Common Animal Production and Husbandry Terms

Cards (41)

  • 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.