Glossary - Raising Sheep - page 414

band . Used by ranchers running thousands of sheep on a range to signify
one group; like a fl ock but much larger. Also, a small rubber device that
looks like a little doughnut that is used for castrating and docking.
black wool . Any wool containing black, or dark, fi bers.
bloat . A disorder characterized by an abnormal accumulation of gas in the
rumen. Bloat is often fatal if not caught and treated quickly.
blood grading . The degree of fi neness of wool; measured as a fraction.
Originally, the fraction indicated the portion of Merino blood in the
animal.
body condition scoring . A system of assessing the condition a sheep is in,
with scores ranging from 1 to 5, with 1 being thin and 5 being fat.
bolus . Regurgitated food that is being chewed or has been chewed and is
ready to be swallowed (also called cud ); a large pill for animals.
breech . The buttocks; a birth in which the fetus is presented “rear” fi rst.
breed . A like group of animals that have been bred to exhibit certain defi n-
able, inherited traits; the mating of animals.
bright wool . Light, clean wool.
broken mouth . Old ewe or ram that has lost teeth. The condition usually
begins around 4 years of age.
browse . Woody or brushy plants that can be eaten.
buck . Mature male; also called ram.
bummer . A lamb that has to be bottle-fed by the shepherd. Usually an
orphan, though sometimes a lamb whose mother doesn't produce enough
milk for multiple lambs.
Burdizzo . A tool used to castrate lambs by severing the cord without break-
ing the skin.
bushel . A unit of capacity approximately equal to 1.25 cu ft (37.5 cm 3 ).
carcass . The dressed body of a meat animal from which internal organs and
offal have been removed.
carding . An operation that converts loose, clean wool into continuous,
untwisted strands. May be done with hand cards or a carding machine.
carpet wool . Coarse, harsh, strong wool suitable for producing carpets.
carrier . An animal that carries a disease but doesn't show signs of it.
carrying capacity . The number of animals a piece of land is capable of sus-
taining for a given period of time.
castrate . To remove the testicles from a ram so he is permanently incapable
of breeding.