Terminologies in Livestock

Dr. T. K. Patbandha
Assistant Professor (LPM)
College of Veterinary Sci. & A. H.
KU-Junagadh
 Bovines (Cattle/buffaloes)
• Bull- Adult uncastrated male ox used for breeding
• Cow- Adult female cattle which has calved at least
once
• Calf- Young one of (either sex) cattle below 6 months
• Bull calf- Male calf less than one year
• Heifer calf- Female calf under one year
• Heifer- A female bovine above one year which has not
calved
• Bullock- Castrated male used for work
• Steer- Castrated male used for meat
• Buller/nymphomania- A cow always in heat
Bull
Cow
Cow with calf
Heifer
Bullock – castrated male
 Bovines (Cattle/buffaloes)
• Freemartin- A sterile female born co-twin with a normal
male calf
• Calving- Act or process of giving birth or parturition in
cows
• Serving- Act of mating in bovines
• Herd- Group of cattle
• Bellowing- Sound produced by cattle and buffaloes
• Beef- Meat of cattle
• Carabeef- Meat of buffalo
• Veal- Meat of young calf
• Tallow- Body fat of bovine.
• Bovine- Term indicates both cattle and buffalo.
 Calf to Cow

Calving Calving

Calf Heifer Heifer Cow

calf
‘0’ day ‘6’ months 1 year First
Calving
 Terminology of bovine
(cattle & buffaloes)
Details Cattle Buffalo
Species Bovine Bovine or Bubaline
Group Herd Herd
Adult male Bull Buffalo bull
Adult female Cow Buffalo cow
Young male Bull calf Buffalo bull calf
Young female Heifer calf Buffalo heifer calf
New born Calf Buffalo calf
Castrated male Bullock or steer Buffalo bullock
Sterilized female Spayed Spayed
Act of parturition Calving Calving
Act of mating Serving Serving
Sound Bellowing Bellowing
Meat Beef Carabeef
 Introduction
• Livestock means stock (items of property) that is live
and is used for the production of items (or products)
having economic importance and/or used for domestic
consumption.
• The term ‘livestock’ in broad sense includes all
mammals, birds and other living creatures used for
production of items for the human use (broad sense
indicates both animals and birds).
• In narrow sense term ‘livestock’ only includes farm
mammals.
• ‘Production’ - process of making something, and
‘management’ - process of dealing with different
activities associated with livestock.
• Term ‘livestock production’ or ‘animal production’ or
‘farm animal production’ are used synonymously.
 Cont…
• LPM: It is the branch of animal science which deals
with implementation of all the managemental
practices such as feeding, breeding, heeding and
weeding to improve livestock production economically
using the available resources on an ethical way.

• Animal Husbandry: It is the branch of science which

deals with the scientific management of farm
animals including their feeding, breeding, housing,
weeding and heeding (disease control).
 Cont…
• Principles of LPM: Breeding, breeding, heeding and
weeding. (Housing important due to global warming)
• Feeding is the most important pillar of livestock
management because it constitutes 60-70% of cost of
milk or meat production.
• Breeding is another important managemental aspect
which affects the economics of the farm. If the father
(sire) or mother (dam) of the next generation is not
selected properly, it may lead to huge production as well
as economic losses.
• Weeding aims at culling the uneconomic stock at proper
time.
• Heeding implies good livestock management and general
supervision including housing, hygiene, sanitation and
health care of animals. An important aspect of such
heeding is the care of the new born and infant animals.
 TAXONOMIC CLASSIFICATION OF
DOMESTIC RUMINANT
• Taxonomy - science of classifying living organisms.
• All domestic animals are mammals, possess mammary
glands or udder, give birth to fully developed young
ones and nurse their offsprings with milk produced
in their mammary glands.
• The organisms are classified into seven major
hierarchal divisions called as taxa (singular is taxon)
which are as follows:-
Kingdom > Phylum > Class > Order > Family > Genus >
Species
 Taxonomic classification of cattle and
buffalo
Groups Name General characteristics
Kingdom : Animalia Includes all animals
Phylum : Chordata Animals with notochord (rudiment of
backbone)
Sub- : Vertebrata Animals with bony spine i.e.
phylum backbone
Class : Mammalia Animals give milk to their young or
suckle their young
Sub-class : Eutheria Placental mammals
Order : Ungulata Animals with hoof
Sub-order : Artiodactyla Even toed animals
Family : Bovidae Hollow horned
 Taxonomic classification ...
Groups Name General characteristics
Sub- : Bovinae - Cattle/Buffalo
family
Genus : Bos - Cattle; Bubalus - Buffalo
Species/ : Bos indicus (zebu cattle);
Scientific Bos taurus (European taurine cattle)
name Bubalus bubalis (domestic buffalo);
Bubalus arnee (wild buffalo)

Large ruminants:- cattle and buffaloes

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CATTLE AND
BUFFALOES
Parameters Cattle Buffalo
Scientific Bos indicus (Indian- Bubalus bubalis (Water buffalo)
name Zebu) Bubalus arnee (Wild buffaloes)
Bos taurus (European)
Colour White, Brown, Red, Mostly Black, brown, copper
Black and combination (Bhadawari breed) colour
of colours
Hump Present Absent (or wither)
Horn Round Flat, curved, prominent rings and
(in cross section) oval or triangular (in cross section)
Navel flap Prominent in Zebu Not prominent
Dewlap Prominent in Zebu Absent
Brisket Less developed Well developed
Chromosome 60 48 (Swamp) & 50 (Riverine)
(2n)
Buffalo Cattle
 DIFFERENCE ...
Parameters Cattle Buffalo
Gait Active with head up Slow with head down
Sweat gland Less Lesser
Preputial hair Present Absent
Milk Yellowish (Precursor is Whitish (Precursor is
carotene), thin, less fat, casein), thick, more fat,
more lactose lesser lactose
Wallowing Not prefer Most common
Heat More in Zebu but less in Less
tolerance European
Temp., Resp., Higher in cattle than Lower in buffalo than cattle
Pulse (TRP) buffalo
Gestation 9 month 9 days (about 280 10 month 10 days (about
period days) 310 days)
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ZEBU AND
TAURUS CATTLE
Parameters Zebu (Bos indicus) Exotic (Bos taurus)
Colour White, brown and Black, white and
red brown
Hump Present Absent (or wither)
Navel flap Prominent Not prominent
Dewlap Prominent Absent
Horn Mostly large horns Small horns are
present
Heat/ ectoparasites/ More Less
disease tolerance
Feed conversion Better for roughage Moderate for
efficiency diet roughage diet
Bos indicus Bos taurus
 DIFFERENCE ...

Parameters Zebu (Bos indicus) Exotic (Bos taurus)

Purpose of rearing Milk, draft and dual Milk and beef
Draft capacity More Less
Milk Yellowish More yellowish
Age at maturity More Less
Age at 1st calving More Less
Calving interval More Less