Ch. 20 (Make Room for the Ruminants)

gland cistern

area of udder where milk connects before entering the teat cistern

carcass

body of animal after it has been slaughtered

dual purpose

bred and used for both meat and milk production (cattle) or meat and wool (sheep)

artificial insemination

breeding method in which semen is collected, stored, and deposited in the uterus or vagina without copulation taking place

gomer bull/teaser bull

bull used to detect female bovines in heat

malpresentation

abnormal position of fetus just before parturition

gutter

channel behind cows in stanchions that collects manure deposited during milking processes

breed character

characteristics unique to a breed

magnet

charged metal device that is used to prevent hardware disease; given orally and placed in reticulum

Confined Animal Feeding Operations/CAFO

large operations that raise animals in a limited amount of space

range

large tracts of land for raising animals

finish

degree of fat on animal that is ready for slaughter

switch

distal part of a bovine tail that consists of long, coarse hairs

breed

group of animals that are genetically similar in color and conformation so that when mated to each other they produce young identical to themselves

milk grade

farms are certified to produce grades of milk based on standards of facility maintenance and herd health (Grade A milk-highest quality, grade B milk- milk produced at facilities that do not meed grade A standards and is used to make butter or cheese)

beef checkoff

federal program where one dollar from every beef animal sold goes to state and national organizations to promote beef industry and fund research related to beef industry

colostrum

first milklike substance produced by female after parturition; thick, yellow, and high in protein and antibodies

F1 generation

first offspring from purebred parents of diff breeds or varieties

dental pad

hard surface of upper mouth of ruminants that serves in place of upper teeth

parturient paresis/milk fever

hypocalcemic metabolic disorder of ruminants seen in late pregnancy or early lactation

cattle

more than one member of the genus Bos

hybrid

offspring resulting from mating of two diff species

corium

specialized, highly vascular cells that nourish hoof and horn

marbling

streaks of fat interdispersed throughout meat that increase its tenderness

dairy character

term used to describe how closely an animal fits dairy type

California mastitis test

test that is cow-side indicator of somatic cell count to determine the presence of mastitis

scurs

underdeveloped horns that are not attached to skull

backgrounding

time between weaning and going to feedlot when a calf is fed primarily a roughage diet

render

to melt down fat by heat

cull

to remove an animal from the rest because it does not meet a specific standard or is unproductive

dehorn

to remove horns or horn buds by mechanical, thermal, or chemical means

hybrid vigor/heterosis

mating of dissimilar breeds to increase productivity and performance in F1 generation of crossbred animals over that shown by either parent

chute

mechanical device that is used to restrain cattle

gutter cleaner

mechanical device that moves manure out of barn to manure collection area

ear tagging

placement of identification device in the ear (always placed in left ear)

flushing

act of increasing feed before breeding or embryo transfer to increase number of ova released

condition

amount of fat cover on a breeding animal

muscling

amount of muscle throughout an animal's body

calving interval

amount of time between birth of a calf and birth of next calf from same cow

springing

anatomic changes in ruminant that indicate parturition is near

grade

animal not registered with breed association

market animal

animal raised for sale to slaughter market

tankage

animal residues left after fat is rendered in slaughterhouse; used for feed or fertilizer

replacement

animal that is raised for addition to herd (one that replaces a less desirable animal)

barren

animal that was not bred or did not conceive

registered

animal whose parentage is documented with established association

ruminating

cud chewing process

ruminant

cud-chewing animal with a forestomach that allows fermentation of ingesta

free stall barn

barn for cattle in which each animal is free to lie down, feed, move, or seek out other animals

feeders

beef cattle that are placed in feedlot based on age and weight

heart girth

circumference around thoracic cavity used to estimate an animal's weight and capacity of heart and lung

nose tongs

clamp used to grasp nasal septum to restrict movement

pinch

common term for bloodless castration using emasculatome

cleaning a cow

common term for removal of a retained placenta

feedlot

confined area where animal is fed until slaughtered

veal

confined young dairy calf that is fed only milk or milk replacer to produce pale, soft, and tender meat

somatic cell count/SCC

determination of number of cells (I.e. leukocytes and epithelial cells) in milk to test for mastitis

implant

device inserted in the ear that provides slow release of hormone to the animal to increase feed efficiency

drying off

ending the production of milk when milk yield is low or before freshening

crossbred

having resulted from mating of two diff breeds within same species

halter

head harness worn by animals for restraint that extends behind head and over nose

herd health program

health care plan to maintain health of herd of animals; consists of all aspects of herd management such as vaccination, nutrition, reproduction, and facility management

body capacity

heart girth and barrel

bulk tank

holding tank on a dairy farm used to store milk until it is picked up by milk cooperative; cools milk to 40F and maintains temp until transport arrives

hutch

individual housing pen for calves (and other small animals such as rabbits)

offal

inedible visceral organs and unusable tissues removed from carcass of slaughtered animal

fly strike

infestation with maggots

colostrometer

instrument designed to float in a sample of colostrum to measure specific gravity (density) of colostrum

rectal palpation

method of determining pregnancy, phase of estrous cycle, or disease process by inserting a gloved arm into rectum of animal and feeling for specific structure

brand

method of permanently identifying an animal by scarring the skin with heat, extreme cold, or chemicals

auction

method of selling cattle by bidding in public venue; used for selling small numbers of animals

alveoli

milk secreting sacs of mammary gland; also used to describe gas exchange sac of resp system

composite breed

new breed developed from combining established breeds

dry

not lactating

tattoo

permanent identification of an animal using indelible ink that is injected under skin

standing heat

phase of estrus in which female bovine will stand to be mounted

lead rope

piece of rope, leather, or nylon that is attached via clasp to a halter

milk solids

portion of milk that is left after water is removed

estrus synchronization

practice of using hormones to have multiple animals come into estrus at the same time to increase efficiency of artificial insemination and produce calves of more uniform age

preconditioning

preparing a calf for moving to feedlot; includes vaccination, castration, tattooing or branding, deworming, and weaning

downer

recumbent animal that has failed to respond to treatment; could have a variety of conditions including milk fever, fractured bone, etc.

traumatic reticuloperitonitis/TRP/hardware disease

relatively common disease in adult cattle caused by ingestion and migration of a foreign body into the reticulum; occasionally the foreign penetrates the diaphragm and pericardium causing pericarditis

milk letdown

release of milk from alveoli to allow removal by milking machine or calf

cod

remnants of steer scrotum

embryo transfer

removal of embryo from female of superior genetics and placing it in reproductive tract of another female

stanchion

restraint device that secures cattle around neck to allow accessibility for milking, feeding, and examining

casting

restraint method using ropes to place animal in lateral recumbency

tilt table

restraint table that can be tilted, which is helpful when treating or trimming an animal's feet

tailing/tail jack

restraint technique used in cattle in which tailhead is grasped and raised vertically

inbred/close breeding

resulting from mating of two closely related animals

bred

said of an animal that has mated and is pregnant

proven

said of animal whose ability to pass on specific traits is known and predictable

conformation

shape and body type of animal

windbreak

shelter in which an animal can stand and be protected from the wind

frame

skeleton of an animal

stall

small compartment to house an animal

tie stall

stall large enough for only one animal, which is usually tied by neck chain (cattle) or halter (horse)

balling gun/bolus gun

tool used to administer pills, boluses, or magnets to livestock

alley scrapper

uses a dragged blade to move manure to end of each alley

spotter bull

vasectomized male bovine used to find and mark female bovines in estrus