Glossary - Raising Sheep - page 418

jug . A small pen large enough for just one ewe and her offspring, generally
used for several days after birthing.
ked . An external parasite that affects sheep; sometimes referred to as a
sheep tick, but actually the organism is a fl at, brown, wingless fl y.
lactation . The period during which a ewe is producing milk.
lamb . Newborn or immature sheep, typically under 1 year of age.
lanolin . The naturally occurring “grease” that coats wool.
long wool . Wool that is 12 to 15 inches (30.5 to 38.1 cm) long, typically from
the Lincoln, Leicester, and Cotswold breeds.
luster . The natural gloss or sheen of a fl eece.
maintenance requirement . Feed ration required to maintain an animal's
condition at rest; does not provide adequate nutrition for growth.
mastitis . Infection of the mammary gland or udder.
meconium . The fi rst manure passed by a lamb.
milk letdown . A physiological process that allows milk to be removed from
the udder by sucking or mechanical means.
minor breeds . Those breeds that have fallen from favor in commercial agri-
culture; consequently their numbers decrease — sometimes to the extent
that a breed becomes endangered or extinct.
mutton . Meat from a mature or aged sheep.
open face . A sheep that doesn't have much wool around the eyes and
cheeks.
Ovis aries . Scientifi c name for domestic sheep.
oxytocin . A hormone that controls milk letdown.
packers . Animals that are destined to go to the butcher; cull ewes and rams.
palatable . Acceptable taste and quality for an animal to readily ingest.
papered . See registered.
pathogen . A disease-causing organism.
pelt . The skin from a slaughtered sheep that still has the wool on it.
physiological . Pertaining to the science that deals with the functions of liv-
ing organisms.
piebald . An animal that is spotted.
polled . Naturally hornless.
purebred . Purebred animals have 100 percent of their bloodlines coming
from one breed.
quarantine . Keeping an animal isolated from other animals to prevent
spread of infection.
ram . Mature male; also called buck.