Glossary
The glossary of terms below is based on terms used in the background pages and easy-reading background pages.
AI artificial insemination, taking sperm from a bull and putting it into the cow
anaerobic without oxygen
antibiotic a chemical that kills bacteria
bloat a health issue in cows when eating rapidly growing grass
chromosomes thread like structures in cells that contain genes
contour an outline, especially one representing the outline or shape of the land
conversion a farm or building that has been converted to a new use
co-operative company a company owned by the people that work for it
CS condition score, a measure of how fat a cow is, ideally around 4.5 -5 for most of the year
digestibility how much a food is actually used by the cow and not passed out as waste
DM dry matter, the weight of food when the water has been removed
effluent liquid waste
empty rate the proportion of cows that did not get pregnant
facial eczema a disease caused by a toxin produced by a fungus that causes liver damage
faeces dung
feed wedge a graph of the longest to shortest paddocks on a farm
genetic base the different gene in a population
gestation period the length of time between fertilisation and birth
grass staggers also called Hypomagnesaemia, an infection caused by low magnesium and low body condition
ground water water found underground in the spaces between particles of rock and soil
ha abbreviation of hectare, a metric unit of square measure equal to 10,000 square metres
heifer a cow that has not had a calf, or has had only one calf
herbivore eats plants
immunological to do with the immune system (which fights disease)
inbreeding the mating of related individuals
lactose the sugar found in milk
leach to dissolve in water and wash away
lease a contract to use a block of land with payment to the land-owner
leptospirosis bacterial infection often with no symptoms but can cause abortion of calves
loam fertile soil of sand and clay containing humus
mastitis a common bacterial infection in dairy cows
milk fever also called hypocalcaemia, a disease caused by low blood calcium levels
milksolids the solid components in milk that a dairy farmer is paid for (milkfat and protein)
nutrient a substance that provides food or nourishment
oestrus the time when a cow is ready to mate
ovaries female sex organs
pathogen a microbe that can cause disease
rumen first part of a ruminant's stomach with bacteria for breaking down cellulose
ruminants animals adapted to eating grasses
run-off block of land for additional grazing
sacrifice area a portion of land which is given up for another use
semen the liquid that contains the sperm
service mating
silage feed that is made from green crops that have been fermented to keep some of their moisture
silt fine sand or clay carried by running water and deposited as a sediment
spore a minute single celled reproductive unit, typically of plants, fungi and protozoans
STI sexually transmitted infection, a disease that can be transferred by sexual activity
testes male sex organs
toxin a poisonous substance
UV ultraviolet
vat a container for storing liquids
watercourse a channel through which water can flow
