Animal Breeds, Products, and Livestock Terminology: Study Notes for General Biology

Animal Products and Breeds

Products Obtained from Sheep

Sheep are domesticated animals that provide several important products for human use.

• Wool: The primary fiber obtained from sheep, used in textiles and clothing.

• Meat: Known as lamb (from young sheep) or mutton (from older sheep).

• Milk: Used to produce cheeses and other dairy products.

• Other products: Sheepskin (for leather), lanolin (a natural oil from wool).

Equine Breeds and Their Purposes

Different horse breeds have been developed for specific purposes based on their physical and behavioral traits.

Breed	Purpose
Standardbred	Racing
Percheron	Power/pulling/plowing
Hanoverian	Dressage
Appaloosa	western pleasure
Hackney	Fancy Racing

Example: The Percheron is a draft horse breed known for its strength and is commonly used for heavy farm work.

Sheep Breeds for Quality Fleece

Certain sheep breeds are renowned for producing high-quality wool.

• Merino: Known for producing the finest and softest wool, highly valued in the textile industry.

Livestock Breeds and Their Primary Purposes

Livestock breeds are often classified by their main use: meat, milk, eggs, or fiber.

Breed	Primary Purpose
Berkshire	Meat
Rhode Island Red	Eggs
Brown Swiss	Milk
Suffolk	Meat
Brahman	Meat
Dorset	Meat
Cornish	Meat
Ayrshire	Milk
Simmental	Meat/Milk (dual-purpose)
Barred Rock	Eggs
Shorthorn	Meat/Milk (dual-purpose)

Additional info: Some breeds serve more than one purpose, such as Simmental and Shorthorn, which are considered dual-purpose breeds.

Livestock Terminology and Breeding

Breed and Species Terminology

Understanding the correct terminology for animal breeds and their products is essential in animal science.

• Heifer: A young female cow that has not yet calved.

• Calf: A young bovine animal.

• Hybrid Vigor (Heterosis): The improved or increased function of any biological quality in a hybrid offspring.

• Hand (Equine): A unit of measurement for the height of horses, equal to 4 inches.

Animal Reproductive and Growth Terms

• Lactation Period: The time during which a female mammal produces milk after giving birth.

• Gestation: The period of development from conception to birth.

• Calving: The act of giving birth in cattle.

Crossbreeding in Livestock

Crossbreeding is a common practice in animal agriculture to improve desirable traits.

• Definition: Mating animals from two different breeds to produce offspring with traits from both parents.

• Commonly Crossbred Beef Breeds: Angus and Hereford.

• Reasons for Crossbreeding:

  • To combine desirable traits from both breeds (e.g., growth rate, disease resistance).

  • To achieve hybrid vigor (heterosis), resulting in improved performance.

Animal Products and Industry

Major Animal Products

• Meat: Beef, pork, lamb, poultry.

• Milk: Cow, goat, sheep milk used for direct consumption and dairy products.

• Eggs: Primarily from chickens, but also from ducks and other birds.

• Fiber: Wool from sheep, mohair from goats, and other animal fibers.

Countries with the Greatest Amounts of Cattle

• Brazil

• India

• Additional info: The United States and China also have significant cattle populations.

Dairy Breeds and Milk Production

• Jersey: Known for high butterfat content in milk.

• Holstein: Produces the highest volume of milk among dairy breeds.

• Guernsey: Produces golden-colored milk due to high beta-carotene content.

Poultry and Egg Production

• Leghorn: A chicken breed developed for commercial egg production.

• Barred Rock and Rhode Island Red: Also used for egg production, but less commonly in commercial settings.

Animal Classification Table

Livestock animals are classified by sex and maturity using specific terms.

Animal	Young Female	Young Male	Mature Female	Mature Male	Castrated Male
Pig	Gilt	Boar pig	Sow	Boar	Barrow
Horse	Filly	Colt	Mare	Stallion	Gelding
Cattle	Heifer	Bull calf	Cow	Bull	Steer
Sheep	Ewe lamb	Ram lamb	Ewe	Ram	Wether
Goat	Doeling	Buckling	Doe	Buck	Wether
Chicken	Pullet	Cockerel	Hen	Rooster	Capon

Additional info: These terms are essential for proper communication in animal science and agriculture.

Summary Table: Animal Products and Their Sources

Product	Source Animal
Wool	Sheep
Milk	Cow, goat, sheep
Eggs	Chicken, duck
Meat	Cattle, pig, sheep, chicken