Livestock production has professional terminologies that help us communicate accurately. Understanding growth stages and physiological states of goats, sheep, and cattle improves knowledge and promotes proper management. Use terms correctly.

In goats, a mature female is called doe or nanny, while a young female is a doeling. A male goat is a billy, and young goats are kids. Know this.

For sheep, ewe refers to mature females, while ram identifies mature males. Lambs are young sheep and wethers are castrated males known for calm behavior. Avoid calling all sheep Aguntan.

In cattle, cow means mature female cattle, bull means mature male cattle, heifer is a female yet to give birth, and steer is castrated male cattle. Use cattle terms wisely.

A stud is a registered breeding male animal. Dairy animals are raised for milk production, intact males remain uncastrated, and parity shows births by females. Professional language builds farming excellence.

Good day everyone, thank you for reading and supporting this educational piece.

Abdullah Opeyemi Akande
B.Agric. (FUNAAB)
GAS (NIAS)
M.Sc. Animal Sci. (UI)
RAS (NIAS)
M.Sc. Int’l Business (UU, UK)
Ph.D. in view