Glossary of Sheep Terms Flashcards
Abomasum!
a ruminant’s fourth stomach compartment, where digestion takes place
Abortion
Occurs when the fetus (or fetuses) are expelled by a pregnant female, before the normal end of the pregnancy
Abscess
an accumulation of pus surrounded by fibrous tissue
Accelerated Lambing!
when an ewe lambs more than once a year
Additive
a substance added to something in small quantities to improve or preserve it
Ad Libitum
When feed is made available to an animal on a free - choice basis
A.I.!
the process where semen is placed within a female’s uterus by artificial means
Anestrus
a period of reproductive inactivity, where ewes don’t exhibit estrus; essentially the length between estruses
Animal Unit
a system created to help producers optimize grazing resources by providing a way to match the forage demands of livestock with forage availability
Anorexia
When a lack of appetite is displayed by an animal
Anthelmintic!
a medicine that kills certain types of intestinal worms
Artificial Insemination!
the process where semen is placed within a female’s uterus by artificial means
Carrying Capacity
the maximum number of animal units that can be grazed for a specific time period; maximum number of sheep that a given area of land can support
Castrate!
to deprive an animal of the testes
Castration
the removal of a male sheep’s testicles to stop the production of male hormones
Cereal
cereal grains are an important source of energy for ruminants; they typically have high starch concentrations, good palatability and high digestibility (ex: corn)
Colostrum
the first milk produced by the female immediately after giving birth. it is highly nutritious and provides antibodies
Commercial Feeds
complete feeds that are prepared at a feed mill and are formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of animals when fed as directed
Complete Ration
a blend of all feedstuffs together in one feed
Concentrates
feed that is relatively low in fiber and high in energy
Condition
refers to the amount of body weight, hair coat quality and the general health and appearance of an animal
Conformation
the body form or physical traits of an animal (it’s shape/arrangement of parts)
Contagious
a disease that can spread from one organism to another by direct or indirect contact
Cracked
Creep
an area that is accessible to smaller young animals that larger adult animals can’t access, allowing the younger animals to consume additional feed to supplement nutrients obtained from nursing
Crutching
the removal of dirty, wet wool from a sheep’s rear end, tail and between its legs for hygiene purposes
Cryptorchid
When the testes are retained in the body, rather than descending into the scrotum (results in infertility)
As-Fed
Feed as it is consumed by an animal
Average Daily Gain
the average amount of weight a market animal will gain each day during the feeding period
Balanced Ration
Feed, or a combination of feeds, that will supply the daily nutrient requirements of an animal
Band
a group of ewes numbering 700 to 1200
Bolus
a small mass of masticated (chewed) feed that is ready to be swallowed
Bred
an ewe that is pregnant
Breech
A fetus is in a breech presentation at birth when it’s rear portion is presented first
Breed
animals that have common characteristics and a common origin that distinguish them from other groups within the same species
Broken Mouth
sheep who have lost some, but not all of their teeth
Browse!
parts of woody plants, including twigs, shoots and leaves
Buck
male sheep (typically of breeding age)
Byproduct Feeds
most byproduct feeds are available as a result of processing a traditional feed ingredient to generate another product; these can be an economical source of nutrients
Carcass
the dressed body of a meat animal
Carcass Weight
the weight of a slaughtered animal once the head, feet, skin and internal organs have been removed
Carcass Yield
the proportion of an animal’s live weight that remains remains after it has been slaughtered, hung and trimmed
Carrier
an individual that is heterozygous, so their genotypes carry the recessive gene
Cud
a portion of food that a ruminant has previously swallowed that is returned to the mouth from the stomach to be chewed a second time
Cull!
the process of determining which animals in the herd will be removed, to ensure only the most productive animals are kept for breeding
Cutting Chute
a narrow chute that allows animals to move in a single file line; gates can be/are placed to direct animals into different areas or pens
Dam
the female parent
Dental Pad
a hard, thick gum line on the roof of a sheep’s mouth that replaces the upper incisors
Dermatitis
an infection of the skin that can cause lumpy wool, hair loss, swelling, lesions, etc.
Diet
the kinds of feed that an animal routinely consumes; sheep have a herbivorous diet
Disinfectant
a substance or process that destroys infectious agents on surfaces to protect livestock from disease and outbreaks
Disposition
the temperament or relative docility and handling ability of an animal
Dock
the portion of the tail that sits immediately to the rear of the rump, which is where the tail originated before it was docked
Drench
when an oral medication, typically an anthelmintic, is administered using a drenching gun
Dressing Percentage
carcass weight/live weight;
Dry
an animal that isn’t currently producing milk
Drylot
feeding animals in an enclosure away from pasture/vegetation; typically used for fattening
Dry Matter Basis
The moisture - free content of feeds
Early Weaning
occurs when lambs are weaned before they are 90 days old, typically at around 60 days
Ear Notching
a notch, or series of notches, that are made in the ear of an animal for identification purpose
Easy Keeper
livestock animals that maintain themselves easily. oftentimes it takes less feed to keep them in good condition
Edema
when an abnormally large amount of fluid in the intercellular tissue spaces of the body is present
Elastrator
an instrument that is used to apply heavy rubber bands to the tail and scrotum for docking and castration
Emaciated
an animal that is severely devoid of fat and has reduced skeletal muscle
Energy Feeds
energy providing feed that is high in total digestible nutrients but low in protein (ex: cereal grains)
Enteritis
swelling or inflammation in the small intestine
Environment
the setting where an animal lives, finds shelter and meets its basic needs
Eruction
the act of belching up gas from the stomach
Estrous Cycle
the period from one estrus (heat period), to the next
Estrus
The period of heat or sexual excitement in a female where they are able to breed
Ewe
a sexually mature female sheep
Feed (Feedstuff)
any material that is used as food; components of a diet or ration
Feed Additive
adding an extra nutrient or drug into a animal’s feed
Feed Efficiency
the amount of feed consumed per unit of weight increase or unit of production; ex: how much feed is needed for each pound of gain
Feeder Lambs
animals under 1yr of age that haven’t reached slaughter weight, but show indications of making good gains once placed on feed
Feedlot (Drylot)!
an area where animals are confined and fed carefully mixed, high concentrate feed to fatten them
Feedstuff (Feed)
any material that is used as food; components of a diet or ration
Fiber Content of Feedstuff
fiber plays an important role in rumen function, as it increases rumination and salivation; at least 10% of the diet should be roughage to help maintain fiber content
Fill
the contents of the digestive tract
Finish
refers to an animal’s fatness; the more finished an animal is, the fatter it is
Flushing
the practice of feeding female animals very well right before the breeding season to stimulate their reproductive organs to the maximum activity
Forage
roughage of high feeding value; ex: grasses and legumes fed at the proper maturity stage and quality
Free - Choice
a feeding method where various feeds are kept constantly available to animals
Full Feed
providing animals with the maximum amount of feed needed to satisfy the purpose for which they’re being fed
Gastrointestinal
a sheep’s gastrointestinal tract is similar to other ruminants, and their stomachs are made up of four digestive organs
Gestation
the period in a females life during which they are carrying their unborn young; period between conception and parturition
Gigot
a leg of meat from a sheep or lamb
Grade!
a measure of quality; there are grades for live animals, meat and wool
Gregarious
having a tendency to live in groups or flocks, rather than alone
Group - Fed
Growthy
Gummer
a sheep that is missing its incisor teeth
Hand Feeding
feeding at regular intervals so that the sheep consume all the feed before more feed is offered
Hand Mating
bringing a female to a male for breeding, then removing the female from the area the male is located in
Hard Doer
an animal that has difficulty gaining weight and typically requires more feed
Harvest (Slaughter)
the process of knocking and bleeding animals; killing animals for use as food
Hay
dried forage that is used for feeding farm animals
Haylage
forage ensiled at a relatively low moisture content (~40-50%)
Heat (Estrus, Estrous Period)
the period during which a female will accept service by the male
Hernia
an abnormal opening in the abdomen, which allows the abdominal contents to protrude through the skin or muscle
Hormone
a chemical messenger secreted by ductless glands in the body that affect physiological function
Hypocalcemia
when the concentration of calcium in the blood is blow normal levels
Immunity
when an animal becomes resistant to a disease through the use of vaccines/serums or through the production of antibodies resulting from having the disease
Immunoglobins
a protein that is produced by B cells and plasma cells in the immune system that functions as an antibody to defend the body against pathogens
Ingredient
a component, part or element of something
Intramuscular!
(IM) into a muscle
Intraperitoneal!
(IP) administered or withdrawn from within the abdominal cavity
Intravenous!
(IV) entering through a vein
Jug
a small pen that’s only large enough to hold one ewe and her offspring
Lactation
the secretion or production of milk
Lactose (Milk Sugar)
the principal sugar of the milk of all mammals; it’s a disaccharide (composed of one glucose molecule and one galactose molecule)
Lamb
a sheep under 1 year of age; if a lamb has lost any temporary teeth it will no longer be classified as this
Lambing Pen ( Lambing Jug)
a small pen that an ewe is placed in immediately before lambing, or if lambing has already occurred elsewhere, immediately after lambing; usually around 4 square ft? 4 ft square?
Larvae!
the immature form of animals that hatch from an egg, and they often differ in appearance from their adult form
Libido
sexual desire or instinct
Limited Feeding
The practice of not giving an animal all of the feed it will consume
Litter
the offspring of a female that is litter - bearing, that are all delivered at one parturition
Low - Set
when a sheep is stocky, especially with short legs and well developed muscles
Macrominerals!
minerals that are needed by animals in large quantities (such as Ca, Mg, P, Na, Cl and K)
Mastication
the process of chewing food before swallowing
Mastitis
inflammation of the mammary gland
Medicated Feed
animal food that contains a drug or medication, to help treat, control or prevent a disease, or improve growth and productivity
Microingredient
an ingredient that is included in an extremely small amount, typically less than 0.5% of the final product
Minerals
a naturally occurring inorganic element that living organisms need to consume to develop and function normally
Mineral Supplement
products that add nutritional value to a diet by providing minerals needed for proper physiological function
Monorchid
a male animal that only has one testicle descended into the scrotum
Morbidity
the state of being symptomatic or unhealthy for a disease or condition; another term for illness
Mortality
the death of an animal
Mutton
the meat from an older sheep; they have spool joints rather than break joints
Nonprotein Nitrogen (NPN)
components that are not proteins, but can be converted to proteins by microbes in the ruminant stomach (ex: urea, biuret, and ammonium phosphate)
Nutrient Requirements
the levels of particular nutrients in the lowest amount that is necessary to maintain an animal in good health
Nutrients
any food component, or group of food components, of the same general chemical composition, that contribute to the support of animal life
Nutrition
the process of providing and obtaining the food necessary for the health and growth of animals
Offal
the parts of a butchered animal that are removed; generally references the inedible parts
Oil Crops
plants that are grown for the oil in their seeds; they are high in protein and lipids
Omasum!
the third part of the ruminant stomach; located between the reticulum and the abomasum
Orphan Lamb
a lamb that can’t be nursed by its mother due to her sickness or death
Overfeeding
overfeeding is wasteful and a potentially dangerous practice that can lead to bloating, which can be fatal
Overfinishing
occurs when an animal has too many fat deposits, as well as an increased fat depth
Oxytocin
a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that allows a female to let down her milk when the proper stimulus is applied (MORE??)
Palatability
an animal’s preference among several feeds for ultimate consumption; affected by many factors such as taste, texture, aroma, etc.
Parrot Mouth
a jaw defect that is characterized by an uneven alignment of the upper and lower teeth in animals (typically an overbite)
Parts per Million (ppm)
an expression of the concentration of a material in a solution; equals milligrams per kilogram or microliters per liter
Parturition
the act of a female giving birth to her young
Pedigree
a record that shows an animal’s line of ancestors and their relationships
Pelt
the skin and wool of a sheep
Photoperiod!
the relationship between the length of light and dark in a 24 hour period
Physiology
deals with the normal, vital functions of various parts of the living animal
Pizzle!
the penis of an animal
Polled
a naturally hornless animal
Postpartum
occurring after the birth of the offspring
Premix
complete mixtures of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other feed additives that are incorporated into feed rations at low levels
Prenatal
the time before birth, or the gestational period from conception to birth
Progeny
the offspring of animals
Prolapse
the displacement of a part or organ of the body from it’s normal position; vaginal and uterine prolapses are two types that occur in sheep
Prolific!
producing offspring in abundance
Protein Supplement
feed that will increase the protein content of a diet; they can be used to improve the digestibility of forage and help maintain productivity
Puberty
the period of life when the reproductive organs become functional for the first time; characterized by estrus and ovulation in the female and semen production in the male
Purebred
any animal that traces all the way back to the foundation stock of the breed it represents
Ram
an uncastrated male sheep
Ration
the amount of feed supplied to an animal for a definite period (typically per day)
Regurgitation
to cast or bring up undigested food from the stomach to the mouth
Replacement
mature ewes or ewe lambs that are being purchased to be placed in the breeding unit of an ewe/lamb operation
Retained Placenta
placental membranes that aren’t expelled at parturition
Reticulum!
the second chamber of a ruminant digestive tract; used for sorting out fine particles for further fermentation
Roughage
relatively low in energy and high in fiber; consists of pasture, silage, hay or other dry fodder
Rumen (Paunch)
the first (and largest) of a ruminants four stomach compartments
Run - On Pasture
refers to sheep that are raised in open fields or pastures, where they can roam, graze and forage naturally
Satiety
the physiological state at the end of a meal when further eating is inhibited by ‘fullness’
Scouring
washing wool to remove dirt and other natural impurities
Scurs
rounded portions of horn tissues attached to the skin at the horn pits of polled animals
Selenium
a trace element that is essential for sheep’s health; works with vitamin e to prevent and repair cell damage in the body
Self - Fed (Free - Choice Feeding)
a feeding system characterized by constantly available feed, allowing the animals to consume feed whenever they wish
Self - Feeder (Gravity Feeder)
a structure used for feeding animals that consists of a storage bin for the feed and a trough, which the feed descends, allowing the animals to eat
Semen
the fluid produced in the male reproductive organs, which contains the spermatozoa that is needed to fertilize the ovum of the female
Service
a term that’s commonly used to describe the mating of male to female
Settled
Sib
a brother or sister; can be full sibs or half sibs
Sire
the male parent
Slaughter
to kill an animal for food
Stag
an unsexed male animal that is castrated when it’s already mostly or fully mature
Stress
animals experience stress when they feel threatened, and they are considered to be in a state of stress if they begin to behave abnormally or make extreme physiology and behavior adjustments
Subcutaneous!
(SQ or sub - q) under the skin
Suckle
to give milk from the breast or udder
Supplement
something that completes or enhances something else when added to it
Synthetics
a non natural substance; any chemical manufactured by humans that is used in the production of crops or livestock
Tallow
solid white rendered fat of cattle and soap; used primarily in soap, margarine, candles and lubricants
Tattoo
a mark or scar made by tattooing, allowing for a permanent identification mark (typically inside the ear)
Teaser Ram
a ram that still has all the hormones, but has been made incapable of impregnating a female, either by vasectomy or by using an apron allowing it to be used to bring females into season, before the actual service occurs
Tetany
a condition characterized by localized, spasmodic muscular contractions
Totally Digestible Nutrient (TDN)
the sum of all the digestible organic nutrients in a specific feed; it’s a way of expressing the energy content of a feed)
Trace Mineral
minerals needed in very small quantities (including Fe, Co, Cr, Cu, I, Mn, Se, Zn and Mo)
Type
the conformation of an animal that indicates or suggests the purpose it serves
Udder
the anatomical structure of the female, which contains the mammary gland
Underfeeding
when an animal isn’t getting enough to eat, leading to potential underperformance, disease and even death
Unthriftiness
a general lack of vigor; often characterized by poor growth and development
Vaccination (Shot)!
an injection given to animals to prevent or cure diseases
Vaccine
a health measure that contains the dead or weakened microbe that causes the disease, which stimulates the immune system to form antibodies that protect the animal from contracting a disease in the future
Vaginal Prolapse
presents as a mass of tissue protruding from the vulva, due to the vagina falling out of its normal position
Vasectomy
a surgical procedure that involves removing a section of the spermatic cord to prevent sperm from traveling, rendering the male infertile; male is still able to retain male secondary sex characteristics
Vasectomized Ram (Teaser)
a ram that’s had a vasectomy (therefore incapable of impregnating a female) but still has all the hormones, so they’re used to bring females into season, before the actual service occurs
Virus
a small, infectious agent that can infect all cellular life and that is unable to replicate outside a living cell
Vitamins
organic compounds that are necessary for vital functions in minute amounts for different physiological functions
Weaning
taking the nursing young away from the mother, preventing it from nursing
Wether
a male sheep that was castrated at an early age (usually within 2 weeks post birth)
Yearling!
an animal between 1 and 2 years of age
