Important animal terms glossary

Cattle raised for milk, and production of dairy products, rather than meat.

Cows kept for producing milk or for rearing calves for a dairy herd.

Young stock on a dairy farm not yet in milk but growing to become dairy cows.

The weight of the dressed or prepared carcass.

Single-level barns. A simple closed building that is thermally insulated and with forced ventilation. At least a third of the floor area must be covered with bedding (e. g. chopped straw, wood shavings). The rest is arranged as a pit covered with slats to collect droppings  over the 13–15 month egg laying period. Alternatively the droppings may be removed periodically with a scraper. Laying nests, feeders and water supply are placed over the slatted area to keep the litter dry.

Laying hens are housed in cages or in aviary system in one or more tiers. Droppings fall into a manure pit (deep pit) or a channel beneath the cages by themselves or with the aid of a scraper together with spilled water from the drinkers. The layer manure is removed once a year or less frequently by scraper or front loader on a tractor. In some systems, the ventilation system for the house is designed so that warm air is used to dry the wet manure in the deep pit or channel.

Removal of the horns of adult animals by cutting or sawing. Disbudding is a particular dehorning method where horn buds are removed in young animals (calves, kids) using a hot iron or chemical cauterisation.

The food offered to livestock.

The long-term evolutionary and anthropogenic process by which wild animal or plant populations are brought under human control and selectively bred, resulting in heritable morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations that distinguish domesticated populations from their wild ancestors.

Feed for livestock, usually pigs or poultry, formulated as pellets or meal without any addition of water.