This document lists common terms used to describe different types of cattle around the world, including definitions for bulls, cows, heifers, calves, steers, oxen, and cattle bred for dairy or beef. Specific terms are defined for young or castrated males of different ages in various countries. The terms cover cattle from before birth through adulthood and describe cattle raised for meat, milk, or draft purposes.

1. SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
DEGREE PROG: B.Sc. AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
COURCE NAME: ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION
CODE: AS 101
GROUP 3 ASSIGNMENT: 1
GROUP MEMBERS
NAMES REGISTRATION
NUMBER
NAMES REGISTRATION NUMBER
BALTAZARI, LEONCE R. AGE/J/2016/0358 JOSEPH, RICHARD AGE/J/2016/0255
JAKOLACHA, DOROTHEA AGE/J/2016/0132 WAYA, IMACULATE AGE/D/2016/0407
JOSEPH, DAVID AGE/J/2016/0357 SAWE, TUMAINI J AGE/D/2016/0401
MADATTA, MAGEMBE AGE/J/2016/0158 MADOSHI, CECILIA J AGE/J/2016/0318
MAHEWA, EDWARD SIMON AGE/J/2016/0134 ZACHARIA, SOSOMA AGE/D/2016/0408
MICHAEL EDWARD AGE/J/2016/0133 MALEGESI, ANOLD JULIUS AGE/D/2016/0377
MOSHA, HILLARY P AGE/J/2016/0150 MICHAEL, ALOYCE P AGE/J/2016/0127
NDUTTU, LEONARD AGE/J/2016/0153 LIBENA, FREDRICK AGE/J/2016/0182
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. KOMBA P.

2. Question 3. Common terms used to describe cattle
In general, the same words are used in different parts of the world but with minor
differences in the definitions
1. An intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male is called a bull. A wild, young, unmarked
bull is known as a micky in Australia. An unbranded bovine of either sex is called
a maverick in the USA and Canada.
2. An adult female that has had a calf (or two, depending on regional usage) is a
cow.
3. A young female before she has had a calf of her own and is under three years of
age is called a heifer. A young female that has had only one calf is occasionally
called a first-calf heifer.
4. Young cattle of both sexes are called calves until they are weaned, then weaners
until they are a year old in some areas; in other areas, particularly with male beef
cattle, they may be known as feeder-calves or simply feeders. After that, they are
referred to as yearlings if between one and two years of age.
5. A castrated male is called a steer in the United States; older steers are often called
bullocks in other parts of the world but in North America this term refers to a young
bull.
6. Piker bullocks are bulls that were caught, castrated and then later lost. In
Australia, the term "Japanese ox" is used for grain fed steers in the weight range
of 500 to 650 kg that are destined for the Japanese meat trade.
7. In North America, draft cattle under four years old are called working steers.
Improper or late castration on a bull results in it becoming a coarse steer known
as a stag in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In some countries, an
incompletely castrated male is known also as a rig.
8. A castrated male (occasionally a female or in some areas a bull) kept for draft
purposes is called an ox (plural oxen); "ox" may also be used to refer to some
carcasses products from any adult cattle, such as ox-hide, ox-blood or ox-liver.
9. A springer is a cow or heifer close to calving.
10.In all cattle species, a female that is the twin of a bull usually becomes an infertile
partial intersex, and is a freemartin.
11.Neat (horned oxen, from which neat foot oil is derived), beef (young ox) and
beefing (young animal fit for slaughtering) are obsolete terms, although poll,
pollard or polled cattle are still terms in use for naturally hornless animals, or in
some areas also for those that have been disbudded.
12.Cattle raised for human consumption are called beef cattle. Some Australian,
Canadian, New Zealand and British people use the term beast, especially for
single animals when the gender is unknown.
13.Cattle of certain breeds bred specifically for milk production are called milking or
dairy cattle; a cow kept to provide milk for one family may be called a house cow
or milker.
14.The adjective applying to cattle in general is usually bovine.
15.Baby Beef - slaughter cattle weighing 700 to 1000lbs (approx 315 to 450kgs) at 9
to 15 months of age grading good or better for quality

3. 16.Bobby calf - calf slaughtered whilst only a few days old
17.Bob veal calf one to three weeks old, sold for baby veal, often the male calves
from dairy farms, average weight 150lbs (68kgs)