The gestation period or pregnancy is the period that a fetus in the womb spends from fertilization until birth (parturition).
In humans, the gestation period is counted from the first day of the last menstrual period. The pregnancy lasts for women (280 days) 40 weeks (+ - two weeks).
donkey 365
goat 144-155
dog 63-97
cat 60-65
rabbit 30-32
human 280
horse 336
beef 280
sheep 144-155
pig 110-118
Sterilization is making infertile by interrupting or blocking the sperm duct or fallopian tube.
Castration is the removal of the gonads (testes or ovaries).
Except to make them infertile it was for (male) animals also done to
• prevent strong odor (in barn, animals and meat) (pig, goat)
• make them (bull) less volatile and more compliant
• keep several in the same room without fights or offspring (rabbit),
• produce per animal more, and more fat veined (rooster, bull) meat
Boar taint occurs in about 15% of the cases, released by heating the meat of a bear that was heavier than 85 kilo. Cause is the male hormone androstenone, which causes sexual arousal in sows. By slaughtering before the animal weighs 85 kilo (or by vaccinations), the smell can be prevented.
Oxen were used for centuries as a beast of burden. By the reduced testosterone production bullocks grow slower than bulls. They still grow heavier and more muscular than cows.
|
animal |
male |
female |
young |
neutered |
group |
|
donkey |
jack(ass) |
jennet |
colt, foal |
gelding |
drove, herd |
|
goat |
buck, billy |
goat, doe |
kid |
wether |
herd, tribe |
|
grouse |
cock |
hen |
chickens |
capon |
flock |
|
human |
man |
women |
child |
eunuch, |
group, family |
|
horse |
stallion, stud |
mare, dam |
foal (colt, filly) |
gelding |
stable, harras, herd |
|
cattle |
bull |
cow |
calf |
bullock, ox |
herd, drove |
|
sheep |
ram, buck, tup |
ewe, dam |
lamb(kin) cosset |
stag |
herd, mob, drift |
|
pig |
boar |
sow |
piglet, shoat, farrow |
barrow |
herd, drove, sounder |
|
rabbit |
buck |
doe |
kit(ten), bunny |
buck, lapin |
colony, drove, leash, nest, trace, warren |
|
cat |
tomcat |
queen |
kitten |
neuter, gib |
clutter, clowder, litter |
|
dog |
dog |
bitch |
pup |
neuter(ed) |
litter, pack |
Neuters or eunuchs were known for their high voices, e.g. Italian opera singers as castrati.
To the Chinese, Byzantine and Ottoman imperial court eunuchs have played a major historical role.
I suspect that economic motives of the parents usually were on the base instead of free choice of the individual.
To have more control over their behavior it is also done in dogs and cats.
Tomcats else have everywhere in the house their unpleasant, pungent smell of urine marks.
A not yet neutered male cat is called full tom or tomcat, a desexed one a neuter (or gib). A castrated female (queen) sometimes a molly.
Castration: tennis term, means that a player also smashes out his second ball. (Mark Uytterhoeven)