Dairy Cattle Terms



















 

    Below are some terms that you might hear mentioned while on your visit to The Big E.
 
  B.S.T.  
A synthetic hormone which imitates a naturally occurring hormone in cattle. Given B.S.T., cows may maintain high levels of milk for a longer period of time.

 Back, Loin and Rump  
Should be straight. This indicates her ablity to stay healthy during and after giving birth.

Bulk Tank  
A refrigerated tank where the dairy producer stores the milk until it is taken to the processing plant.

Bulls  
Male Cattle
 
Calves  
Young male or female cattle.
 
Calving  
To give birth to a calf.

Concentrates  
Feeds that are made up of grains like corn, oats and barley.
 
Dairy Character  
should be lean and ree of excess fat which indicates the cow's ability to produce milk. Cows are healthier when they don't have a lot of extra fat.
 
Dairy Cows  
Cows that give us milk we drink.

Dairy Producer  
The farmer who owns or runs a dairy farm.

Dairy  
The farm where milk cows are kept.

Dehorn  
To take the horns off of cattle. Except for a few animals, almost all female and male cattle are born with horns. The horns are alomost always removed at a young age. This helps to prevent them from hurting one another. Some bloodlines are bred so the animals will genetically be polled (born without the ablity to grow horns).
  
Heart Girth & Chest  
The chest should be wide and the heart girth deep. This strength will help the cow stay healthy during periods of stress and extreme temperatures.
 
Homogenization  
This process breaks up the fat in milk into tiny pieces so the cream in the milk will not rise to the top.
   
Legs  
Should be straight as viewed from the rear and have a slight curve from the side. This will enable her to walk comfortably and be free of sore feet and legs.
    
Pasteurization  
This is a process which heats the milk to around 165 degrees F. for 15 seconds to kill any bacteria which might be present in the milk.
 
Processing Plant  
A factory where the milk is pasteurized, homogenized and packaged for the supermarket. This is where milk is made into cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and other dairy products.
 
Quality  
The dairy producer follows many procedures to make sure the milk is free from bacteria. The teats are dipped in a mild solution which kills bacteria and the udder is cleaned before the milking machine is put on the cow. After milkin, the teats are dipped once again to protect the cow from environmental bacteria.
   
Testing  
Many tests are performed on the milk taken from the farm. These required tests check on the presence of several different bacteria, and check for the possible presence of various treatment residues. High standards and a very strict policy are enforced to ensure a high quality, safe product for the public.
 
Udder(Mammary System)  
Should be above the hocks with ligaments that are strongly attached to the body. Strength of udder attachments means that the udder can remain free of harm or injury.