Understanding the specific terminology used by breeders and fanciers is essential for anyone involved in raising or caring for livestock and domestic animals. This glossary provides definitions for a wide range of terms, from general livestock categories to specific names for male, female, and young animals across various species, including cattle, goats, horses, rabbits, sheep, swine, and poultry.
Livestock and General Terms
Livestock encompasses animals kept by humans for use or pleasure. Different categories exist based on species:
- Bovine: Refers to cattle.
- Caprine: Pertains to goats.
- Equine: Relates to horses, mules, zebras, and asses.
- Ovine: Pertains to sheep.
- Porcine: Refers to swine.
A Herd is a grouping of a single species of livestock, although usage can vary outside of cattle, horses, asses, swine, and rabbits.
Equine Terminology: Asses, Horses, and Hybrids
The equine family includes a variety of terms for different animals and their classifications.
Asses and Related Terms
An Ass is a single-hoofed mammal of the genus Equus, closely related to horses, typically smaller in build with longer ears.
- Ass: The correct term for a donkey, burro, or jackstock.
- Burro: The Spanish term for donkey, commonly used west of the Mississippi.
- Donkey: The domesticated form of an ass.
- Jack: A male ass. Young male asses are not referred to as colts.
- Jackstock: Plural referring to American Mammoth jacks and jennets, which are properly termed asses.
- Jennet or Jenny: A female ass. Young female asses are not referred to as fillies.
- Jennet Jack: A male ass used to produce donkeys.
Horses and Related Terms
A Horse is a domesticated, large, single-hoofed mammal (Equus caballus) with a short-haired coat, long mane, and long tail, used for riding or transportation.
- Colt: A male horse under 3 years of age.
- Filly: A female horse under 3 years of age.
- Foal: A young equine under 1 year of age.
- Gelding: A castrated male horse.
- Mare: A female horse after her 4th birthday.
- Stallion: An intact male horse.
Hybrid Equines
Hybrid animals result from crossing different species within the equine family.
- Hinny: A hybrid produced when a female ass (jennet) is crossed with a male horse (stallion).
- Horse Hinny: The proper term for a male hinny over three years of age.
- Mare Hinny: The proper term for a female hinny over three years of age.
- Mule: A hybrid produced when a male ass (jack) is crossed with a female horse (mare).
- Horse Mule: The proper term for a male mule over 3 years of age.
- John: An informal term for a male mule.
- Mare Mule: The proper term for a female mule over 3 years of age.
- Molly: An informal term for a female mule.
- Mule Colts (males) and Mule Fillies (females): Young mules under 3 years of age.
- Mule Jack: A male ass used to produce mules.
Cattle Terminology
Cattle are domesticated mammals of the genus Bos.
- Bull: An intact male bovine.
- Bull Calf: A male calf.
- Calf: A young bovine, typically from birth to weaning (around 6-10 months).
- Cow: A female bovine that has had a calf. This term can also be used for other species.
- Heifer: A female bovine that has not had a calf.
- Heifer Calf: A female calf.
- Steer: A castrated male bovine, or a future ox less than 4 years old.
- Ox: A castrated bull trained to work and at least 4 years of age.
- Oxen: The plural form, referring to two oxen.
Goat Terminology
Goats are the domesticated form of Capra hircus.
- Buck: A male goat over 1 year of age.
- Buckling: A young male goat less than a year old.
- Doe: A female goat over 1 year of age.
- Doeling: A young female goat less than a year old.
- Flock: A group of goats, though this term may also apply to other livestock.
- Kid: A baby goat of either sex.
- Wether: A castrated male goat or sheep.
Rabbit Terminology
Rabbits are mammals of the family Leporidae, with Oryctolagus cuniculus being the domesticated Old World species.
- Buck: A male rabbit.
- Doe: A female rabbit.
- Fryer: A young rabbit, typically 2 months old, weighing 3 ¾ to 4 ½ lbs.
- Kit: A baby rabbit.
- Rabbitry: A location where owners keep rabbits in separate cages.
- Stewer: A mature rabbit, 3 months or older, averaging 6 pounds or more.
- Warren: An enclosure where owners keep a group of rabbits together.
Sheep Terminology
Sheep are the domesticated species Ovis aries.
- Ewe: A female sheep at least 1 year of age.
- Ewe Lamb: A female sheep under 1 year of age.
- Flock: A group of sheep, also used for other livestock.
- Lamb: A young sheep. In culinary terms, lamb refers to meat from a sheep 12-14 months old or less.
- Lambkin or Lambling: A newly born lamb.
- Ram: An intact male sheep at least one year of age.
- Ram Lamb: A male sheep under 1 year of age.
- Sheep: A mature ovine at least one year of age, or the species in general.
- Wether: A castrated male sheep or goat.
Swine Terminology
Swine are even-toed ungulates of the family Suidae, including pigs, hogs, and boars.
- Barrow: A male swine castrated before sexual maturity.
- Boar: An adult male swine.
- Drove: A group of swine.
- Feeder Pig: A young pig, typically 40-70 lbs, sold by one farmer to another for finishing.
- Gilt: A female swine that has not yet given birth.
- Hog: A mature swine weighing over 150 pounds.
- Lard Types: Pigs developed for high fat deposits, suitable for rendering.
- Market Hog: A hog weighing 220-260 pounds, typically 5-7 months old, ready for market.
- Meat Types (or Bacon Types): Pigs developed for lean meat with moderate fat marbling.
- Pig: A young swine not sexually mature, or a mature swine weighing under 150 pounds.
- Piglet or Baby Pig: A young pig in its first 14-21 days, still nursing.
- Shoat: A young hog (not sexually mature) that has been weaned and weighs 150-260 pounds, ready for market.
- Sow: An adult female swine.
- Stag: A male swine castrated after sexual maturity.
Poultry Terminology
Poultry includes domesticated birds kept for meat or eggs, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.
- Flock: A group comprised of one species of poultry.
- Trio: Typically a group of one male and two females within a poultry species.
Chicken Terms
Chicken refers to the common domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus).
- Broiler: A meat chicken processed at 7-12 weeks, weighing 2 ½ to 3 ½ pounds live weight.
- Capon: Male chickens that have been castrated, harvested at 4-8 months old, yielding more white meat and higher fat content.
- Chick: A newly hatched or very young chicken.
- Cock: A male chicken at least one year of age.
- Cockerel: A male chicken less than one year old.
- Cornish Game Hens: A crossbreed (originally pure Cornish), 4-5 weeks old, weighing about 2 pounds; can be of either sex.
- Fryer: A meat chicken typically marketed at 12-20 weeks.
- Hen: A female chicken at least one year of age.
- Poussin or “Spring Chicken“: A young chicken, 3-4 weeks old, weighing about 1 pound, often prepared as a single serving.
- Pullet: A female chicken less than one year of age, which has not yet started laying eggs.
- Roasters: Chickens aged 6-12 months, weighing 4-7 pounds.
- Rooster: A male chicken over one year of age.
- Stewing Fowl: A mature male or female chicken over one year of age.
Duck Terms
Ducks are swimming birds of the family Anatidae, typically having a broad bill, short legs, and webbed feet.
- Drake: An adult male duck.
- Duck: Can refer to a female of the duck family.
- Ducklings: Baby ducks.
- Old Drake: A male duck over 1 year of age.
- Old Duck: A female duck over 1 year of age.
- Young Drake: A male duck under 1 year of age.
- Young Duck: A female duck under 1 year of age.
Goose Terms
Geese are wild or domesticated water birds of the family Anatidae, typically with a shorter neck than a swan and a more pointed bill than a duck.
- Gander: A male goose over 1 year of age (also referred to as an old gander).
- Goose: The singular of geese, or a female goose.
- Gosling: A young goose until its down is replaced by feathers.
- Old Goose: A female goose over 1 year of age.
- Young Gander: A male goose under 1 year of age.
- Young Goose: A female goose under 1 year of age.
Turkey Terms
Turkey is a large North American bird (Meleagris gallopavo), widely domesticated for food.
- Hen: A female turkey over one year of age.
- Old Hen: A female turkey over one year of age.
- Old Tom: A male turkey over 1 year of age.
- Poult: A young domestic turkey.
- Tom: A male turkey.
- Young Hen: A female turkey under 1 year of age.
- Young Tom: A male turkey under 1 year of age.
