Colorado Agriscience Curriculum
Section
Animal Science
Unit
Unit 1: Introduction to Animal Science
Lesson Title
Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification and Terminology
Agricultural Education Standards
Standard IAS 9.9: The student will identify the major breeds of livestock
Standard IAS 10.8: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the bases of
livestock selection
Enabler: IAS10.8.6 Define Livestock Terms
Science Standards
Standard SCI3.1: Students know and understand the characteristics of living things, the
diversity of life, and how living things interact with each other and within the
environment
Student Learning Objectives
As a result of this lesson, the student will:
1. Know and understand terms used to describe mature and immature males and
females, and the effect giving birth and castration have on what we call cattle, sheep,
swine, poultry and horses.
2. Briefly review major breeds in cattle, sheep and swine.
Time: Instruction time for this lesson: 50 minutes.
Resources
 http://www.ca.uky.edu/agripedia/classes/ASC106/INDEX.asp
 Scientific Farm Animal Production, Robert E. Taylor, 4th edition
Tools, Equipment, and Supplies
 PowerPoint Presentations on terms and breeds
 Livestock Terms papers (cut up)
 Worksheets
Interest Approach
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification & Terminology
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This activity is modified from the Go Get It e-moment. Before class begins, print off the
page of terms at the end of the lesson and cut them apart. Tape one on the bottom of each
chair, scatter them around the room, or if time is short, just hand them out. Also, draw a
large version of the empty terminology chart on the board.
Welcome, under your seat, you’ll find a piece of paper containing a term. Get that piece
of paper now and get ready with a pen or pencil and your terminology worksheet.
Here in a minute, we will need to see how much you know about livestock terminology.
Many of you may find this to be review or common sense and that’s great! You will serve
as our experts today. For a minute, ignore the term you found under your seat and focus
on your worksheet. You have one minute to fill in as much of the table as you can. Don’t
worry if you have to guess. We’ll check the answers. “Go.”
After one minute, ask students to put their pencils down and to raise their hands if they
believe they have 100% correct; decrease the amount think they are correct in increments
of 10% until all students have raised their hands. Explain that no matter where they
raised their hand, today is about giving them all 100%.
Summary of Content and Teaching Strategies
Objective 1
Know and understand terms used to describe mature and immature males
and females, and the effect giving birth and castration have on what we call
cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and horses.
Each of you has one term that belongs on the chart I have put on the board. So we are
going to go through them, one species at a time, and make sure we all know the correct
terms to use as we study animal science. Let’s start with cattle. If you have a term that
applies to cattle, bring it up and tape it in the correct spot. (After they are put on board,
check with master copy to see that they are correct. Continue this process until the chart
is complete. Remind students to fill in their own charts or correct them as they go.)
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification & Terminology
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TERMS
Giving
Birth
Newborn
Young
Male
Young Mature Mature Castrated
Female Male Female
Male
Cattle
Calving
Calf
Bull
Heifer
Bull
Cow
Steer
Sheep
Lambing
Lamb
Ram
Ewe
Ram
Ewe
Wether
Swine
Farrowing Piglet
Boar
Gilt
Boar
Sow
Barrow
Horses
Foaling
Foal
Colt
Filly
Stallion Mare
Gelding
Chickens
Laying
Chicks
Cockerel Pullet
Rooster Hen
Capon
Now, let’s view this PowerPoint presentation to review and practice these terms.
In the presentation, they are organized by species. Every time you push the arrow, it will
answer another term. Ask the class to answer them, and then check their response by
pushing the forward arrow key. Listed below is the content of each slide.
Cattle
Giving Birth: calving
Newly Born: calf
Young Male: bull
Young Female: heifer
Mature Male: bull
Mature Female: cow
Castrated Male: steer
Sheep
Giving Birth: lambing
Newly Born: lamb
Young Male: ram
Young Female: ewe
Mature Male: ram
Mature Female: ewe
Castrated Male: wether
Swine
Giving Birth: farrowing
Newly Born: piglet
Young Male: boar
Young Female: gilt
Mature Male: boar
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification & Terminology
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Mature Female: sow
Castrated Male: barrow
Horses
Giving Birth: foaling
Newly Born: foal
Young Male: colt
Young Female: filly
Mature Male: mare
Mature Female: stallion
Castrated Male: gelding
Chickens
Giving Birth: laying
Newly Born: chick
Young Male: cockerel
Young Female: pullet
Mature Male: rooster
Mature Female: hen
Castrated Male: capon
Objective 2
Briefly review major breeds in cattle, sheep, and swine.
This class is written at the level where students should have already studied in depth the
major breeds of each species. This activity is meant only to review the main ones for
identification and general knowledge purposes. Therefore, only five main breeds are
studied in each species. As you see fit, please feel free to describe more to your class.
It’s time to test your knowledge and review some of the basic breeds of livestock. I know
there are many of you that understand and know of lots of breeds, so as we go through
these it should be more of a class discussion so you can share your knowledge with each
other. (Flip through slides discussing the breeds and traits. If you’re short on time, you
could go through one species a day for the first week in order to familiarize students with
them again.)
Review/Summary
The best way of learning these terms is repetition. For review, use any of the e-moment
activities to review, or simply quiz the class orally.
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification & Terminology
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Application
Extended classroom activity:
 Students each pick one breed of animal, making sure everyone has a different breed.
They research their breeds and create 81/2 x 11 posters of the traits of their breeds.
Hang these up as a classroom display.
FFA activity:
 Using the LifeKnowldege CD, Print HS 104. It could be used in the following
way. Outline the qualities of service animals (seeing-eye dogs, primates for
paraplegics) that make them ideal for aiding special needs individuals. Relate this
to the characteristics of FFA that make it a perfect organization to serve
agriculture students.
SAE activity:
 Ask students what breeds of livestock are predominantly shown at the county and
state fairs. Discuss what characteristics these breeds posses that makes them so
popular. Why aren’t more breeds seen?
Evaluation
For the quiz over this information, use a clean copy of the worksheet.
Answers to Assessment:
See table under objective #1
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification & Terminology
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Animal Terminology (Cut apart)
Calving
Lambing
Farrowing
Foaling
Laying
Capon
Gelding
Barrow
Wether
Bull
Pullet
Calf
Lamb
Piglet
Foal
Chicks
Steer
Hen
Mare
Sow
Boar
Filly
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification & Terminology
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Ewe
Gilt
Stallion
Cow
Bull
Boar
Cockerel
Heifer
Ram
Rooster
Ewe
Ram
Colt
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification & Terminology
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Livestock Terminology Worksheet / Quiz
Name _______________________________________
TERMS
Giving
Birth
Newborn
Young
Male
Date ________________________
Young
Female
Mature
Male
Mature
Female
Castrated
Male
Cattle
Sheep
Swine
Horses
Chickens
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Livestock Breed Classification & Terminology
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