Glossary

Some text here about our glossary...
Adaptable
able to modify feeding and other habits, seasonally and/or between different sites and habitats, without undue stress
Anthelmintics
a group of natural or pharmaceutical substances that reduces or eliminates parasitic worm populations
Billy
a male goat
Bipedal
able to stand on hind legs
Bloodline
relates to ancestral origins; thus within animals of the same breed there may be distinctly different bloodlines, particularly in situations where herds have been geographically isolated for many generations
Boar
a male pig that has not been castrated
Bovine
relating to or belonging to the genus of ruminant animals that includes cattle. Genus Bos
Bowser
a mobile tanker used for transporting and delivering water
Breed
a strain of animal with identifiable characteristics that distinguish it from other members of its species and which tend to be transferred from generation to generation
Broken-mouthed
missing incisor teeth; particularly relates to the loss of teeth in older sheep and goats
Browse
term used to describe the leaves, flowers and twigs of woody vegetation and the act of animals feeding upon such vegetation ('browsing')
Brucellosis
a chronic infectious disease of some domestic animals, including cattle, that is caused by bacteria and may lead to spontaneous abortion
BSE
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; also commonly known as 'Mad Cow' disease
Calcareous
soils containing calcium carbonate including substrates such as limestone and chalk; commonly relates to plants and communities associated with such conditions
Caprine
relating to or like a goat
Carcinogen
a substance or agent that can cause cancer
Cellulose
the main constituent of the cell walls of plants and algae
Colic
severe abdominal pain in equines caused by a variety of factors; most commonly, worm burdens or over-consumption of certain food, e.g. acorns. Colic can sometimes lead to fatal intestinal blockage
Colt
a young uncastrated male horse usually under four years of age
Condition Scoring
The standard stock husbandry technique for establishing the amount of fat and muscle cover an animal is carrying as a way of assessing its nutritional status. Scores are from 1 (extremely thin) to 5 (very fat).
Conformation
structure or form of an animal; physical shape. Amount and distribution of muscle on a meat animal
Continental
breeds of animal (particularly cattle within this handbook) from Continental Europe; not originating within the UK
Convection
the upward movement of heat into the atmosphere
Cull cows
old female cows, which may be past their prime in terms of milk or calf production, but which may be good at utilising a range of coarse vegetation
Ephemeral
lasting or living only a day or a few days; transitory
Equine
belonging to or characteristic of the family of mammals (the Equidae) that includes horses, ponies, zebras and donkeys
Equine influenza (flu)
a highly infectious disease of the horse associated with high fever and a severe dry cough which lasts one or two weeks
Eutrophic
used to describe a body of water whose oxygen content is depleted by organic nutrients
Ewe
an adult female sheep
Extensive grazing
low stocking density which effectively under-utilizes the available sward; often refers to a few animals within a large area
Fecund
fertile; prolific
Feral
livestock once domesticated but now living and breeding unconstrained by artificial boundaries in the wild state. As with wild populations of other species, there may be some control on numbers through culling or removal
Filly
a female horse usually under four years of age
Finishing
relates to putting on condition around muscle to achieve the desired conformation for commercial marketing for human consumption
Fly-strike
a distressing condition caused by flies which lay eggs in the wool of sheep (and occasionally on other species); the hatched maggots burrow into the skin and effectively start to eat the animal alive. Animals suffering from diarrhoea or with open wounds are most susceptible, although strike may occur on any area of the body which has become soiled or infected by bacteria. Although a number of flies can cause strike in sheep, in the UK the most important by far is the greenbottle
Foot-rot
an infectious bacterial infection of sheep that causes inflammation between the cleats or digits of the foot, resulting in pain and lameness. Fields with foot-rot in sheep are not a threat to cattle, as 'foul in the foot' in cattle is caused by a different bacterial infection
Foraging
rummaging around for food
Free-ranging
able to move about within a sufficiently large and varied area to enable choices relating to diet, shelter and other aspects of well-being, but constrained in terms of range, breeding etc
Gathers
infrequent but regular (e.g. once per year) rounding up of animals from an extensive, free-ranging situation. This term particularly applies to feral goats and to hill sheep
Gelding
a castrated male horse
Generalised
non-specific, particularly relevant to feeding behaviour in large herbivores. See Selective below
Gilt
a young female pig that has not yet had piglets
Habitat
the natural or semi-natural home of a plant or animal or groups of plants or animals; it is the place where all the requirements of a plant or animal occur. Thus for example, trees may be part of a woodland, hedgerow or wood-pasture habitat and a reedbed may be classed suitable habitat for Reed Buntings or Marsh Harriers
Hardy
sufficiently robust to withstand the stresses resultant from adverse physical conditions; capable of enduring very wet, cold, hot or windy conditions
Heft
sheep and goats within extensive systems form widely dispersed social groups which establish and maintain home ranges (hefts or 'heafs') which may then be handed down from generation to generation (e.g. Herdwick)
Heterogeneous
composed of diverse elements; in terms of vegetation, this may relate to changes between communities or sub communities of plants
Historic feral
a term which relates to goats. Historic feral goats are those with a long history (>70/80 years) of being present in particular locations, e.g. populations such as those in the Moffat Hills have very little recent human interference and show phenotypic characteristics typical of ancient populations
Home range
the area used by a feral or wild animal in pursuit of its routine activities. A heft is the equivalent of a group home range
Homogenous
of the same kind; for example, a field reseeded with rye-grass may produce a homogenous sward
Improved pasture
land with a history of agricultural improvements, usually including reseeding and fertilizing; other associated practices may include liming and drainage improvements
In-bye
land close to the homestead or farm, often with improved pasture and commonly used for lambing or calving animals. Used for hay/silage production.
Indigenous
native; belonging naturally
Intensive farming
requiring high inputs such as fertilizers and irrigation of crops, or supplementary feed and other additives in animals, to allow rapid high outputs and turnover, and high stocking rates
Invertebrates
multicellular animals without an internal skeleton; in nature conservation management, this term is commonly used to refer to butterflies, dragonflies, moths and a whole range of creepy crawlies including beetles, spiders, snails and worms
Kid
a young goat; its first year of life
Lactation
period during which milk is produced by the mammary glands
Laminitis
a serious equine hoof disorder where inflammation of the sensitive plates of tissue in the hoof occurs. Caused by a variety of factors including ingestion of excess protein. Usually causes lameness and can be severe. Also called 'founder'
Liver fluke
a parasitic worm (Fasciola hepatica ) that infests the liver
Mare
an adult female horse
Matriarchal
a social hierarchy in which the dominant individual in a social group is the mother or grandmother of a group of females
Mesotrophic
Description of a habitat, e.g. grassland, which has intermediate levels of plant nutrient, and is thus moderately productive
Microclimate
the climate of a confined space or minute geographical area. Microclimates are particularly important in terms of shelter (as opposed to local climates)
Monogastric
relates to the single, fast through-put stomach found in equines
Nanny
an adult female domestic goat
Native
born or originating in a particular place
Oestrus
a regular period of sexual excitement in many female mammals during which the animal seeks to mate and can conceive
Omnivore
an animal that will feed on any kind or many kinds of food, including both plants and animals
Overgrazing
damage to a habitat or its associated species assemblage, due to too many animals being kept on a site, or for too extended a period
Ovine
relating to or like a sheep
Parturition
the act of giving birth
Phenotypic
the visible characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction between its genetic makeup and the environment
Physiological
relating to the way that living things function rather than to their shape or structure
Piglet
a newborn or immature pig
Poaching
a ground condition where animal movements/trampling causes the ground surface to become disturbed and muddy
Polled
a hornless animal
Primitive
having characteristics which indicate ancient origin
Pulpy kidney
a bacterial disease caused by Clostridium welchii
Race
group of plants or animals connected by common descent; in the context of this document, this may apply to groups of animals within the same breed, but who have descended from different bloodlines, thus forming races
Ram
an uncastrated male sheep - used for breeding. Also termed 'tup'
Reconstituted
built up from parts. A term applied to breeds which have become extinct or close to extinct and have been carefully bred from surviving individuals or those with similar genetic material, to recreate an animal which contains a high percentage of the original genetic material
Redwater
a locally prevalent cattle disease characterized by the passage of reddish urine and transmitted by ticks. Calves are immune and immune older stock can be developed
Ruderal
a plant which usually grows on bare ground, rubbish heaps or waste places
Rumen
first stomach of a ruminant in which microorganisms break down plant cellulose before food is returned to the mouth as cud for additional chewing
Ruminant
any cud-chewing hoofed mammal with a stomach with multiple chambers. Food is partially digested in the rumen and regurgitated for additional chewing
Rut
a period of sexual excitement that recurs annually in some male ruminants e.g. deer
Scab
a skin disease of sheep and other animals that resembles mange, usually caused by a mite
Scouring
another term for diarrhoea
Scrub
small trees and bushes, forming the seral stage of succession between open habitat and woodland. Highly valuable for invertebrates and birds, but often invasive and can threaten the survival of other rarer habitats if left unmanaged
Selective
favouring certain elements of the vegetation and resisting others
Semi-feral
living and breeding in the wild state, although with constraints on ranging behaviour due to artificial boundaries; human intervention restricted to administration of husbandry and control of numbers
Shearling
a sheep, either male or female, which has been shorn only once; indicative of age 1-2 years
Sheep Scab
a skin disease of sheep and other animals that resembles mange, caused by a mite
Sow
an adult female pig
Species
a population of organisms sharing many characteristics that can reproduce amongst themselves but cannot produce fertile offspring when mated with other organisms
Stallion
uncastrated adult male equine - used for breeding. Also termed 'entire'
Stocking density
number of animals per acre/hectare, over a given period of time
Suckler herd
a breeding herd of cows, usually kept with a bull, with calves raised by mother-in-herd situation
Sweet itch
a seasonal problem caused by a midge called Culicoides pulicaris which breeds in wet muddy areas. A small proportion of horses develop a hypersensitive reaction to a protein in the saliva of the female midge and will itch the bitten areas; sores can develop. The midges are prevalent from May to September; no known cure
Tannin
a brownish or yellowish substance found in plants (extracted and used for tanning, dyeing and as an astringent)
Terminal sire
a lowland breed of ram, which is used to mate with crossbred ewes, to produce a table lamb
Tetanus
an acute infectious disease usually contracted through a penetrating wound that causes severe muscular spasms and contractions. Spasms caused by a toxin released by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. Also called 'lock jaw'
Thiamine
one of the group of B vitamins. Prevents diseases of the nervous system
Thrifty
able to maintain condition on poor quality vegetation; often in situations of difficult topography
Toxins
plant defence chemicals
Tuberculosis
an infectious disease that causes small rounded swellings (tubercles) to form on mucous membranes
Twitch
a restraint used on a horse during a veterinary procedure, consisting of a cord loop that can be pulled tight around the animal's upper lip
Undergrazing
sub-optimal management of a habitat or its associated species assemblage, due to too few animals being kept on a site, or for too short a period
Unimproved pasture
vegetation which has not been subjected to reseeding or fertilization, but which exists as 'old' grazing
Urea
a constituent of urine
Wallowing
rolling about in mud, sand, water etc.
Wether
a male sheep or goat that has been castrated before becoming sexually mature
Wild
With reference to grazing animals, non-domesticated animals, living and breeding in the wild state, unconstrained by artificial boundaries
Withers
ridge between the shoulder bones of a horse or other four-legged animals forming the highest part of its back
Yoke
a 'u-shaped' bar which forms part of a cattle crush; used to hold the head of the animal still for handling