Common Animal Production and Husbandry Terms

• Acclimatization – adaptation to environment over a period of time
• Ad-libitum - as desired by the animal; self-fed.
• Aquaculture - raising/production of fishes/marine products in selected or controlled environments.
• Biosecurity - planned system/measure to prevent entry and spread of diseases in the flock/herd.
• Broodiness - tendency of hen to nest; incubating behavior.
• Brooding -raising and caring for chicks in a protective environment (usually for the first 5-6 weeks).
• Cannibalism - tendency or vice of animals in herd/flock to bite/peck others causing injuries.
• Carcass - animal body less viscera, head, skin and lower legs after slaughter.
• Castration - removal of the testicles of male animals.
• Comfort zone (thermoneutral zone)- range of temperatures at which animal performance is maximized.
• Conformation - structure/shape (or a cut) of animal carcass.
• Coprophagy - eating or consumption of feces
• Creep feed - feed provided to young animals within an enclosure that excludes larger animals.
• Cud - a bolus of previously eaten food which has been regurgitated for further chewing.
• Deglutition - swallowing
• Erucation - a belching/burping;expulsion of accumulated gastric gases.
• Ethology - scientific study of animal behavior in natural or typical environment.
• Fattening - deposition of unused energy in the form of fat within body tissues.
• Finishing - to fatten a slaughter animal; also the degree of fatness of such animal.
• Flushing - practice of feeding higher amount of nutrients prior to and during breeding for ovulation.
• Gamebirds - refers to wild birds (eg. Pheasants) for hunting.
• Gamefowls - type of chicken of both sexes especially bred to produce fighting cocks.
• Homeostasis - maintenance of physiological stability even though environment may change.
• Homeotherm (warm-blooded animal)- animal that utilizes or dissipates energy to maintain body temperature ( 37.0 C).
• Husbandry - refers to raising, production and proper care of livestock and poultry animals.
• Litter - a) bedding/flooring materials such as sawdust, rice hulls, wood shavings; b) a group of piglets/puppies born of a sow/bitch at the same parturition.
• Marbling - the interspersion of fat particles in lean meat.
• Mastication - chewing.
• Microflora - gross overall population of microorganisms (bacteria,protozoans, yeast, etc.)
• Mohair - animal fiber used for upholstery or clothing; of greater length and less crimp than wool.
• Palatability - property of being pleasing to taste.
• Pecking order - social order; the tendency of animals to behavior in order of social dominance.
• Photoperiod - the length of daylight or artificial light provided.
• Poikilotherm (cold-blooded animal)-animal with little or no ability to maintain an even body temperature, so temperature is influenced largely by the

  immediate environment.
• Regurgitation - act of voluntary vomiting of swallowed food.
• Roughage - feed low in digestible energy and high in fiber.
• Silage - succulent feed produced from anaerobic storage and fermentation of forages.
• Silo - a semi-airtight to airtight structure for use in the production and storage of silage.
• Soundness -health or physical integrity of an animal or some of its parts.
• Spay - to remove the ovaries or sever the oviducts leading to the uterus; neutering in females.