DRY MATTER INTAKE
Quantity of dry matter ingested by a cow in a 24 h period. For example, a cow eating 18 kg of grass silage of 33% of dry matter ingest 18 x 0.33 = 6 kg of grass silage dry matter.
HUSK
Outer envelop, usually green, of fruits and seeds, as around an ear of corn (syn hull).
KERNEL
The whole grain of a cereal. The meats of nuts and drupes (single stoned fruits).
KETOSIS
A condition characterized by a lack of appetite, especially for concentrates and an abnormally high concentration of ketone bodies (e.g., acetone, hydroxy-butyrate) in the blood. Ketosis or acetonemia occurs when the cow mobilizes large amounts of body reserves in early lactation.
KILO CALORIE (KCAL)
One thousand calories.
MILK FEVER
Condition that occurs immediately or within the first day after calving. The cow has cold ears and a dry muzzle. This condition is due to a calcium imbalance. As opposed to what the name implies, there is no "fever", but rather a paralysis of the limbs.
RICKETS
A deficiency disease resulting from a lack of vitamin D or lack of sunshine exposure, characterized by defective bone growth.
STALK
The main stem of an herbaceous plant.