BEPPA, DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS PDF Print E-mail
Definition & Explanation of Key Terms

Ad libitum (ad lib) – Literally means freely.  Used in poultry rearing to describe a situation where feed is available to the birds continuously so that they feed all the time at will.
Albumen – Egg white
Aspergillosis – Brooder pneumonia caused by the fungus Aspergillus
Broilers – Fast growing birds which mature at 6 to 8 weeks for the table and are tender-meated with soft, pliable, smooth textured skin and flexible breastbone cartilage.
Brooding – Caring for and protecting young chicks; usually supplying heat.
Candling – The passing of light through the egg in a darkroom so that the interior can be seen and bad eggs identified.
Carcass – The dead body of an animal whether it was slaughtered or died naturally.  
Coccidiosis – A protozoan disease of birds and animals
Coccidiostat – Drug that prevents coccidiosis
Cockerel – A male fowl under one year old
Culling – The process of removing unproductive birds from a flock.  
Deworming – The expulsion of worms from the digestive tract with worm expeller drugs (anthelmintics)
Feed intake – The amount of feed consumed by a bird
Layers – Chickens producing eggs for food
Litter – An absorbent material to collect droppings
Pullet – A female chicken once it reaches full lay and is less than one year old
Ration – A formulation of feed
Replacement chickens – Pullets being reared for the purpose of egg production