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Veterinary Medicine vocabulary · Animals, Species and Breeds

Herd

Meaning in veterinary medicine, with examples

/hɜːd/nounCore term

In veterinary medicine, herd means: A group of animals of one kind that live, feed or are farmed together, especially cattle, goats, pigs or horses.

In Turkish: sürü

How it is used

In farm practice vets think about the whole herd, not just the individual cow: herd health, herd fertility, herd testing. A herd health plan is agreed with the farmer and reviewed regularly.

Example sentences

  1. Lameness is costing this herd a lot of milk.

  2. We visit the herd every two weeks for fertility checks.

Common collocations

  • dairy herd
  • herd health
  • herd health plan
  • closed herd
  • herd immunity
  • cattleCows, bulls, steers and calves kept for milk or meat. It is a plural noun with no singular form.
  • livestockAnimals kept on farms to produce meat, milk, eggs, wool or other products, such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry.
  • biosecurityThe set of measures used to stop infectious diseases from getting into a farm, clinic or country and from spreading inside it.
  • husbandryThe everyday care and management of farm animals, including housing, feeding, breeding, hygiene and handling.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Animals, Species and Breeds

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.