Cattle terms you need to know: Part 1

In this first of a three-part series, we give an explanation of terms used in cattle production that all farmers and aspiring farmers need to know.

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (AI): This aims to produce a pregnancy without the need for natural mating. It involves the collection of semen from a bull, or another male animal, and its deposition into the reproductive tract of a female animal, such as a cow, at the appropriate time during her oestrous cycle. This process allows for the genetic improvement of livestock and other animals by selectively breeding individuals with desirable traits, such as high productivity, disease resistance, or specific physical characteristics. AI is widely used in agriculture and animal husbandry to accelerate genetic progress, increase breeding efficiency, and preserve valuable genetic lines.

AVERAGE DAILY GAIN (ADG): Average daily gain is a crucial metric used in livestock operations, particularly in animal husbandry and agriculture, to assess the growth and productivity of animals over a period, usually measured in days. It refers to the average weight gained by an animal per day during a defined time frame, typically from birth or the start of a feeding programme until a specified endpoint, such as market weight or a predetermined age. ADG is calculated by dividing the total weight gained by the animal during the specified period by the number of days in that period.

ADG = (Final weight – initial weight)/ Number of days

So, if an animal weighs 100kg at the beginning of a 100-day feeding period, and reaches a weight of 250kg at the end of the period, the ADG would be calculated as follows:

(250 – 100)/100 = 1,5