generally purchased at the
aged of a few days to 6 months
and raised until 15 - 18 months
old. The normal selling weight
is 1,000 - 1,200 pounds. The
purchase and sale may occur
during two different years and
the cost must be recovered in
the year of sale.
BOAR - A
male hog which is part of the
breeding herd for raising feeder
pigs, may weigh 1,000+ pounds.
BRED HEIFER
- A pregnant heifer with her
first unborn offspring.
BREEDING
LIVESTOCK - Mature male and
female animals that are used to
reproduce offspring. The
offspring are then sold as a
product of the farm.
BROOD COW
- A female cow which is part of
the breeding herd for raising
beef cattle.
BUCK -
Adult male sheep.
BULL -
Male animal which is part of the
cattle breeding herd.
BUTCHER HOGS
- Farrowed or purchased as
"feeder pigs" at a weight of 40
- 50 pounds and raised until 5 -
6 months old. Their normal
selling weight is 200 - 280
pounds. Purchase and sale may or
may not take place in the same
year. Cost must be recovered in
year of sale, also market hogs.
CALF -
Young cattle less than a year
old.
CAPON -
Castrated male chicken.
CASH MARKET
- Market for immediate delivery
of commodities against payment.
CASH PRICE
- Price in the cash market for
actual or spot commodities with
delivery through customary
market channels.
CLOSING
OPTION TRANSACTION - Cancels
a previously established long-
or short-option position.
COCK -
Adult male chicken.
COCKEREL
- Young male chicken.
COLT -
Young male horse.
COOPERATIVE
- An enterprise owned by and
operated for the benefit of
those using its services.
CORRAL -
A pen or enclosure for confining
livestock.
COW -
Mature female cattle.
CULL COW
- This is a female dairy animal
which is no longer profitable as
a milk producing cow.
DAIRY BULL
- A male dairy animal which has
been used in the dairy herd for
breeding.
DOE -
Adult female sheep.
DROVE -
Group of swine.
EGGS - A
product of poultry. Normal
production by chicken is about
260 eggs per year.
EWES -
Female sheep which are part of
the breeding herd for raising
lambs.
FARM - A
farm includes stock, dairy,
poultry, fish, fruit, and truck
farms, plantations, ranches,
ranges, orchards and plant
nursery. This includes growing,
feeding, protecting, tending,
etc., the product of the farm,
not just the harvesting.
FARROW -
To give birth, in regard to
pigs.
FEED -
Food for animals. Amount will be
determined by number of animals,
age, etc.
FEEDER/FINISHER PIGS - Pigs
from weaning age (25 - 40
pounds) to market size (220+
pounds)
FILLY -
Young horse mare (female.)
FLOCK -
A group of sheep, chicken, or
turkeys.
FOAL -
Colt or filly less than a year
old.
FREIGHT
- Expense of hauling milk,
grain, or livestock. Watch for
netted sales with freight also
deducted separately.
FRYERS -
Chicken raised from 90 - 120
days, then sold for meat.
GELDING
- Castrated male horse.
GILT -
Female hog until second
pregnancy.
HEDGING
- Entering into the purchase of
commodity futures contracts to
reduce the risk of an
unfavorable price fluctuation.
HEIFER -
Female cattle less than three
years old and usually one that
has not produced an offspring.
HEN -
Adult female chicken.
HERD - A
group of cattle.
HINNY -
Cross between a stallion and a
female donkey.
HOG -
Swine over 120 pounds.
JACK - A
male donkey.
JENNY -
A female donkey.
KID -
Young goats up to one year old.
LAMB -
Any sheep less than a year old.
Produced on the farm or
purchased at about 20 pounds and
raised until 8 - 9 months old.
Normal selling weight is 90 -
100 pounds. Usually purchased in
early summer and sold in late
fall of same year.
LITTER -
Collective term for pigs
farrowed by a sow.
MARE -
Adult female horse.
MARKET HOGS
- Swine of 220+ pounds, also
butcher hog.
MILK
ASSIGNMENTS - The assignment
of milk income to directly pay
for purchase of farm, machinery,
cattle or feed.
MILK
VOUCHERS - Statements
provided by the dairy company or
cheese factory once or twice a
month. May be used to verify
income.
MILKING
PARLOR - This is the
building in which the dairy cows
are milked twice a day. This
building houses the milking
equipment, storage equipment,
and provides feed for the cows
as they are being milked.
MINK FARMING
- Raising mink for pelts. Mink
produce one litter of kits per
year and average 3 1/2 kits per
litter. Kits are generally born
in spring and pelted out in late
fall. Pelts are usually sold at
fur auctions in New York or
Minneapolis.
MULE - A
cross between a jack and a mare.
With rare exceptions, the mule
is sterile.
NRCS -
National Resources Conservation
Service - Combined services of
several former U.S. Department
of Agriculture offices.
OPEN OPTION
PURCHASE - A transaction by
which an investor establishes a
position.
PIG -
Swine up to 120 pounds.
PIGLET -
Newborn pig.
POLLED -
Naturally hornless cattle or
cattle with horns cut off.
POSITION
- An interest in the market,
either long or short, in the
form of one or more open
contracts.
PULLET -
Young female chicken.
RAMS (BUCKS)
- Male sheep which are part of
the breeding herd for raising
lambs.
ROOSTER
- Colloquial term for male
chicken of any age.
SHOAT -
Weaned pig 25 -40 pounds, also
weaner.
SHOW ANIMALS
- Any animal used for
competition of judging animals
against each other. Often
related to 4-H or FFA stock show
competitions for farmers
children. Winner receives prize
money and, often, retains the
animal. May also be competitions
entered by taxpayer or other
members of family.
SILAGE -
A form of feed for livestock. It
is made by placing grain in a
silo or bunker and allowing it
to ferment.
SOW - A
female hog which is part of the
breeding herd which has produced
offspring.
STALLION
- A breeding, male horse.
STEER -
Castrated male cattle. Raised
for sale as meat. Held until 15
- 18 months old and sold at a
weight of 1,000 - 1,200 pounds.
SWINE -
Generic term for all pigs and
hogs.
UNIT-LIVESTOCK-METHOD -
Applicable to livestock raised
or purchased before maturity.
Livestock must be grouped into
class and age. A value is set
for each year of the animal's
life to maturity. The total of
these amounts should equal the
cost of raising the animal to
maturity.
WEANER -
Weaned pig of 25 - 40 pounds,
also shoat.
WEANING
- A weaned foal.
WETHER -
Castrated male sheep.
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