Farm animals

Focus your attention on underlined words andexpressions and check their meaning in an English dictionary.

Bull - male cattle are called bulls. Males and females grow horns, but these are generally removed when they are young to avoid injury to the farmer.

Border Collie - the Border Collie is a hard-working breed of herding dog that is regarded by many as the most intelligent dog breed. Like most working dogs, Border Collies are highly energetic, and require a lot of exercise if not given work to do. Though known to be reserved with strangers, these dogs can also be protective of human family members and affectionate to those they know.

Chicken - poultry is the name given to birds that provide us with meat or eggs, with chickens being the most common. Hens have limited vision - they look at an object with one eye and then with the other. This is why they jerk their heads from side to side and zigzag when they walk. Chickens cannot swallow, but rather dip their beaks into the water and then lift their heads high enough for the water to slide down their throats.

Cow - cows provide meat and milk. Their milk is used to make cream, butter, yoghurt, cheese and even chocolate. Cattle eat grass, silage and dried grass which is called hay, and spend much of their time grazing.

Donkey - donkey or ass, is the most domesticated animal of the horse family. Donkeys evolved in desert lands, and therefore have many unique traits. They need less food than horses. Unlike horse fur, donkey fur is not waterproof, and so they must have shelter when it rains. Donkeys have developed very loud voices, which can be heard for over three kilometres, to keep in contact with other donkeys of their herd over the wide spaces of the desert, and have larger ears than horses to hear the distant calls of fellow donkeys. Donkeys can also defend themselves with a powerful kick of their hind legs.

Duck - ducks have bills, which help them to eat certain types of food and webbed feet, which help them to swim. As good fliers, ducks kept in open-topped pens must have the feathers of one wing shortened so that they cannot take off.

Fox - foxes are recognized by their brush-like tail. Foxes are generally not welcome on farms as they can prey on farm animals, but they are normally extremely wary of humans.

Fresian cow - there are approx. 200 different breeds of cattle in the world today, al of different sizes and shapes. In Ireland, the black and white Fresian and Holstein are better for producing milk, while others, such as Charolais and Simmental, are better for producing meat.

Goat - goats are one of the oldest domesticated species. For thousands of years, goats have been used for their milk, meat, hair and skins. In the last century they have also gained some popularity as pets. Female goats are referred to as does or nannies, while males are called bucks or billies; and their offspring are called kids.

Golden retriever - the Golden retriever is a popular breed of dog, originally developed for use in hunting wild fowl. They are particularly valued for high level of sociability towards people, and they are also regularly used as guide dogs.

Goose - the plural of goose is geese. Geese are very similar to ducks in that they both have bills which help them to eat certain types of food. The feathers from geese are particularly popular for making clothes, blankets and pillows.

Horse - horses have been among the most economically important domesticated animals, even though their importance has declined with mechanisation. The horse is prominent in religion, mythology and art, and has played an important role in transportation, agriculture and war. It has additionally served as a source of food, fuel and clothing. Horse breeds were developed to allow horses to be specialised for certain tasks; lighter horses for racing or riding, heavier horses for farming and other tasks requiring pulling power. Although now primarily used for recreation, they are still kept as working animals on farms in many parts of the world.

Pig – in the past, pigs were wild forest animals. Pigs are very clever, and are actually remarkably clean. They keep their beds clean, but as they can get sunburnt, they do like to roll in the mud to stay cool during the summer. The male is called a boar, while the female is called a sow. Young pigs are called piglets, and contrary to the popular phrase, pigs cannot sweat.

Rabbit – rabbits live underground in burrows or warrens. Unlike the domesticated rabbit, wild rabbits are generally considered to be a pest, and have been a source of environmental problems when introduced into the wild by humans. As a result of their appetites, and the rate at which they breed, wild rabbit can be problematic for agriculture as they eat the farmers crops and cause the collapse of ditches with their digging.

Rooster – a male chicken is called a cock or a rooster. A young male chicken is called a cockerel or a rooster, while a young chicken is called a chick. Roosters and chickens eat by picking up grain, seeds and insects.

Sheep – sheep are one of the oldest farming animals in the world, and have provided man with meat, milk, wool and leather for 11,000 years. In Ireland, they can be classified as either hill, mountain or lowland breeds.

Turkey – turkeys have a distinctive fleshy wattle that hangs from the beak, called a snood. They are one of the largest birds, with wingspans of 1.5 – 1.8 metres, but the female is smaller that the male, and much less colourful. Today, turkey is a traditional part of the Christmas fare, but can be enjoyed all year round.