Glossary of Common Terms

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Acid Detergent Fiber - Boiling with an acid detergent hydrolyzes the hemicellulose that is free and when is combined with lignin, leaving behind the cellulose and lignin.
Acidosis - Higher than normal acid conditions of the rumen (lower pH). Acute metabolic condition caused by life-threatening sudden engorgement of grain or other easily fermentable substances by cattle not accustomed to such amounts of these feeds.
Additive - Micronutrient, drug or medication added to other ration ingredients to fulfill specific requirements of cattle.
Aerial Portion - The above ground portion of a plant.
Analgesic – a drug that relieves pain.
Ancillary Drug – a drug that is used in addition to the main drug (e.g. antibiotic) to provide other benefits, such as anti-inflammatory (e.g. aspirin).
Anaerobic - An organism living in the absence of air or molecular oxygen, such those bacteria which produce organic acids in silage or reside in the reticulo-rumen of cattle.
Anesthetic – a drug producing anaesthesia (abolishes pain sensation during surgery).
Antacid - an agent that counteracts acidity eg. sodium bicarbonate.
Anthelmintic - an agent destructive to worms. Classified as antinematodal, antitrematoda, anticestodal.
Antibiotic - a chemical substance produced by a micro-organism that has the capacity, in dilute solutions, to kill or inhibit the growth of other micro-organisms.
Antibody (immunoglobulins) - specialized serum proteins produced by white blood cells (B lymphocytes) in response to an immense number of different antigens to which an animal has been exposed.
Anticholinergic – a drug that blocks passage of impulse to the parasympathic nerves. Used commonly in nonspecific treatment of vomiting or diarrhea e.g. atropine.
Antifungal - an agent that destroys or checks the growth of fungi.
Antigen - any substance which is capable, under appropriate conditions, of inducing a specific immune response and of reacting with the products of that response; that is, with specific antibody e.g. toxins, foreign proteins, bacteria, viruses.
Antihistamine - a drug that counteracts the effects of histamine, which is a chemical found in body tissues and causes dilatation and increases permeability of small blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, contracts smooth muscles, increases gastric acid secretion, and increases heart rate. It is a mediator of immediate hypersensitivity and a neurotransmitter.
Anti-inflammatory - drugs that are used to reduce the inflammatory response to infectious agents, trauma, surgical procedures or in musculoskeletal disease e.g. aspirin.
Antimicrobial - an agent that kills micro-organisms or suppresses their growth e.g. sulphonomides.
Anti-parasitic (Parasiticide) - an agent that destroys parasites.
Antipyretic - an agent that relieves fever e.g. cold packs, aspirin.
Antiseptic - any substance that inhibits the growth of bacteria, in contrast to a germicide, which kills bacteria outright. The term antiseptic does not include antibiotics, but it does include disinfectants. Includes physical antiseptics, chemical antiseptics, halogens, alcohol, and surfactants.
Antiserum - a serum containing antibodies usually obtained from an animal that has been exposed to antigen either by injection into tissues or blood or by infection. It is used in the prevention, treatment or diagnosis of infectious disease.
Antitoxin - a particular kind of antibody produced in the body in response to the presence of a toxin or toxoid.
As-fed - Descriptive term denoting the dry matter content of feeds when they were fed to cattle.
Astringent - an agent that causes contraction or stops discharges e.g. tannic acid used in treating diarrhea.
Autogenous vaccine - a vaccine prepared from cultures of material derived from a lesion of the animal to be vaccinated.
Average Daily Gain - ADG, daily net liveweight gain calculated from pay-weight to pay-weight.
Bacteria - a single-celled micro-organism that differs from all other organisms in lacking a true nucleus and organelles such as mitochondria, chloroplast and lysosomes eg. Pasteurella haemolytica, Haemophilus somnus, E.coli 0157:H7, Clostridia, Salmonella.
Bacterin – a vaccine consisting of killed bacteria.
Balanced Ration - A diet or ration possessing known required nutrients in proper quantities for the normal physiological functions of an animal.
Biologic - a medicinal preparation made from living organisms and their products; these include serum, vaccines, etc.
Biological Hazards – occur from pathogenic microorganisms that can lead to foodborne disease. These pathogens, such as E.Coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella, are found in the intestinal tracts of cattle. This is one of the more difficult areas to control on farm, but the risks are minimized with proper bedding and pen cleaning procedures, which will reduce the amount of manure contamination on the hide of the animal before reaching the processing plant. One highly publicized crisis in the past few years was BSE (Bovine Sprongiform Encephalopathy). This neurological degenerative disease incident occurred in Britain in 1996. It decimated the British beef industry. Canada has been diligent in preventing this disease with regulatory and surveillance programs, including a regulation preventing the use of ruminant protein by-products in ruminant feed.
Bovine - Refers to species of cattle.
Brix - Originally used to describe molasses sucrose content when each 1% sucrose equaled one Brix. Today specific gravity of molasses is used to closely approximate Brix content.
Chemical Hazards – occur when a chemical is introduced to an animal and remains until slaughter as a residue. Cattle may be exposed to chemical residues through the improper use of vaccinations, medicating ingredients, implants and insecticides. This is controlled through proper application and adherence to withdrawal times. Chemicals can also enter cattle through products related to feeding, such as fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and pesticides. This can be controlled through proper production, purchasing, receiving and testing of feed products.
Chemicals - Substances applied to crops or feedstuffs such as pesticides, herbicides, surfactants or preservatives; substances applied to or fed to cattle such as ionophores, dips, sprays and medications. Most have strict application limits; all should be used in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer. All unused portions must be properly disposed.
Cleaned Grain - Grain subjected to scalping, aspiration, magnet or other techniques to remove foreign materials which may be either injurious to cattle or have no nutritional value, i.e. nails, rocks, dirt, etc.
Concentrate - Feedstuffs with less than 20% crude protein and less than 20% fat. Considered a concentrated source of energy such as grains and molasses.
Condrometer - Device used to determine bushel weight of feed grains expressed in kg/hL or lb/bu.
Consultant Formula Feed - is a feed formulated and manufactured by a seller to meet requirements of a specific purchaser and it is not intended for resale by purchaser.
Controlled Drugs - availability and use of drug controlled by law. Control at various levels depending on degree of danger associated with uncontrolled use of drug. Includes amphetamines, barbiturates, etc. Controlled drugs require a prescription and can only be provided to an in-patient or an out-patient of a veterinary hospital.
Cooked - Feedstuffs heated in presence of moisture to alter chemical and/or physical characteristics to aid in digestive processes.
Cooled - Temperature of feedstuffs reduced by air movement, often associated with drying.
Cracked - Kernel of dry grain reduced into coarse size particles by breaking and crushing action of roller mill.
Crimped - Kernel of grain rolled by use of corrugated rollers often proceeded by tempering or cooking.
Crude Fat - A feedstuff component soluble in ether or alcohol; insoluble in water. Referred to as ‘ether extract’. Recognized as processing 2.25 times more feed energy than concentrates.
Crude Fiber - Feedstuff component represented by the relatively less digestible structural plant carbohydrates of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose as compared to the rapidly digestible carbohydrates of starch.
Crude Protein - Nitrogen of feedstuff proteins x 6.25, derived from the fact that wheat protein contained about 16% nitrogen on average (100 divided by 16 = 6.25).
Customer Formula Feed - is a feed manufactured according to a formula supplied by a customer, e.g. livestock producer. It is not intended for resale by the customer purchasing it.
Days-on-Feed - Interval cattle are fed expressed in days. A calf that arrived in a feedlot on July 1 and departed July 31 of the same year represents 30 days on feed. (Not 31 days, as the first and last days are only fractions of a day).
Dehulled - Removal of outer covering of grains or other seeds.
Detergent - an agent that purifies or cleanses e.g. soap. Most are not poisonous if properly diluted.
Disinfectant - an agent that destroys infection-producing organisms. Generally disinfectants are applied to inanimate objects such as floors and equipment, since they are usually too strong to be use on living tissue.
Diuretic - an agent that promotes urine secretion.
Drug - any substance, whether or not produced in whole or in part by synthetic process, manufactured, sold or represented for use in: 1) the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of a disease, disorder, abnormal physical state, or symptoms thereof in man or animal; 2) restoring, correcting or modifying organic functions in man or animal, or 3) disinfection of premises in which foods are manufactured or kept.
Drug adverse reaction - any unexpected side effects, injury, toxicity, or sensitivity reaction associated with use of a drug; any unusual failure of drug to produce expected pharmacological activity.
Drug Allergy (hypersensitivity) - hypersensitivity to a drug such as anaphylaxis, cutaneous reaction.
Drug Antagonism - drugs that compete for receptors. They may have no pharmacological effect of their own or they may be capable of reversing or altering an affect already achieved.
Drug Combinations - a pharmaceutical strategy of combining several drugs into one formulation to provide for a specific requirement e.g. antibiotic combined with an anti-inflammatory agent in a mastitis ointment. It has the disadvantage that the dose of one drug is determined by the dose of the other. In most cases it is better to be able to control each drug independently.
Drug Incompatibility - may be chemical e.g. drugs react with each other and precipitate, produce gas or similar effect, or pharmacological in that the effects of the two drugs on tissues are opposite, or pharmaceutical e.g. insoluble, immiscible.
Drug Residue - the amount of drug that can be detected in tissues at specified times after administration of the drug ceases.
Drug Safety Margin - the magnitude of the difference between the dose required to produce a maximum therapeutic effect and that which produces a toxic effect. Registering authorities require this information.
Drug Synergism - the joint action of drugs so that their combined effect is greater than the algebraic sum of the individual parts e.g. antibiotic synergism.
Dry Matter - The weight of a sample remaining after subjected to a standardized procedure of drying removing all moisture (water). All nutrients are contained in the remaining dry matter.
Energy - Feed energy is the major nutrient (in quantity) present in feedlot rations. All nutrients, except water and minerals, yield energy following digestion, adsorption and metabolism by cattle. Feed energy is measured in various units with Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), Net Energy for maintenance (NEm) and Net Energy for gain (NEg) most commonly used for beef cattle.
Expiration Date - means the earlier of 1) the date until which a drug maintains its labelled potency, purity and physical characteristics, and 2) the date after which the manufacturer recommends that the drug not be used.
Extract Vaccine - a vaccine containing a concentrated preparation of the antigen. Usually the bacterial cells are suspended in buffer and broken up and nothing is removed.
Extracted - The process of removing fats and oils (lipids) from oil seeds such as flax and canola with solvents and pressure. Hulls and meals remain as primary products after lipids are extracted.
Extra-label Use (Off-label) - refers to the actual or intended use of a new animal drug in a food-producing animal in a manner that is not in accordance with the drug labelling. This includes, but is not limited to: 1) use in species or for indications (disease or other conditions) not listed in the labelling, 2) use at dosage levels different than those stated on the labelling, 3) use of a different route, frequency, duration or timing of treatment, and 4) failure to observe the stated withdrawal period. Any person using or prescribing extra-label use of drugs is subject to regulatory action for any violative drug residues found in human food.
Fatty Acid - A specific group of lipids characterized by a relatively long carbon chain with one or more carboxyl groups. Fatty acids such as acetic and butyric acids result from the fermentive digestion processes of microbes in the reticulo-rumen of cattle.
Feed Conversion - The quantity of feed dry matter required to produce one unit (pound or kilogram) of net liveweight gain in cattle.
Feed Mark-up - A per tonne charge assigned to the feed to cover feedlot operational cost and services that are provided to cattle and clients of commercial feedlots.
Flakes - Kernels of grain steam conditioned prior to extensive rolling to result in thin flat particles.
Flushing - Passing of a substance through equipment to clean out a previous substance.
Forage - Crops and range grasses used as pasture, hay, haylage, silage, or green chop for cattle feed.
Foreign Matter - Any substance not specified as part of the primary product, such as the presence of rocks in grain.
Gelatinisation - Disruption of the integrity of starch molecules common to the process of steam flaking of grains to enhance digestibility.
Groat - Grain from which the seed coat or hull has been removed, such as oat groats.
Ground - Reduction of grain or forage into smaller particles by impact, shearing or attrition.
Haematinic - an agent that improves the quality of blood, increasing the haemoglobin level and the number of red blood cells, e.g. iron, liver extract, B complex vitamins.
Haemostatic - an agent that checks the flow of blood.
Haylage - Medium moisture silage of 40 to 60% moisture conserved by controlled fermentation in near anaerobic (oxygen limited) conditions.
Head Days - The number of days represented by a lot of cattle on-feed. Calculated by multiplying days on feed by number of head represented.
Hormone - a chemical transmitter substance produced by cells of the body and transported by the bloodstream to the cells and organs on which it has a specific regulatory effect. Growth, reproduction, metabolic processes, sexual attributes, and behaviour are dependent on hormones.
Hulls - Outer protective covering of grain or other seeds.
Immunity - the condition of being immune; security against a particular disease.
Ingredient - Term used to describe individual feedstuffs and other constituents of a ration.
Ionophores - any molecule, as of a drug, that increases the permeability of cell membranes to a specific ion (an atom or group of atoms having a positive or negative electric charge). E.g. monensin, lasolocid, salinomycin.
Killed Vaccine - a vaccine prepared from live micro-organisms that have lost their virulence but retained their ability to induce protective immunity.
Medicine - includes all drugs for internal or external use in man or animal, any substance or mixture of substances intended to be used for treatment, mitigation or prevention of disease or pain in man or animal.
Metabolic Heat - The heat produced by the body of cattle as metabolic processes proceed. This heat is potentially desirable to warm the animal in cold weather, but becomes a liability in hot weather.
Microingredients - Ingredients, such as vitamins and trace minerals, added to a ration in relatively small quantities measured in mg/kg, International units (IU), or parts per million (ppm).
Modified Live Virus Vaccine - a vaccine prepared from live attenuated micro-organisms.
Multivalent (polyvalent) Vaccine - a vaccine prepared from more than one strain or species of micro-organisms.
Mycotoxin - Toxins produced by fungi or bacteria, sometimes present in mouldy or other out-of-condition feeds.
Narcotics - includes drugs such as opium, codeine, morphine, meperidine, etc. Most narcotics for cattle require a prescription by a licensed veterinarian.
Neutral Detergent Fiber - Boiling the sample with neutral detergent solubilizes the cell contents and pectin leaving behind the cell-wall fraction containing cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.
Non-Prescription Drugs – Schedule F, Part II - If the label indicates "For Veterinary or Agricultural Use Only" or if the product is in a dosage form unsuitable for humans, these drugs may be sold without a prescription. However, it is the veterinarian’s professional responsibility to provide adequate information (e.g. withdrawal periods) and to make a reasonable effort to determine the appropriateness of their use.
NRC – National Research Council establishes guidelines on the minimum nutrient requirements for livestock.
Nutrient - Anything nutritious; that which supports life functions through metabolic and physiological processes.
Parasite - a plant or animal that lives upon or within another living organism at whose expense it obtains some advantage e.g. Nematodes - roundworm; Arthropods - includes spiders, insects, crustaceans; Cestodes - tapeworms; Eimeria - coccidia; Fasciola- liver fluke.
Parenteral Use - administration of a drug by a hypodermic syringe, needle or other instrument through or into the skin or mucous membrane.
Pay-weight - The weight of cattle when purchased or sold. Either natural (biological) or calculated (pencil) shrinkage of 3 to 5% is commonly applied to the scale weight in calculating pay-weight.
Pellets - Feeds formed into a cylindrical shape by grinding followed by steaming and compacting while passing through die openings. Improve physical handling and mixing characteristics of many feeds.
Pesticide - a poison used to destroy pests of any sort e.g. organophosphorus compounds, pyrethroids.
Physical Hazards – involve items that can appear in carcasses such as broken needles, buckshot and assorted metals (nails, broken implements, etc). Practices related to careful vaccination, treatment protocols and feedlot clean up and maintenance can eliminate most of these hazards.
Premix - A uniform mixture of micro-ingredients combined with a dilutent and/or carrier to facilitate uniform dispersion of micro-ingredients in feeds.
Prescription - is a written or verbal order for a medication stating amount of drug or mixture of drugs for a specific patient, from a licensed veterinarian with whom they have a proper veterinarian/client/patient relationship.
Prescription Drugs - Schedule F Part I [Pr] - 1) are restricted to sale and use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian to protect the drugs therapeutic usefulness or to minimise harm; 2) require a proper diagnosis of the case or full and recent knowledge of the health of the particular animals; 3) are not available "on demand"; 4) can not be sold over-the-counter by non-professional staff; 5) must be adequately labelled with specific instructions for use.
Probiotic - hypothetical substances in the alimentary tract that aid in establishing the best balance of micro-organisms e.g. Lactobacillus.
Prostaglandin - a naturally occurring fatty acid that stimulates contraction of smooth muscle, lowers blood pressure, regulates stomach acid secretion, regulates body temperature and platelet aggregation, controls inflammation and blood vessel permeability, affects action of certain hormones. Main use in cattle is in treatment and regulation of activity of the female reproductive tract.
Protein - Substance composed of many amino acids, such as muscle tissue and legume seeds. Also required for growth and development of cattle. Feeds with greater than 20% crude protein is classified as protein supplements.
Quality - Attributes seen as advantageous to success such as feed quality controls.
Ration - Amount of total feed allowed per animal per day most accurately expressed in pounds of ration dry matter.
Refractometer - An instrument designed to measure refraction (bending of light rays) of liquid supplements to determine if separation of components has occurred.
Reconstitution - The process of adding water to feeds to restore them to a previous moisture level to enhance nutritional characteristics.
Reticulo-rumen - The first and second compartments of the stomach of cattle where most of the fermentative digestion takes place, allowing cattle to digest large amounts of roughage in the presence of microorganisms.
Rolled - Kernels of grain compressed between rollers reducing particle size as a means of enhancing digestibility. May be proceeded by tempering or conditioning.
Roughage - Any feedstuff with greater than 20% crude fiber such as hay, silage and grasses.
Ruminatoric - biochemical regulator of the rumen.
Salmonella-A pathogenic organism sometimes present in contaminated feeds.
Scalped - The process of removing large foreign objects and materials from feeds by screening.
Screened - Separation of feeds into various size portions by passing them over or through screens.
Screenings - Weed seeds, broken and undersized grain and other materials within grain which pass through screens of a specific dimension.
Serum - the clear, straw-coloured, liquid portion of the blood plasma that does not contain fibrinogen or blood cells, and remains fluid after clotting of blood.
Silage - Aerial portion of living plants harvested, chopped and compacted into a silo as a means of preserving livestock feeds dating from Egyptian times.
Starch - Combination of complex sugar molecules common to grains, which provide readily fermentable energy to cattle upon digestion.
Steady-State - Refers to the consistency of feed and feeding conditions.
Steamed - Grains treated with steam while passing through a chamber to enhance their nutritional characteristics.
Steriods - a complex molecule such as male and female sex hormones (testosterone, oestrogen), and the hormones from the cortices of the adrenal glands, including cortisone.
Subunit Vaccine - a vaccine containing only specific antigenic proteins of the infectious agent.
Supplement - Any feed or combination of feeds to improve the nutritional characteristics of the primary diet or feedstuffs.
Tag - dirt and manure on the hide of an animal.
Tempered - Grains exposed to water by mixing and soaking for short intervals of time prior to rolling or grinding to enhance nutritional characteristics of the grain.
Test Weight - Commercial grain industry measure of density (purity) of grains expressed as kg/hL or lb/bu as measured with an approved condrometer.
TFM - Total Fatty Matter.
TMR - Total Mixed Ration.TMR is a concept central to quality control of rations, which directly influences cattle performance. By reducing particle size of roughage, it is possible to combine them with other processed feed ingredients resulting in uniform ration characteristics as opposed to feeding roughages, such as hays, separately. When these conditions are achieved, it is technically possible to have consistency in each and every mouthful of feed consumed by cattle. This becomes extremely important in achieving a near ‘steady state’ environment to support normal (and optimum) reticulo-rumen functions of cattle.
Toxoid - a toxin treated by heat or chemical agent to destroy its deleterious properties without destroying its ability to combine with or stimulate the formation of antibody (antitoxin) e.g. Clostridial vaccines.
Trace Minerals - Minerals required by cattle in minute or micro quantities measured in mg/kg or smaller units.
Tranquilizer – a compound that calms or quiets an anxious patient.
Trash - Straw, chaff, leaves etc. retained on a specified screen when screening grain, expressed as a percentage by volume.
Unsaponifiable Matter - Either soluble material extractable after complete reaction with strong alkali.
Vaccination (immunization) - the process of rendering an animal immune.
Vaccine - a suspension of attenuated or killed micro-organisms (viruses, bacteria, rickettsiae) administered for prevention, amelioration or treatment of infectious diseases.
Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship - 1) the veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making medical judgements regarding the health of the animals and the need for medical treatment, and the client (owner or caretaker) has agreed to follow the instructions of the veterinarian; and when 2) there is sufficient knowledge of the animal(s) by the vet to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal(s) by virtue of an examination of the animal(s) and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animals(s) are kept; and when 3) the practising vet is readily available for follow-up in case of adverse reactions or failure of the regimen of therapy.
Veterinary Prescription Feeds - are medicated feeds manufactured according to a written prescription supplied by a licensed veterinarian.
Viruses - any member of a unique class of infectious agents, which were originally distinguished by their smallness and their inability to replicate outside a living host cell e.g. IBR, BRSV, BVD, PI3.
Vitamin - A vital nutrient. Organic compounds that function as part of biological enzyme systems essential to normal metabolic subcellular functioning of cattle, especially energy transformation and metabolic regulations.
Weevily - Presence of insect damage to the feedstuff.
Withdrawal Period - the time required for the residue of the particular drug in the food to fall to the tolerance level.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z