abomasum. Fourth stomach; true stomach.
acidosis. Severe digestive upset from change in rumen bacteria—due to feeding too much grain or pH imbalance in sick baby calf due to dehydration.
afterbirth. Placental tissue encasing the calf that is attached to the uterus during gestation; it is expelled after the birth.
amino acids. Organic molecules containing nitrogen necessary for protein formation.
amnion sac. Fluid-filled membrane enclosing the calf at birth.
amniotic fluid. Thick fluid surrounding the unborn calf.
anaphylactic shock. Serious allergic reaction; the animal collapses and goes into shock.
anestrus. Period after calving in which the cow does not cycle.
antibiotic. Drug used to combat bacterial infection.
antibody. Protein molecule in the blood that fights a specific disease.
antigen. Substance invading the body that stimulates creation of protective antibodies in the bloodstream.
antiseptic. Chemical used to control bacterial growth.
antitoxin. Antibody that counteracts a bacterial toxin.
artificial insemination (AI). Process in which a technician puts semen from a bull into the cow’s uterus to create a pregnancy.
aspergillus. A type of mold that can be poisonous if eaten.
backcross. Mating a crossbred back to one of the parent breeds.
backgrounder. Person who buys calves to put on pasture or crop residues to grow larger before going to a feedlot.
bacteria. Tiny one-celled organisms, some of which cause disease.
Banamine. Drug that reduces pain, fever, and inflammation; used for pain and fever reduction in cattle.
Bang’s disease. Brucellosis; causes abortion in cows and undulant fever in humans.
blackleg. Serious disease caused by Clostridium chauvoei, a soil bacterium, resulting in inflammation of muscles and death.
black disease. A usually fatal disease caused by Clostridium novyi, creating acute toxemia; similar to malignant edema and redwater.
bloat. Full, tight rumen caused by accumulation of gas.
Bloat-Guard. Preparation containing Poloxalene (antifoaming agent), usually fed to cattle in block form to prevent bloat.
body condition score. Number from 1 to 9 describing how thin or fat the cow is (1 is emaciated, 9 is obese).
bone. Circumference of the leg, describing whether the animal has sufficient structural support (fine bone or heavy bone).
bovine. Term referring to cattle.
breed. Group of animals with the same ancestry and characteristics.
breeding. Mating; family history.
breeding soundness examination. Inspection of a bull to evaluate conformation, reproductive tract, scrotal circumference, and semen viability.
brisket. Front of the cow above the legs.
brucellosis. Bacterial disease (Bang’s) that causes abortion in cows.
bull. Uncastrated male bovine of any age.
BVD (bovine viral diarrhea). Viral disease that can cause abortion, diseased calves, or suppression of the immune system.
caesarean section. Delivery of a calf through surgery.
calf. Young bovine of either sex, less than a year old.
carbohydrates. Feed elements containing energy (sugars, starches, cellulose).
carotene. Compound found in plants that can be used by ruminants to synthesize vitamin A.
carrier. (genetic) A heterozygous individual having a recessive gene that is not expressed but that could be passed to offspring. (disease) An animal that appears healthy but harbors pathogens or parasites that can be passed to other animals.
caruncles. “Buttons” that attach placenta to lining of uterus.
castrate. To remove the testicles of male cattle.
catch pen. A pen, in the corner of a corral or beside it, where an animal can be cornered and restrained.
cellulose. One of the main types of fiber in plants; source of food energy for ruminants.
cervix. The opening (usually sealed) between uterus and vagina.
chromosome. DNA molecule upon which genes are located; one of the threadlike structures in the cell nucleus that carries the genetic information of heredity.
Clostridial diseases. Diseases caused by Clostridia bacteria (including blackleg, Blacks disease, tetanus, redwater, enterotoxemia) that produce powerful toxins causing sudden illness.
coccidiosis. Intestinal disease and diarrhea caused by protozoa.
colostrum. First milk after a cow calves; contains antibodies that give temporary protection against certain diseases.
composite. Uniform group of cattle created by selective crossing of several breeds.
concentrates. Feeds low in fiber and high in food value; grains and oilmeals.
condition. Degree of fatness.
conformation. General structure and shape of an animal.
congenital. Something that is acquired before birth (e.g., a birth defect).
cornea. Membrane covering the eye.
corral. Fenced area within or beside a pasture where an animal can be confined.
cortisol. Hormone (steroid) produced by adrenal glands; animals under stress produce excess cortisol.
cow. Bovine female that has had one or more calves.
creep-feeding. Providing extra feed (such as grain in a creep) to calves that are still nursing their mothers.
crest. Top of the neck.
crossbred. Animal resulting from crossing two or more breeds.
crude protein. Total amount of protein in a feed as determined by lab analysis (only part of which is digestible).
cryptosporidiosis. Diarrhea in calves caused by protozoa; may also cause diarrhea in humans.
cud. Wad of food burped up from the rumen to be rechewed.
cull. To eliminate (sell) an animal from the herd.
cycling. Nonpregnant females having heat cycles.
dam. Mother of a calf.
dental pad. In the ruminant, hard palate on upper jaw instead of teeth.
dewclaw. Horny structure on lower leg above the hoof.
dewlap. Loose skin under the neck.
Dexamethasone. Steroid drug used to reduce pain, fever, swelling, and inflammation.
diphtheria. Bacterial disease in mouth or throat.
DMSO. Dimethyl sulfoxide; solvent with medicinal values used as liniment and as anti-inflammatory, swelling-reducing drug in cases of pneumonia, diphtheria, snakebite, and injury.
dominant. More powerful; a dominant gene produces the expressed trait when more than one gene for a certain trait are present.
double muscling. Recessive trait (expressed if inherited from both parents) in which the muscles have extra fibers, giving an extremely muscled appearance; results in calving problems.
dry cow. One that is not producing milk.
dwarfism. Recessive trait in which skeleton is small and forehead bulges.
electrolytes. Important body salts; need replacing during dehydration.
embryo. Developing calf in first 45 days of pregnancy.
emphysema. Serious breathing problem due to allergic reaction when changing from extremely dry feed to lush green feed.
endotoxic shock. Shock caused by body systems shutting down in reaction to bacterial poisons.
endotoxin. Poison created when bacteria multiply in the body.
enterotoxemia. Serious bacterial gut infection in calves caused by Clostridium perfringens.
EPD (expected progeny difference). Estimate of how much better or worse an animal’s offspring will perform as compared to the average of individuals in a herd or breed.
Escherichia coli. Type of bacteria that has more than 100 different strains, some of which cause serious intestinal infection in young calves.
esophageal feeder. Tube put down a calf’s throat to force-feed fluids from a feeder bag.
esophageal groove. Fold of tissue that routes milk directly to the true stomach (bypassing the rumen) when a calf nurses.
estrus. Heat period when the cow will accept the bull and mate.
fats. Nutrients with twice the food energy of carbohydrates.
fertilization. Union of male and female cells to form a new individual.
fetus. Developing calf after 45th day of pregnancy.
fiber. Coarse portion of feed.
finish. To mature and fatten enough to butcher (to reach butchering condition).
flight zone. Distance you can get to an animal before it flees.
fly tags. Insecticide ear tags that reduce flies on the animal.
foot rot. Infection in foot causing severe lameness.
forage. Pasture and hay.
founder. Inflammation of the hoofs caused by overeating grain.
frame size. Measure of hip height to determine skeletal size.
gene. Unit of heredity forming part of the chromosome; determines the characteristics of an individual.
genetics. Study of inheritance of traits.
gestation. Length of pregnancy (about 285 days for cattle).
grass tetany. Serious condition (muscle spasms and convulsions) caused by magnesium deficiency; also called grass staggers.
grub. Immature stage (larva) of the heel fly; see also warble.
gut. Digestive tract.
hardware disease. Peritonitis (infection in the abdomen) caused by a sharp foreign object penetrating the gut wall.
heat. See estrus.
heifer. Young female bovine before she has a calf.
hemoglobin. Compound in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
heredity. Transmission of traits from parents to offspring.
heterosis. See hybrid vigor.
heterozygous. The genes of a specific pair (for a certain trait) that are different.
hock. Large joint halfway up the hind leg.
homozygous. Genes of a specific pair that are the same.
hybrid vigor. Degree to which a crossbred offspring outperforms its straightbred parents.
hydrops amnii. Condition in which too much fluid develops around the fetus.
IBR (infectious bovine rhinotracheitis). Respiratory disease caused by a virus, often called red nose.
immunity. Ability to resist a certain disease.
inbreeding. Mating of closely related individuals.
intramuscular (IM) injection. Injection into a muscle.
intravenous (IV) injection. Injection into a vein.
iodine. Harsh chemical used for disinfecting.
jack fence. Fence made with 2 posts hooked together to hold each other up, rather than set into the ground (also called buck fence).
lactating. Producing milk.
laminitis. See founder.
legume. Plant belonging to pea family (alfalfa, clover, etc.) that uses nitrogen from the air and also adds it to the soil.
leptospirosis. Bacterial disease that can cause abortion.
libido. Sex drive.
lice. Tiny external parasites on the skin; there are two kinds — biting lice and sucking lice.
linebreeding. Form of inbreeding in which an attempt is made to concentrate the inheritance of a certain ancestor or line of ancestors; the mating of relatives.
listeriosis. Bacterial disease that can cause abortion.
liver flukes. Parasites that infest snails and spend part of their life cycle in cattle, damaging the liver and making the host more susceptible to redwater and Blacks disease.
lump jaw. Abscess caused by infection in the mouth.
lunger. Cow affected with emphysema.
lupine. Wildflower that can cause birth defects in calves if cows eat it during 40 to 70th day of gestation.
malignant edema. Acute (and usually fatal) wound infection caused by Clostridium septicum, a soil bacterium.
malpresentation. Calf incorrectly positioned, unable to be born.
mammary tissue. Milk-producing tissue in the udder.
mange. Skin disease caused by mites that feed on the skin.
marbling. In beef, flecks of fat interspersed in muscle.
mastitis. Infection and inflammation in the udder.
meconium. Dark, sticky first bowel movement of newborn calf.
mites. Very tiny parasites that feed on skin, causing mange or scabies.
mount. To rear up over the back of a cow to “ride” her, as a bull does when breeding.
mummy. Dehydrated fetus that was retained in the uterus instead of being expelled when it died.
nicking. Phenomenon of superior offspring that result when two particular bloodlines are mated.
nitrate poisoning. Illness or abortion caused by eating plants high in nitrates.
Nolvasan. All-purpose disinfectant.
obturator nerve. Nerve that runs along the pelvic cavity; if stretched during calving, the cow may be temporarily paralyzed.
omasum. One of the four stomach compartments.
open. Nonpregnant.
outbreeding (outcrossing). Mating of animals less closely related than the average of the breed or population.
oxytocin. Hormone that stimulates uterine contractions and milk letdown.
Parainfluenza (PI3). Viral respiratory agent that by itself causes a mild disease, but in combination with bacterial infection can be severe.
parasite. Organism that lives in or on an animal.
parturition. Birth process.
pastern. Area between hoof and fetlock joint; “ankle”.
pathogen. Harmful invader such as bacterium or virus.
pencil shrink. Percentage of an animal’s weight subtracted at weighing to determine pay weight.
percent calf crop. Number of calves produced within a herd in a given year relative to the number of cows exposed to breeding.
peritonitis. Infection in the abdominal cavity.
pH. Measure of acidity or alkalinity; on a scale of 1 to 14, 7 is neutral, 1 is most acid, and 14 is most alkaline.
pheromones. Chemical substances released by an animal to give signals to other animals of its species.
photosensitization. Death of skin cells in areas of unpigmented skin due to reaction of certain chemicals with sunlight — after the animal eats plants containing those chemicals.
pigeon-toed. Toes turning inward instead of pointing straight ahead.
pin bones. Bony parts of the pelvis that protrude on either side of the rectum.
pine needle abortion. Abortion caused by eating ponderosa pine needles.
pinkeye. Contagious eye infection spread by face flies.
placenta. Afterbirth; attached to the uterus during pregnancy as a buffer and lifeline for the developing calf.
poll. Top of the head.
polled. Born without horns, genetically hornless.
post-legged. Hind legs too straight; not enough angle in hocks and stifles.
prolapse. Protrusion of an inverted organ such as rectum, vagina, or uterus.
protein. Nutrient that supplies building blocks for the body; needed for growth and milk production.
protein supplement. Concentrate containing 32 to 44 percent protein.
protozoa. One-celled animals; some can cause disease.
puberty. Age when an animal matures sexually and can reproduce.
purebred. Member of a certain breed (not to be confused with the term thoroughbred, which is a breed of horse).
recessive gene. Gene that must be received by both parents before the trait it causes becomes expressed in offspring.
red nose. See IBR.
redwater. Deadly bacterial disease of cattle caused by Clostridium haemolyticum; animals with liver damaged by flukes are susceptible.
reticulum. One of the cow’s stomachs, works in conjunction with the rumen.
ringworm. Fungal infection causing scaly patches of skin.
rotational crossbreeding. Crossing of two or more breeds and then breeding the crossbred females to a bull of the breed contributing the least genes to that female’s genetics.
rotational grazing. Use of various pastures in sequence to give each one a chance to regrow before grazing it again.
roughages. Feeds high in fiber and low in energy (e.g., hay, pasture).
rumen. Largest stomach compartment, where roughage is digested with the aid of microorganisms in a fermentation process.
ruminant. Animal that chews its cud and has four stomachs.
scabies. Serious skin disease caused by a certain type of mite.
scours. Diarrhea.
scrotal circumference. Measure of testes size (distance around the scrotum); related to semen-producing capacity and age at puberty.
scrotum. Sac enclosing testicles of a bull.
scurs. Horny tissue or rudimentary horns attached to the skin rather than to the skull.
seed stock. Breeding stock.
seed stock breeder. Producer of breeding stock for purebred and commercial breeders.
selenium. Mineral needed in very small amounts in the diet (too much is poisonous).
settle. To become pregnant.
sheath. Tube-shaped fold of skin into which the penis retracts.
shrink. Weight loss due to defecation.
sickle hocks. Condition in which there is too much angle in the hind legs (weak construction).
silage. Feeds cut and stored green, preserved by fermentation.
sire. Father of a calf.
sperm. Cells from the bull that swim to meet the egg in the cow’s reproductive tract to fertilize the egg and create an embryo.
splayfooted. Toes turning out.
stag. Late-castrated steer or improperly castrated steer that still shows masculine characteristics.
standing heat. Time during heat when the cow allows the bull to mount and breed.
steer. Male bovine after castration.
steroids. Hormones or hormonelike substances; corticosteroids (cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands; gonadal steroids [estrogens and testosterone] are produced by the ovaries and testes).
stifle. Large joint high on the hind leg by the flank.
stocking rate. Amount of animals that can be grazed in a pasture.
stomach tube. Long flexible tube put into the nostril to the back of the throat, down the esophagus, and into the stomach.
straightbred. Animal with parents of same breed, not necessarily purebred.
subcutaneous (SQ). Under the skin.
supplement. To feed additives that supply something missing in diet, as additional protein, vitamins, minerals.
TDN. Total digestible nutrients; the portion of usable food elements in a diet or certain feed.
terminal sire. Bull used to sire calves for slaughter market only; none of the calves are kept for breeding purposes.
tetany. Condition of calcium imbalance producing powerful muscle spasms.
torsion of uterus. Condition in which uterus and contents have flipped over, putting a corkscrew twist in the vagina; the calf cannot be born.
toxemia. Condition in which bacterial toxins invade the bloodstream and poison the body.
toxoid. Vaccine that stimulates immunities against toxins produced by certain bacteria.
trace minerals. Minerals needed in diet in very small amounts.
trichomoniasis. Venereal disease caused by protozoa, spread by infected bulls.
udder. Mammary glands and teats.
V
vaccine. Fluid containing killed or modified live germs, injected into the body to stimulate production of antibodies and immunity.
vibriosis. Venereal disease of cattle that causes early abortion.
vulva. External opening of the vagina.
warble. Larva of heel fly (grub) that burrows out through skin of the cow’s back; makes a marble-sized lump under the skin.
warts. Skin growths caused by a virus.
water bag. Fluid-filled membrane that breaks during birth, spilling a large quantity of amber-colored fluid.
waterbelly. Distention of the abdomen caused by ruptured bladder or urinary passage due to blockage from a urinary-tract stone.
wean. To separate a calf from its mother or stop feeding it milk.
weanling. Recently weaned calf (up to a year of age).
white muscle disease. Fatal condition in calves in which heart muscle fibers are replaced with connective tissue, caused by selenium deficiency.
withdrawal time. Amount of time that must elapse for a drug to be eliminated (through urine, etc.) from an animal’s body before it is butchered so there will be no residues in the meat.
working chute. Single-file runway that holds several cattle at once and leads to a squeeze chute or headcatcher.
worm fence. Zig-zag fence made of logs placed on top of each other in alternate fashion.
yearling. Calf between 1 and 2 years of age.