I

​Iatrogenic:
Response to medical or surgical treatment, induced by the treatment itself.  It is usually associated with adverse effects resulting from medical treatment or advice
 
IBK:
(see Pink Eye)
 
IBP:
One of the three largest beef-packing companies
 
IBR:
IBR is an acute viral disease. In young animals, it mainly affects the upper respiratory tract and can lead to fatal pneumonia. In mature animals, it can also cause abortions and reduced fertility. Once infected an animal remains infected (becomes a carrier) for life and may release infected virus throughout its life when stressed. It is spread via airborne secretions and bulls' semen
 
ICAR:
International Committee of Animal Recording
 
Ice Milk:
A frozen product resembling ice cream, except that it contains less fat (2 to 5 percent versus 10 percent) and more SNF (12 percent versus 10 percent) than ice cream. Both ice milk and ice cream contain stabilisers and emulsifiers and about 15 percent sugar
 
ICP:
Inter-calving period - period (days) between two consecutive calving dates
 
Icterus:
Also known as jaundice.  It is a yellow discolouration of the skin, mucous membranes or whites of the eyes due to excessive levels of bilirubin in the blood
 
IDDM:
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is a form of diabetes in which patients have little or no ability to produce insulin and are therefore entirely dependent on insulin injections
 
Identical Twins:
Two individuals that developed as a result of the division of one fertilised egg.  Must be of the same sex and are extremely similar.  Colour markings of one may be a mirror image of the other.  More correctly referred to as monozygotic twins
 
Identification:
A permanent indicator of an animal’s identity (eg tattoo). Identification must be unique for each animal to allow accurate record keeping and estimation of genetic merit
 
Idiopathic:
Disease arising from an unknown cause
 
Ileum:
(1) The anterior end of the pelvis;
(2) commonly called the "pin bone" or "hip bone
 
Ileus:
Lack motility of the gastrointestinal tract
 
Illthrift:
Failure to grow, increase in weight or maintain weight in the presence of apparently adequate food supplies and in the absence of recognisable disease
 
IMF:
(see Intramuscular Fat)
 
Imitation Milks:
Mixtures of non-dairy ingredients (other than milk, milk fat, and nonfat milk solids) which are combined forming a product similar to milk, low-fat milk, or skim milk. Sodium caseinate, though derived from milk, is commonly termed a non-dairy ingredient and is often used as a source of protein in imitation milks. Vegetable oils are commonly used as the source of fat
 
Immune Status:
The degree to which an animal is resistant to any given pathogen(s). Immune status is influenced by natural immunity and/or vaccination
 
Immune System:
The system that protects the body from foreign substances, cells, and infections
 
Immune-Mediated:
Describes conditions which result from abnormal activity of the body's immune system. For example, immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA), is a disease in which the body's immune system destroys the body's own red blood cells
 
Immunity:
Resistance or the ability to ward off disease
 
Immunization:
The process and procedures involved in creating immunity (resistance to disease) in an animal. Vaccination is a form of immunisation
 
Immunodeficiency:
Immunological disorder in which the body's immune system is inadequate and resistance to infectious diseases is reduced
 
Immunogenic:
The capacity of an agent to cause immunity
 
Immunoglobulin:
Blood proteins in colostrum that pass on passive immunity to newborn calves
 
Immunosuppression:
The animal's ability to mount an immune response to an infection may be interfered with by drugs, nutritional deficiencies or concurrent infections, for example, BVD virus
 
Impaction:
Constipation or a blockage in the intestine
 
Implantation:
Placing of an embryo in a surrogate mother
 
Impregnate:
(see Service)
 
In – process Laboratory:
A recognised dairy laboratory that tests dairy material, the results of which are used as a basis for reduced testing of finished product to determine whether dairy product is fit for intended purpose or to meet overseas market access requirements
 
In Calf:
Pregnant cow
 
In Heat:
A cow’s fertile period when she may become pregnant, indicated by increased activity and other hallmark signs.  Most cows cycling normally come into heat every 21 days.  This period is also referred to as “estrus”
 
In Milk:
Lactating
 
In Season:
In heat; estrus
 
In the Beef:
The method of sale, which refers to selling cattle on a carcass weight basis rather than live weight (different than selling on a grid). Usually carcass weight times carcass price with no price difference between Choice and Select
 
in utero:
Occurring in the uterus of the animal
 
in vito:
Outside the living body; in a test tube or other artificial environment
 
in vivo:
Occurring inside the animal
 
In Writing:
Printed, typewritten, or otherwise visibly represented, copied, or reproduced, including by fax or email or other electronic means
 
Inactive Vaccine:
Vaccines which are made by taking the real, disease-causing viruses (or bacteria), killing them, and putting them into a liquid base. Also called a killed vaccine
 
Inbred:
(See Inbreeding Coefficient)
 
Inbreeding:
The mating together of parents more closely related than average in the population.  Inbreeding decreases the proportion of heterozygous gene pairs in the offspring and increases the proportion of homozygous gene pairs.  It increases the frequency of expression of genetic defects caused by recessive genes.  Inbreeding may increase prepotency for simply inherited and highly heritable traits
 
Inbreeding Coefficient:
A numerical measure, ranging from zero to 1.0, of the intensity of inbreeding of an individual.  It represents the proportion of gene loci in the individual at which both genes are identical copies of the same ancestral gene
 
Inbreeding Depression:
The reduction in performance level for many economically important traits that accompanies, on average, the interest in inbreeding coefficient
 
Incineration:
A process of completely burning carcasses so that all pathogens are destroyed and the animal turned to ashes
 
Inclusion Bodies:
Particles occurring in the nucleus and cytoplasm of cells, usually as a result of virus infection
 
Income Elasticity:
The responsiveness of demand to change in income
 
Income Over Feed Cost:
The difference between Value of Product and Total Feed Cost
 
Income Over Feed Cost (Herd):
The difference between Value of Product and Total Feed Cost
 
Income Statement:
Financial statement that summarises all revenues and expenses and used to determine the net income or net loss for a given period of time, usually a year
 
Incoming Animals:
Animals that have been purchased or acquired for introduction into the resident herd or animals returning from a brief absence from the herd (exhibition, show, etc.)
 
Incomplete Dominance:
A situation in which neither of two alleles at a locus is full
 
Incomplete Record:
A cow's production in a lactation that is terminated early for some reason. (Lactations not yet completed may be referred to as a "record in progress.")
 
Incontinence:
Loss of control over urination or defaecation
 
Incubation Period:
The time from when an animal is first infected with an organism until symptoms develop. For most diseases, this is a few days but for encephalopies and Johne's disease, for example, the incubation period can be years
 
Incurable:
Not amenable to a cure. Incapable of being cured, healed and made well again
 
Independent Culling Levels:
Selection based on cattle meeting specific levels of performance for every trait included in a selection program.  Equivalently, culling based on the failure of cattle to meet the required standard for any trait in the program.  For example, a breeder could cull all heifers with weaning weights below 400 pounds (or those in the bottom 20% on weaning weight) and yearling weights below 650 pounds (or those in the bottom 40%)
 
Independent Verification Programme:
A programme developed by manufacturers which is part of a registered risk management programme and provides for independent sampling and testing of dairy material to confirm the integrity of the New Zealand dairy industry regulatory systems
 
Index:
(1) An overall merit rating of an animal
(2) A method of predicting the milk-producing ability that a bull will transmit to his daughters
 
Index Case:
The first case in an outbreak of disease or infection
 
Index Number:
A five-digit number used by Dairy Records Management Systems to identify each cow within a herd. The index number is unique to each cow in that herd
 
Indicator Traits:
Trait that do not have direct economic importance, but aid in the prediction of economically important traits
 
Indirect Contact:
Common contact between animals through a person, piece of equipment, surface, insect, etc
 
Individually Fed Concentrate:
A grain that is fed individually in varying amounts to each cow. The amount is reported individually by cow
 
Induced Lactation:
A lactation that is artificially initiated by the use of hormones, not by birth
 
Induced Ovulator:
A female animal that ovulates after, instead of before, being bred
 
Infected Premises:
Premises where a presumptive or confirmed positive case exists based on laboratory results, compatible clinical signs, case definition, and international standards
 
Infected Zone:
Zone that immediately surrounds an Infected Premises
 
Infection:
Invasion of the body tissues by microbial agents or parasites other than insects
 
Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis:
(see Pink Eye)
 
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR):
(see IBR)
 
Infertility:
Not being able to become pregnant
 
Infestation:
Refers to the state of being invaded or overrun by parasites
 
Inflammation:
Swelling caused by the accumulation of lymph and blood cells at the site of infection or injury
 
Inflation:
General increase in prices that decreases the purchasing power of a currency
 
Infraspinatus:
A muscle which abducts and flexes the shoulder. It begins along the ridge of the scapula and ends at the humerus
 
Ingest:
Anything taken into the stomach
 
Ingesta:
Substance taken into the body as nourishment, food and drink
 
INGO:
International non-governmental organisation
 
Inheritance:
The transmission of genes from parents to offspring
 
Inherited:
Tending to occur among members of a family. Genetically transmitted features
 
Inhibin:
Recently discovered reproductive hormone. Its main function is thought to be the inhibition of FSH
 
Innate:
Inborn. A permanent characteristic present since birth
 
Innovation:
A novel and / or new approach
 
Inorganic:
Not capable of sustaining life. Often refers to dirt or soil
 
Insecticide:
A medication that kills insects
 
Inseminated:
(see Insemination)
 
Insemination:
Deposition of semen in the female reproductive tract
 
Inshipment:
Total number of animals moved into a state for feeding or breeding purposes, excluding animals brought in for immediate slaughter
 
Insulin:
A hormone secreted by the pancreas to regulate glucose in the body
 
Insulin Resistance:
A condition where insulin becomes less effective at lowering blood sugars
 
Intake:
The amount of feed consumed by an animal per day.  Intake is usually expressed as a percent of bodyweight or in pounds per day
 
Integrated Resource Management (IRM):
Multidisciplinary approach to managing cattle more efficiently and profitably with management decisions based on how all resources are affected
 
Integration:
The bringing together of all segments of a livestock production program under one centrally organised unit
 
Intensity (of selection):
The difference between the selected animals and the average of the animals from which they came, expressed relative to the amount of variation in the traits.  Intensity is a function of the fraction of a population saved, such as 1 percent
 
Intensive Grazing Management:
Grazing management where a grazing unit is subdivided into subunits (paddocks) with grazing periods typically less than 5 days
 
Intensive Rational Grazing:
Synonymous with intensive grazing management
 
Inter Calving Period:
(see Calving Interval)
 
Inter se Mating:
Mating of animals within a defined population.  Literally to mate among themselves
 
Intercostal:
Situated, positioned or attached between the ribs
 
Intercostal Muscle:
(1) Muscle tissue which is located between the ribs;
(2) intercostal meat or "rib fingers"
 
Interdigital:
Between the claws
 
Interest:
The annual sum that a lender charges someone who borrows funds.  Expressed as a percentage of the borrowed sum
 
Interest - Only Loan:
A loan where the borrowed capital is not intended to be repaid on a regular or gradual basis over the life of the loan but instead the annual interest is paid on the full amount of the borrowed capital for the life of the loan
 
Interest Rate:
Charge or fee associated with borrowed money
 
Interferon:
Protein that interferes with viral replication
 
Interim EPD:
An expected progeny difference computed from an individual’s own performance information and (or) the EPDs of its parents.  Interim EPD’s may be used to support selection and merchandizing decisions before EPDs from regularly scheduled national cattle evaluation runs become available
 
Intermediary Metabolism:
Reactions involving the absorbed nutrients in the cell (anabolism and catabolism). What happens to the nutrients when absorbed
 
Intermediate Activity:
The production of a commodity that is not sold directly but becomes an input for other activities of the farm
 
Intermediate Host:
A host (animal, insect, snail etc) that harbours a parasite only for a short transition period, during which (usually) some developmental stage is completed
 
Inter-muscular Fat:
Fat located between muscle systems. Also, called seam fat
 
Internal Parasites:
Internal parasites such as roundworms, lungworms, and liver flukes commonly occur in cattle.  These hidden parasites cause poor performance and occasionally kill young animals
 
Internal Rate of Return:
The discount rate at which the present value of future benefits from a project equals the present value of total costs of the project
 
International Agreement of Recording Practice:
The title of the ICAR animal recording rules
 
International Cattle Evaluation:
An evaluation utilising data from more than one country, allowing comparisons genetic merit of cattle across countries
 
International Unit (IU):
A unit of measurement of a biologic (e.g., a vitamin, hormone, antibiotic, antitoxin) as defined by the International Conference for Unification of Formulae.
 
Potency is based on bioassay that produces a particular effect agreed on internationally. Also called USP unit
 
Interval Days:
The number of days between two periods. The number of days between the current and previously reported heat or breeding date is listed as Intvl. Days
 
Intestine:
The portion of the gastrointestinal tract extending from the stomach to the anus. It is usually divided into two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine
 
Intracellular:
Inside the cell
 
Intercranial:
Inside the cranial cavity or head
 
Intramammary:
Placement of drugs and other substances directly into the udder, usually through the teat opening
 
Intramuscular:
Injections given in the muscle
 
Intramuscular Fat:
Fat within the muscle or marbling
 
Intramuscular Joint (IM):
An injection into the muscle
 
Intranasal:
Into the nose
 
Intranasal Vaccine:
Vaccine sprayed up into the nostril
 
Intrapalpebral:
Within the eyelid
 
Intraruminal Injection:
Injection into the body space surrounding the gastrointestinal tract
 
Intrauterine:
Placement of drugs and other substances directly into the uterus
 
Intravenous:
An injection given into a vein
 
Intrinsic Factor:
A mucoprotein or proteins normally produced by the gastric mucosa and essential for the normal absorption of dietary vitamin B12 from the intestinal tract; deficiency of this factor is a cause of pernicious anaemia
 
Intron:
DNA whose nucleotide sequence does not code for a product
 
Invariant Data:
Data that is constant, such as an animal’s date of birth
 
Inventory Gain / Loss:
(see Pencil Shrink)
 
Inverted:
Turned inside out
 
Investment Appraisal:
An evaluation of the profitability and financial feasibility of a potential investment
 
Involution:
The return of an organ to its normal size or condition after enlargement, as of the uterus after parturition.  A decline in size or activity of other tissues; e.g. the mammary gland tissues normally involutes with advancing lactation
 
Iodinated Casein:
Milk protein (casein) to which iodine is bound. It is commonly referred to a thyroprotein and can be used to stimulate dairy cows to secrete more milk
 
Iodophor:
Any group of disinfectant containing iodine
 
IOFC:
Income Over Feed Cost
 
Ionophore:
A class of feed additives which alters ruminal fermentation to produce a more energetically efficient mix of volatile fatty acids. Examples include Bovatec, Cattlyst, and Rumensin
 
Iris:
The coloured portion of the eye is called the iris. In the centre of the iris is the black opening called the pupil
 
IRM:
(see Integrated Resource Management)
 
Irradiation:
The non‐injurious exposure of food to low levels of radiation to eliminate harmful microbes. It destroys fungi, parasites and insects in and on food
 
Irreversible Damage:
Tissue that is damaged – such as by lung lesions – and might heal but never return to normal function
 
Ischiorectal Fossa:
Hollow bones between the pin bones and the tail butt
 
Ischium Bone:
(see Aitch Bone)
 
ISO:
International Organization for Standardization
 
ISP:
Independent Service Provider
 
IVC:
In Vitro Culture. Culturing embryos or oocytes in a special salt solution in the laboratory
 
IVF:
In Vitro Fertilisation. Fertilising oocytes in the laboratory to produce embryos
 
IVM:
In Vitro Maturation. Maturation (ripening) of oocytes in a medium in the lab prior to IVF