Bovine - a term for large hoofed animals such as cows.

Bull - male cattle; a "boy cow"

Butterfat - the natural, fatty portion of milk; most dairy cows' milk is between 3-4% butterfat.

Calf - a young heifer or bull

Cattle - a word to describe cows, bulls, steers, heifers, and calves

Cow - the mature female of cattle; a heifer becomes a calf once she has her first calf.

Dam - the mother of a calf

Dry Cow - a cow who is not producing milk, usually because she will soon be giving birth to a calf.

Dry Period (dried off) - the time while a cow does not produce milk. Usually cows are dried off two months before they have a calf so they can relax and gain strength.

Forage - Cow feed such as pasture grasses, corn silage, and hay.

Freshen - when a cow gives birth to a calf

Graze - When cattle eat the grass growing in their pasture.

Hay - Dried feed such as bermudagrass, oats, or alfalfa.  It is baled into round or rectangular blocks.

Heifer -  young cow who has not yet given birth to a calf

Herd - A group of cows on a dairy farm.

Holstein - A black and white breed of dairy cattle known for having the highest milk production. 90% of all dairy cows in the USA are Holstein.

Lactation Period - the time during which a cow produces milk.

Milking Parlor - the barn on a dairy farm where cows are milked.   

Pasture - Land on which cows rest and graze.

Silage - Fermented, high-moisture feed for dairy cows that’s made from corn and grass crops.

Sire - the father of a calf

Teat - The part of a cow’s udder that the milk comes out of. Dairy cows commonly have four teats.

Udder - a sac hanging from the underside of the cow's belly between and in front of the hind legs which holds the cow's milk