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A Beginning Farmer’s Guide to Words, Terms and Definitions

A Beginning Farmer’s Guide to Agriculture Words, Terms and Defnitions l A Compiled by:

Mitchell Mote, Extension Agent, Rutherford County Andrew P. Griffth, Associate Professor, Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics Kevin Rose, Extension County Director, Giles County Troy Dugger, Program Coordinator, Center for Proftable Agriculture

INTRODUCTION

This document is designed as a guide to help new or beginning farmers understand agriculture terminology. There are many terms related to different aspects of agriculture that may not be known to those who have not been involved in farming or have very little farming experience. Many of these terms and their meaning can be found in this document. While this list is not exhaustive of all the terms used in the feld of agriculture, it is prepared with the hope that the terms found in this guide will be useful and provide new and beginning farmers a foundation to better understand agriculture.

How to “Talk” Farming Avian

HOW TO TALK FARMING A beginning farmer's guide to Agriculture Words, Terms and Definitions

Acidic: A pH of less than 7.0. The Apiary: A place where honeybees are Avian: Pertaining to and/or fowl. lower the number, the more acidic the kept; colonies of in hives. soil will be. The pH scale ranges from Backgrounding: The feeding and 0 to 14, with 7 as neutral. : The commercial management of animals from production of aquatic or animals the time they are weaned as calves Acre: U.S. standard unit of in a controlled environment. until they are on a fnishing ration in measurement for agricultural land. It is the . equivalent to 43,560 square feet. : A system of aquaculture in which the waste produced by Bareroot: Dormant plants, ready for Aeration: Involves the process farmed fsh or other aquatic animals transplanting, shipping or storage with of creating small holes in the soil, supplies for plants grown exposed roots (soil removed). allowing air, water and nutrients to hydroponically, which, in turn, purifes travel to the roots. the water. Barrow: Male castrated before sexual maturity. : The science of Artifcial Insemination (AI): The production. mechanical injection of semen into Basis: The difference between the the womb of the female animal with a cash market price and the futures Alkaline: A soil pH of more than 7.0. The syringe-like apparatus. market price of a commodity. higher the number, the more alkaline (base) the soil will be. The pH scale Auction: A method of marketing Best Management Practices (BMP): ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 as neutral. and/or produce through which A practice or combination of practices an auctioneer sells to the highest bidder. determined to be effective and practical Alliance: An association formed for (given technological, economic and mutual beneft, such as in the , Auction Market/Auction : A institutional considerations) to manage grape/wine or other industry (horizontal facility where livestock producers nutrients to protect surface and or vertical) to improve proftability with and fruit and growers bring groundwater as well as . increased coordination of production, commodities to be sold via auction. processing and/or merchandising. This is the most common method of Biennial: A plant, or portion of a plant, marketing livestock. Auction markets that completes its life cycle in two : The proper primarily host live sales of livestock years. (Example: plants breeding, feeding and care of on the premises, while some auction have biennial canes and perennial animals. markets also host video sales. root systems).

Annual: A plant that completes its Available Water Holding Capacity Bloat: An abnormal condition life cycle by growing from a (AWHC): The quantity of water held in characterized by a and producing more seed for future in soil that is available for plants to distension of the due to an before its death in one year or use. As a rule, the deeper the soil, the accumulation of gases. Can occur growing season. greater its AWHC. in animals lush, wet, when they are hungry.

Apiary

A Beginning Farmer’s Guide to Agriculture Words, Terms and Defnitions l 1 Bovine

Boar: Intact (not castrated) male pig. Broadcast: Method of seeding, Cockerel: A young rooster not more fertilizing or application where than a year old. Body Condition Scoring (BCS): the material is spread in a wide pattern The relative fatness of an animal as onto the soil surface. Colt: A male or pony 4 years determined by a visual assessment of age or younger that has not been of the amount of fat and muscle Buck: A male . Also referred to castrated. covering the of livestock. Body as “billy.” Condition is generally scored on a 1 to : The belief that 9 scale for and , and a 1 Bull: A sexually mature, uncastrated two plants growing near each other to 5 scale for swine, and bovine. produce mutual benefts. animals. Regardless of species, the Burndown: A method of preparing felds : Organic residues, or a lower the number indicates a thinner for no-till seeding by using a mixture of organic residues and soil, animal. A number 1 score indicates that kills all growing vegetation. that have been piled, moistened emaciated, and the highest score and allowed to undergo biological indicates very obese. Calf: A young male or female bovine decomposition for use in . animal under 1 year of age. Bolting: When a plant produces Conservation : Designed to fowers or prematurely instead Capon: A male castrated minimize soil ; any of several of a crop. This is usually the result of before reaching sexual maturity. farming methods providing for seed excessive heat and sun exposure. germination, plant growth and weed Caprine: Of, relating to, or being a goat. Boner: A moderate conditioned cull control while maintaining effective cow with a body condition score of 5 Carrying Capacity: Refers to the ground cover throughout the years or 6. Most well-conditioned cows fall in number of animals a can and minimal disturbance of the soil. this category. sustain without degradation during a No-till is the most restrictive form of given grazing period. conservation tillage. Other practices or Boot: Stage of grass maturity right forms of minimum tillage would include before the seed head emerges. Checkoff Programs: Research and ridge till, strip-till and -till. promotion programs authorized by state Bovine: Family of animals that and/or federal law and fnanced by Continuous Grazing: Refers to a includes beef and . assessments. The programs are paid for grazing system where animals are left to by specifc industry members, such as graze in a feld for an extended period. Breaker: Highest conditioned cull producers, importers and handlers. cow, carrying heavy fesh and having Conventional Tillage/Seeding: Refers a high dressing percent. Dressing Chisel Plow: A soil tillage tool that to a form of feld preparation and percentage is the portion (percentage) consists of a series of straight steel seeding where the soil is moldboard of the live weight that remains in shanks, which when pulled through plowed and/or disked prior to seeding. the carcass. Body condition score is the soil, till only a narrow furrow of soil. generally 7 or higher. This is considered a minimum tillage practice that helps reduce the risk of .

Compost

2 l How to “Talk” Farming Cow Calf Operation

Cover Crop: A close-growing crop that Cultivate: The mechanical removal or Disc or Disk : A harrow with is grown to protect and improve soil destruction of weeds competing with sharp-edged slightly concave discs between periods of regular crops or crops for space, nutrients, water and mounted on horizontal shafts and used between trees and vines in sunlight; also refers to plants grown to cut clods or debris on the surface of and . intentionally as in they cultivated a soil or to cover seed after planting. variety of vegetable crops on their farm. Cow: A mature bovine usually having Doe: A female of the goat, deer or had at least one calf. Cultivation: The act of cultivating. The family. Female with kids are act of caring for and growing plants; sometimes referred to as nanny goats. Cow Calf Operation: A management the ways farmers take care of crops. unit that maintains a breeding herd and Double Cropping: Raising two produces weaned calves. Cutting: A method different crops on the same area within wherein a part of a plant is cut and one growing season. Creep Feeding: The special feeding dipped in a rooting hormone to of calves during the weaning period eventually grow into a new plant. Dressed Weight: The weight of a that helps young animals carcass following removal of hide and transition to -based diets. CWT: Abbreviation for hundredweight entrails. and the unit in which most prices are : The plant material left in quoted ($/cwt.) C for Centum — a Dry Cow: A dairy cow that goes out the feld following the of a crop. hundred; and Wt. for weight. of the milk production herd during the last 45-90 days of pregnancy. The dry : The practice of Dam: The mother or female parent of period is an important resting period for growing different crops in succession an animal. the dairy cow, where fresh udder tissue on the same land. is formed in readiness for lactation, and Dead Heading: The act of pinching or it provides an important opportunity Crop Year: Generally, the 12-month cutting off spent fowers. to rid the udder of many potential period from the end of one year’s pathogens that can cause mastitis. harvest to the next. Deferred Grazing (Stockpiling): Refers to a grazing practice where Dry Matter: Refers to the part of feed Cross-: The transfer of can grow for a period before that is not water. from the anther of a fower to the they are grazed by animals. stigma of another fower in a different (): Any type of plant of the same or different species. Direct Sowing: Germinating seeds fungus living in a plant (endo, within; at the site you want them to grow, phyte, plant) without causing harm to Cull: Refers to animals to be as opposed to growing them indoors the plant’s appearance. eliminated from the livestock operation before transplanting. due to production and/or management Erosion: The process by which soil is reasons or to fruits and not moved from one location to another by meeting minimal market standards. or water.

Double Cropping

A Beginning Farmer’s Guide to Agriculture Words, Terms and Defnitions l 3 Ewe

Equine: Of, relating to, or resembling a Feeder: Refers to a meat-type animal of Foal: Of a horse (equine), up to 1 horse or the horse family. suffcient age and weight to be put into year old. a feedlot for fnishing prior to slaughter. Everblooming: A fower that : Most often refers to the produces a continual supply of blooms Feeder Cattle Grades: A grading corn stalks and leaves left in the feld throughout a season. system for feeder cattle to predict the following harvest, which can be slaughter weight endpoint to a desirable used as a coarse . Ewe: A mature female sheep. fat-to-lean composition. Frame size and thickness are the two criteria used to Forage: Vegetative matter, fresh or Fall Calving Season: A defned determine feeder cattle grades. preserved, that is gathered and fed to calving season where calves are born animals as roughage; includes in late summer to early fall. Utilized Feed Grain: Any of several , corn , pasture and grass- because it generally occurs during the most commonly used for livestock or based hay. warm, dry months of the year, and calf poultry feed, such as corn. prices are usually at their seasonal Founder: The infammation in the foot high at the time of weaning. Feedlot/Feed Yard: An animal feeding of a horse, sheep or goat. This is also operation used to intensively feed and known as laminitis. It can be caused Family: One group used in classifying grow cattle for fnishing. by overeating grain, green forage, organisms. Families consist of several cold weather, severe concussion or similar genera (plural for genus). Fertilizer: One that fertilizes; excessive stress. specifcally: a substance (, Farm: Any agricultural tract of land, plant and animal byproducts, chemical Frame Score: Score based on visual with improvements, generating $1,000 mixtures, etc.) used to make soil more evaluation of skeletal size of a beef or more in sales, or that normally fertile by supplying plant nutrients. animal or by measuring hip height would have been sold in the year, can (from the ground to top of hips) and is be listed as a farm in the U.S. census. Fescue Toxicity: Refers to the toxic calculated as a function of age. effects to animals resulting from the Farm Service Agency (FSA): A branch grazing of tall fescue infected with Freshening: When milk production of the USDA. The FSA administers endophyte fungus. begins in a cow after a calf is born. farm commodity, crop insurance, credit, environmental, conservation and Filly: A female horse or pony up to 4 Full Sun: If a plant requires “full sun” emergency assistance programs for years of age that has not foaled. then it needs at least six hours of direct farmers and ranchers. sunlight each day to thrive. Finishing: Refers to the process of Farrow: To give birth to a litter of . feeding out feeder animals in a feedlot Fungicide: A chemical substance until they reach slaughter weight. used as a spray, dust or disinfectant Fat/Fed/Finished/Live Cattle: Steers to kill fungi infesting plants, animals and heifers fed a -dense Flash Grazing: Refers to the process of or seed. Fungicides may be derived ration for the purpose of growing the heavily stocking an area of pasture for a from natural (organic) or synthetic animals, usually for 90-180 days in a very brief period. This is done to prevent (inorganic) sources. feedlot or until they reach a desired excessive growth of the forage. slaughter weight.

Foal

4 l How to “Talk” Farming

Furrow: Refers to a trench made in the Grass Fed: Livestock raised solely on Hen: An adult female chicken or . soil by tillage equipment. grass, pasture or other forages. Herbicide: Any agent used to destroy Gelding: A castrated male horse. Grass Tetany: A metabolic disorder or inhibit growth of plants. A herbicide of cattle and sheep grazing on lush may be derived from organic or Genus: A group of closely related grass pastures. It is characterized by inorganic materials. species of plants. magnesium defciency. Horticulture: The art and science of Germinate: The beginning of growth in Greenbelt or Greenbelt Law: cultivating plants. a seed; to sprout. Common term for the Agricultural, and Open Land Act of 1976. : The part of soil created from Gilt: A young female swine that has not This law allows qualifed land to be decomposed plant matter. given birth. taxed based on its present use, not at Hybrid: The crossbreeding of two its market value. Genetically Modifed Organism plants of different species or varieties (GMO): They are the result of a Hardy: A plant capable of withstanding with distinct characteristics. specifc type of plant breeding where freeze and/or frost exposure without precise changes are made to the : Growing plants without means of protection. plant’s DNA to give it characteristics soil; using mineral nutrient solutions in that cannot be achieved through Hardiness Zone: A geographically a water solvent. traditional breeding methods. defned zone determined by Insecticide: An agent that controls or Realistically, GMO refers to turning off temperature that categorizes which destroys insects. An insecticide may or moving a gene from one place to plants can thrive where; hardiness be derived from organic or inorganic another within the plant or inserting a zones are designated by a number (1- materials. gene from another source. 11), such as zone 7. books and websites can help in determining Good Agricultural Practices (GAP): Intensive Grazing: Refers to a grazing hardiness zones. Good Agricultural Practices are system by which a pasture is heavily stocked for a small number of days voluntary audits that verify that fruits Hay: Forage harvested during the then allowed to rest before being and vegetables are produced, packed, growing season and preserved for later grazed again. handled and stored as safely as feeding. possible to minimize risks of microbial Kid: A young goat. safety hazards. Heifer: A young female cow that has not calved. Lamb: A young sheep. Graded Feeder Calf Sale: A sale in which feeder calves are graded and Heirloom: An open-pollinated plant : A family of plants with grouped — based on muscling, frame variety that has remained unchanged the ability to fx in the soil, score, color and weight — to form through hybridization for at least 50- thus reducing the amount of nitrogen larger uniform lots for sale. 100 years. fertilizer needed for a crop.

Hydroponics

A Beginning Farmer’s Guide to Agriculture Words, Terms and Defnitions l 5 Moldboard Plow

Liming: Refers to the addition of Natural Resources Conservation : A production limestone or other basic (alkaline) Service (NRCS): A branch of USDA. system completely excluding the use material to raise the soil pH. NRCS is the primary federal agency of synthetically compounded , working with private landowners to or growth regulators. Litter: Live birth of multiple offspring help them conserve, maintain and of animals at one time from the same improve natural resources. The Agency Ornamental: Plants grown for mother. emphasizes voluntary, science-based aesthetics, decorative and/or an conservation; technical assistance; attractive appearance. Loam: Rich soil consisting of partnerships; incentive-based approximately 25 percent clay, 50 Ovine: Of or relating to sheep. programs; and cooperative problem percent silt and less than 50 percent solving at the community level. sand; considered ideal soil for : Refers to the process of allowing animals to graze a pasture for gardening and agriculture. Naturalized: To plant randomly and long periods of time without giving the without a pattern. Load Lot: 48,000 to 50,000 pounds of plants an opportunity to recover. live animals. A common lot size when Nitrogen: A chemical element Paddock: A subdivided section of marketing feeder cattle due to weight essential to all life forms. Nitrogen is pasture used to more effciently graze limits when hauling cattle using a important for plant and animal growth. semitrailer truck. a large feld. No-Till Farming: Designed to control Perennial: Plants living for multiple Mare: A female horse or pony. soil erosion, a farming practice growing seasons. leaving the soil undisturbed except for Moldboard Plow: A farm tool having fertilization and seeding operations. one or more heavy blades to break the Pesticide: Any substance used to control or kill pests, such as insects, soil and cut a furrow prior to sowing. Soil Oddlot: Refers to livestock with a weeds, animals, or microbes; may be is inverted or turned over in the process. physical trait that does not match other organic or synthetic. livestock in a group. Muscling: Amount of lean meat in Pinching Off: The periodic removal of a slaughter animal or carcass and Open Pollination: Plants whose new, freshly grown leaves from a plant estimated on the live animal by thickness seeds develop through random, to encourage growth. of forearm muscle and hind quarters. natural pollination such as wind, feld movement or insect activity — not Pistil: The female sexual reproductive, through involvement. seed-bearing organ of a fower, consisting of an ovary, style and stigma. Organic: A fertilizer, pesticide or plant food that is of animal or vegetable Pollination: The transfer of pollen from origin; plants grown without the use of the stamen (male part of the fower) synthetic chemicals. to the pistil (female part of the fower), followed by fertilization (germination of the pollen grain), growth of the pollen tube down the style and into the ovule where a sperm cell fuses with an egg, resulting in the formation of a seed.

6 l How to “Talk” Farming Seedling

Porcine: Of, affecting, or resembling a Row: Several objects arranged in Soil Depth: The effective depth of pig or pigs. a usually straight line (i.e., a row of a soil for plant growth is the vertical corn) also, the line along which such distance into the soil from the surface Poult: A young turkey of either sex, subjects are arranged (i.e., the corn to a layer essentially stopping the usually of less than 2 months of age. was planted in parallel rows). downward growth of plant roots. The barrier layer may be rock, sand, gravel, Primal: The initial cut of meat from a Ruminants: Livestock such as cattle, heavy clay, etc. carcass during butchering. sheep and goats. Their digestive system is unique, allowing them to Sow: A female hog that has produced Pullet: A female chicken less than a better use high roughage feedstuffs, at least one litter of pigs. year old, or a young female chicken including forages. They possess a before she begins to lay eggs. four-compartment stomach designed to Spring Calving Season: A defned calving season where calves are born Preconditioning: Completing one ferment feedstuffs and provide . in late winter and early spring. A spring or more management practices such Seedling: A plant that has just calving season is often utilized because as dehorning, castration, weaning, emerged from its seed with its frst of cool-season forage availability vaccination and training cattle to eat root, stem and leaves. immediately following calving and it from a feed bunk. allows producers to wean and market Self-pollinating: Plants not requiring : The process of trimming a calves prior to winter, which means the pollen from another plant to produce shrub, tree or bush by cutting away producers do not incur winter feeding fruit. dead or overgrown branches or stems costs for the calves. to increase fruitfulness and growth or Shoat: A weaned young pig of either Springing: A cow starting to make the to maintain a certain size or shape. sex. changes, meaning calving is close, especially noting the udder beginning Purebred: An animal having parents of Shrink: The loss of body weight an to fll with milk prior to calving. the same breed that are eligible to be animal experiences when gathered, recorded with a registry association. transported or held in a pen (overnight) Staking: The practice of driving a to be transported the next day. Quality Grade: An evaluation of the support into the ground next to a plant to support its growth. degree of marbling (intramuscular fat) Side Dressing: A method of and degree of maturity affecting the fertilization where a little fertilizer is Stallion: An uncastrated mature male tenderness, juiciness and favor of applied to soil near a plant. horse or pony. beef, pork or lamb. Sire: The father or male parent of an Stamen: The male reproductive organ Raised Bed: An elevated bed animal. of a fower, consisting of a flament and offering better drainage, aeration and a pollen-containing anther. warmer soil than a conventional bed. Sludge: Solid sediment left over from industrial plants Steer: A male bovine castrated before Ram: An uncastrated male sheep. that is commonly used as a fertilizer reaching sexual maturity. or livestock food additive because Rooster: An adult male chicken, also it contains high levels of nutrients; Stocker Cattle: Cattle weaned and known as a cock. however, it may contain high levels of placed on grass or a growing ration heavy metals and pollutants. prior to entering the feedlot.

A Beginning Farmer’s Guide to Agriculture Words, Terms and Defnitions l 7 Transplant

Stocking Rate: Number and classes Trellis: A support system for plants Vermiculite: A lightweight, faky of animals grazing an acre of land for a allowing the positioning of shoots, mineral called “mica” that has been specifc time. foliage and fruits for maximum heated to the point of expansion. interception of sunlight, air and spray The sponge-like granules are then TAEP: Agriculture circulation and ease of management. capable of holding both water and air. Enhancement Program – A cost-share This amendment is added to potting program administered through the Tom: A male turkey. mixtures and container to Tennessee Department of Agriculture. improve root growth due to aeration Top-dress: To apply a material such and moisture retention. TDA: Tennessee Department of as fertilizer, manure, compost, etc., to Agriculture. the surface of the soil. Video Sales: A marketing method where cattle are video recorded on Thinning: To reduce the number Turning Plow: A plow designed to the farm, and the video is broadcast of excess seedlings (discarding pulverize a ribbon of earth a few inches via satellite television, internet and/ the weakest ones) to allow better wide and turn it over so that surface or a smartphone. Buyers participate air circulation and increase light for trash is buried. The turning plow uses in the public auction by telephone or foliage, thereby encouraging remaining a moldboard to do the turning. computer. These sales are generally plants to thrive. In fruit crops, thinning hosted by a marketing agency at their involves removal of some of the fruit to Udder: Mammary gland. place of business. allow the remaining fruit to attain better Under Grazing: The poor pasture size and quality and to enable the plant management practice allowing Waterlogged: Soil that is saturated to initiate fruit buds for cropping in the vegetation to become over mature with water. following year. before animals have an opportunity Wean: To separate calves from their to graze. Till: To work soil in preparation for mothers (cows), allowing the cows to planting a crop. Unit (of Fertilizer): Amount necessary recover their body condition and allow for specialized feeding of the calves. Tillage: The act of tilling the soil. to give 1 pound of the desired nutrient. Tillage includes turning with a plow, USDA: United States Department of Weed: A plant growing in the “wrong disking, harrowing, dragging, etc. Agriculture. place.” Normally tillage involves signifcant disturbance of the soil. UT-TSU Extension: An educational Wether: A castrated male sheep or goat. arm of each university assisting Transplant: To remove plants from Yearling: Livestock between 1 and 2 farmers, families, youth and one place and replant them in another years of age. communities to improve their quality (or from a container into the ground). of life and solve problems through the application of research and evidenced- based knowledge.

Till/Tillage

8 l How to “Talk” Farming W 801

Cattle and Beef Market Defnitions

Andrew P. Grifth Base weight – The actual net weight of the animal before any adjustment (shrink or slide) is made. Associate Professor Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics Breeding bull – A sexually mature male bovine animal used in .

Bull – An intact male bovine animal.

SOURCES Calf – A young male or female bovine animal under 1 year of age.

CME feeder cattle index – A seven-day weighted rolling average of 700 to 899 pound steers sold in the specifed 12-state region meeting prescribed muscling and frame score requirements, not exhibiting dairy, exotic or Brahman infuence.

Condition/fesh – The relative fatness of an animal. Condition/ fesh is generally scored on a 9-point scale. Fleshy – The ribs are not visible when the animal moves and there is a round “thick” appearance through the rib and loin area. (Score 7-9) Moderate fesh – The ribs are slightly visible on the animal and some thickness is apparent along its topline. (Score 4-6) Thin fesh/green – The ribs are visible on the animal, and the fank area seems drawn up or empty; there is no “roundness to the stomach-fat,” and the rib/loin areas of the topline look underdeveloped. (Score 1-3)

Cow – A sexually mature female bovine animal that has usually Cow-Calf and Feeder Cattle Terms produced a calf. Alliance – An organization in the beef industry (horizontal or vertical) designed to improve proftability by Cow-calf operation – A management unit thatimproving maintains coordination a of beef production, processing and/or merchandising. breeding herd and produces weaned calves. Auction – A method of marketing for cattle through which an auctioneer sells cattle to the highest bidder. Cull/slaughter cow – A cow that is removed from the main breeding herd for one or more reasons (i.e., age,Auction poor market/auctionproduction, barn – A facility to which cattle producers bring cattle to be sold via auction. This physical ailment, poor disposition, genetic selection,is the most etc.) common and is method of marketing cattle. Auction markets primarily host live sales of cattle on the generally sold for slaughter and not destined premises,to be a replacement. while some auction markets also host video sales. Graded based on fat and condition: Breaker – Highest conditioned cull cow, carryingBackgrounding heavy fesh – A growing program where feeder cattle graze or are fed harvested feed from the time they and having a high dressing percent. Body arecondition weaned score as calves is until they are on a fnishing ration in the feedlot. generally 7 or higher. Boner/boning utility – A moderate conditioned cull cow with a body condition score of 5 or 6. Most well-conditioned cows fall in this category. Lean – A thin-feshed cull cow with a body condition score of 3 or 4 and low dressing percentage. Griffth, Andrew P. Cattle and Beef Market Defnitions, 2019. https://extension. Light – An emaciated cull cow with a body condition score of 1 or 2 with a very low dressing percent and1 easily Cattle bruised and Beef in Market Defnitions transport.

CWT – Abbreviation for hundredweight and the unit in which most prices are quoted ($/cwt). C for Centum—a hundred—and Wt for weight.

Feeder cattle – Steers or heifers mature enough to enter a tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W801.pdf feedlot.

Feeder cattle futures – A standardized electronic contract traded

2 Cattle and Beef Market Defnitions PB 1820

If working with a custom-exempt operation, it is helpful available (store.beef.org). A booklet titled “Guide to Griffth, Andrew P., Boyer, Christopher N., Henry, Gavin W., Larson, James A., to determine whether or not there are any limitations on Identifying Meat Cuts” is available from Internet sources. cutting wholes, halves and quarters for multiple (share) owners. Beef producers should become familiar with beef Te Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards also retail cuts regardless of their direct marketing route. is available online (www.beefretail.org/CMDocs/ Figure 2 shows a variety of retail cut suggestions for each BeefRetail/URMIS/introduction.pdf). Tis resource is a primal cut. A variety of other resources are available to comprehensive collection of various retail cuts that can be assist in the understanding of meat cuts. Te National derived from primal and sub-primal cuts. Smith, S. Aaron, Lewis, Karen E. Fall Versus Spring Calving Considerations and Cattleman’s Beef Association has marketing materials

Figure 2. Retail meat cut suggestions for each primal cut. Source: AggieMeat, aggiemeat.tamu.edu. Proftability Comparison, 2017. https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/ Beef Round - Top Round Beef Round - Bottom Round eye round roast and steak top round steak top round bottom round

bottom round roast and steak

cube steak Documents/W419.pdf top round roast cube steak

rump roast

Beef Brisket Beef Round - Sirloin Tip (Knuckle)

sirloin tip roast and steak

brisket A Beginner’s Guide to Agriculture Terminology and “Lingo,” n.d. Fayette County, brisket whole sirloin tip (knuckle)

ground beef tri-tip steak or stew kabobs

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. short plate fank Thin Cuts - Short Plate, Flank & Shank skirt steak Mostly for Ground Beef & Stew

fank steak short ribs

Holland, Rob., Loveday, Dwight. Improving with Your Beef 8 The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Processor, 2014. https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/ PB1820.pdf Plant persistence

binations of these, resulting in a more Even though the presence of the persistent plant. endophyte in tall fescue results in toxicity This discussion leads to the conclu- THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE symptoms, there are some positive as- sion that there are problems with both AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE pects to endophyte infection. Research infected and non-infected tall fescue. Bates, Gary. Tall Fescue: Endophyte-Infected or Endophyte-Free?, 1998. and practical experience have shown that Endophyte-infected tall fescue is persistent endophyte-infected tall fescue is more in a pasture, but results in animal toxico- persistent than endophyte-free fescue in a sis. Grazing endophyte-free tall fescue pasture. This difference became noticeable results in significantly higher animal per- as the first endophyte-free varieties were formance, but the plants are not as hardy https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/sp439a.pdf used. Stands of endophyte-infected tall and stand life may be reduced. Because of fescue had been grazed for many years this, all producers with tall fescue pastures and were still solid. The new stands of should ask themselves two questions: SP 439-A endophyte-freeFigure 1. tall Effect fescue of becamethe tall fescue weedy endophyte on(1) pregnant Are my tall mares fescue and pastures foals. and were often lost after only a few years. infested with the endophyte? The greater persistence of infectedendophyte-infected tall (2) Ifendophyte-free my pastures are infested, what fescue is due to its enhanced ability to should I do about it? tolerate12 stress. The endophyte increases the tolerance of11 tall 11 fescue to , 11 11 11 11 10 2017 Census of Agriculture. United States Department of Agriculture, National disease,10 insects, grazing pressure or com-

8 Gary Bates, Assistant7 Professor, Plant and Agricultural Statistics Service. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/ 6 4 number of animals 4 Fescue toxicosis 2 2 2 Endophyte-Infected or AgCensus/2017/ all fescue is the most important 0 forage crop in Tennessee.Tall It is Fescue:In the late 1970s, it was discovered 0 mares in foaling mares grown foalson approximately alive Endophyte-Free?foals 3.5 maresNeotyphodiumthat the poor performance coenophialum and toxicosis study problems millionlactating acres in theat birthstate, andsurviving is used as survivingsymptoms were associated with cattle

Putnam and co-workers. 1990.the American base Journal diet offor Veterinary nearly Research. all beef 52:2071 cattle in grazing tall fescue infected with the fungus Tennessee. An adapted strain of this grass . The terms was discovered growing on a farm in “fescue fungus,” “endophyte,” “fungal Kentucky3 in 1931. The cultivar “Ken- endophyte” and “fescue endophyte” have tucky-31” was released in the early 1940s, all been used to describe this fungus. and was widely accepted by farmers “Endo” (within) plus “phyte” (plant) throughout the Southeast because of its means a plant living within another plant. wide range of , ease of estab- This fungus lives and grows between the lishment and persistence. It gained a cells of a tall fescue plant, and produces reputation as a low palatability forage that no signs or symptoms on the plant. Ef- resulted3 in poor animal gains and various fects of the endophyte on grazing cattle toxicosis symptoms, even though chemi- can be seen as one or more of several cal analysis indicated that tall fescue was clinical signs, including: (1) lower feed as good as any other cool-season grass. It intake, (2) lower weight gains, (3) rough was noted that dry matter intake was less coats during the summer, (4) lower in animals grazing tall fescue compared to milk production, (5) reduced reproductive those grazing other grasses. Early expla- 1 performance, (6) more time spent in nations for the poor palatability and intake shade and water, and (7) necrosis of were the coarse leaves and stems, and hooves, tail, etc., commonly referred to as sharp edges on leaves. “fescue foot.” These clinical signs have been documented in various research studies conducted in Tennessee and across the Southeast (Table 1). The toxi- cosis is the result of chemicals or alkaloids T produced inside the plant. Foraging Ahead for a Greener Tomorrow

Acknowledgement

These Beginning Farmer Materials have been developed in order to be an aid to UT-TSU Extension agents working with individuals as they launch their pursuit of an agricultural enterprise. The effort to develop these materials was a project of the University of Tennessee Center for Proftable Agriculture and a group of county Extension agents. This project was made possible in part by the USDA Rural Development Rural Business Development Grant.

A Beginning Farmer’s Guide to Agriculture Words, Terms and Defnitions l 9 UTIA.TENNESSEE.EDU

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