Anatomy & Physiology of Cattle
Cattle Terms
Bovine
o Scientific name for cattle
Bull
o Intact male
Cow
o Breeding female with at least one calf
Free Martin
o Twin of a bull
o Usually infertile
Heifer
o Young female prior to first calf
Steer
o Castrated male
Calf
o Young bull or heifer
Herd
o Group of cattle
Dam
o Mother to a calf
Dam breed
o Good mothering breed
o Milking
o Calving
Sire
o Father to a calf
Sire/terminal breed
o Sires used in crossbreeding for market animals
Full blood
o 100% of ancestry is the designated breed
Pure blood/ pure breed
o Percentage of the breed set by registry
Dual purpose
o Meat and milk
Triple purpose
o Meat, milk, and Draft
, Beef and Dairy
Anatomy
o Structural makeup, especially of an organism or any of its parts
o Example: bones and muscles
Physiology
o The organic processes and phenomena of an organism or any of
its parts or a particular body process
o Example: digestion & muscle movement
Body Systems
o Integumentary
o Skeletal
o Muscular
o Lymphatic
o Digestive
o Nervous
o Endocrine
o Cardiovascular
o Respiratory
o Urinary
o Reproductive
Integumentary
Skin is the largest organ
Epidermis
o Thin outer layer with multiple layers
o Many nerves
o Prevents water loss
o Produces hooves, horns
o Produces melanin
Dermis
o Hair follicles and sweat glands
o Regulates temperature & supplies blood
o Pressure receptors and nerve endings
Hypodermis
o Attaches the skin to the muscle and bone
Skin diseases
Insects
Cattle Terms
Bovine
o Scientific name for cattle
Bull
o Intact male
Cow
o Breeding female with at least one calf
Free Martin
o Twin of a bull
o Usually infertile
Heifer
o Young female prior to first calf
Steer
o Castrated male
Calf
o Young bull or heifer
Herd
o Group of cattle
Dam
o Mother to a calf
Dam breed
o Good mothering breed
o Milking
o Calving
Sire
o Father to a calf
Sire/terminal breed
o Sires used in crossbreeding for market animals
Full blood
o 100% of ancestry is the designated breed
Pure blood/ pure breed
o Percentage of the breed set by registry
Dual purpose
o Meat and milk
Triple purpose
o Meat, milk, and Draft
, Beef and Dairy
Anatomy
o Structural makeup, especially of an organism or any of its parts
o Example: bones and muscles
Physiology
o The organic processes and phenomena of an organism or any of
its parts or a particular body process
o Example: digestion & muscle movement
Body Systems
o Integumentary
o Skeletal
o Muscular
o Lymphatic
o Digestive
o Nervous
o Endocrine
o Cardiovascular
o Respiratory
o Urinary
o Reproductive
Integumentary
Skin is the largest organ
Epidermis
o Thin outer layer with multiple layers
o Many nerves
o Prevents water loss
o Produces hooves, horns
o Produces melanin
Dermis
o Hair follicles and sweat glands
o Regulates temperature & supplies blood
o Pressure receptors and nerve endings
Hypodermis
o Attaches the skin to the muscle and bone
Skin diseases
Insects
