Common Bovine/ Cattle terms

 Vet Daily #01

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Subject :- Veterinary Livestock Production & Management

Topic :- Common Bovine/ Cattle terms

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Definition of common terms related to animal groups:-

The domesticated animals and birds have been given different names according to their age, sex and purposes for which they are kept.

BOVINE GROUP Includes cattle and buffaloes. Cattle are further divided into dairy (Red Sindhi, Sahiwal, Cir, Rathii), draft (Amritmahal, Kangayam), dual (Hariana, Ongole) and beef/meat type breeds (Brangus, Charbray)

Cattle or Ox - 

These are the major category of animals belonging to bovine group and collectively termed irrespective of age, sex and purpose. Ex. Cow, Bull, Bullock, heifers and calves etc. 

Bull - 

Uncastrated adult male of bovine group. When used for breeding called stud/breeding bull in which case all breeding records are maintained. A village stray bull, whose pedigree is not known is called a scrub bull

Brahmini Bull: 

The bulls that are left in the name of dead person which is a practice prevalent in certain parts of India.

Cow-

It is the female of the bovine group having/had one or more calves. 

Bullock (Steer)- 

Castrated male Ox of over two years of age.

Calf-

It is the young one of the cow from birth upto one year. In male it is male calf or bull calf, if female then female calf or heifer calf.

Veal calf - 

The young male or bull calf which is fed only with milk.

Day-old calf -

Calf just after birth.

Heifer (Quey) - 

It is the female of the bovine group of over one year which has not yet calved, after calving it becomes a cow.

Maiden heifer -

 It is an adult female which has not yet allowed to bred/mate.

Free martin - 

It is a female calf born as a co- twin with a male calf and is usually sterile.

Buller (Nymphomanic) - 

It is a cow always showing irregular symptoms of heat/ estrus. Surrogate cow A cow in which the implantation of embryo is being done through embryo transfer technology.

Clone calf - 

The calf which is born from a surrogate cow.

Sire -

The bull that serves a particular cow i.e. male parent

Dam - 

The cow that is served i.e. female parent.

Buffaloes - 

There are no specific term applied to the buffalo species. But in AH. one commonly. speaks of buffalo bull, buffalo cow, buffalo bullock, buffalo calves etc. He buffalo and She B

uffalo are also used to denote male and female, respectively.