Animal Category

Animal Type

Description

Cattle

Dairy-Heifer Replacements

These are immature cows prior to their first calving and lactation period which are being raised to replace the mature, lactating cows currently in the herd.

Dairy-Dry Cows

Mature cows not producing milk during the recovery period between lactation and calving fall in this category

Dairy-Lactating Cows

Lactating bovines from which the milk produced is intended for human consumption, or is fed to calves and replacement dairy heifers.

Grazing Cow-Calf Pairs

Previously categorized as Beef-Mature Cows/Cow-Calf,  these are sexually mature female bovines that have calved at least once. Cow-calf pairs with suckling or weaned calves in a breeding herd fall into this category.

Grazing Stockers

Weaned bovines (castrated if male) fed high-roughage diets (including grass hay and on pasture/rangeland) before going into a feedlot.

Grazing Bulls

Mature bovine males of breeding age fall in this category. 

Feedlot Cattle

These are steers and heifers, and mature cattle fed concentrates in a feedlot, usually until market weight is reached.

Poultry

Broilers

Chickens, sometimes called “fryers”, reared primarily for meat.

Ducks

Ducks reared for eggs or meat.

Laying Hens

Chickens reared to lay eggs

Turkeys

Turkeys reared for meat.

Swine

Growing Swine

Growing swine includes grow-finish pigs, male and female pigs being fed concentrate after nursery and before market. Growing swines’ function is to grow quickly and efficiently before market.

Breeding Swine

Includes gestating sows, lactating sows, and weaning pigs; these are pigs raised to produce large litters of piglets

Other Ruminants

Sheep

Feeder or flock sheep

American Bison

American “buffalo” raised for meat.

Goats

Goats raised for meat or milk production.

Llama & Alpaca

Camelids raised for fiber or as pack/guardian animals

Deer

Cervids raised for meat or other commodity

Other Non-Ruminants

Rabbits

Domestic rabbits raised or bred as livestock for meat, fur, or wool

Horses

Includes any horses raised on the operation, whether for field work, transport, or other tasks

Mules/Asses

Includes any mules, asses, or donkeys raised on the operation, whether for field work, transport, or other tasks

Other Fur Bearing

Includes animals which bear fur of marketable value such as foxes, minks, squirrels, etc.