| 1. Different stages in the growth of cattle |
| laogh | |
| laogh boise | a sucker. |
| gamhain | bliadhnach. |
| damh | dò-bhliadhnach. |
| agh | |
| bó, mart | |
| tarbh | |
| Nach b’e ’n di-bhailteach an gamhainn | a scraggy stirk. |
| 2. Breeds of cattle |
| beathach Gaidhealach | |
| Gall | |
| 3. Outward appearance of cattle |
| bo sheasg | dry [cow]. |
| bo dhonn | brown cow. |
| bo dhubh | black [cow]. |
| bo chrom | [cow with a] crooked horn. |
| bo riabhach | brindled [cow]. |
| tarbh mogach | shaggy bull. |
| maoilein | hornless cow. |
| Tha i cho reamhar ri ròn. | |
| Tha i cho caol ri clobha. | |
| Nach ann aisde tha faileas. | |
| Nach ann aisde tha ’n glence. | |
| Tha i gus a bhi air an togail. | She is near the point of death. |
| Chan ’eil innte ach na cramhan. | She is nothing but bone. |
| [Te Ruadh Mhic Mhuirich] | Mac Mhuirich in Uist asked his red haired daughter to demand of him her dowry and Te Ruadh Mhic Mhuirich requested: “Seicein, Meicein m’ aghan meadhrach / Bo dhubh, bo dhonn, bo chrom riabhach / Sliochd na h-aona bà maoile ruadha / Nach do dh’fhàg a bhuaile riamh na h-aonar / Agus an tarbh mogach, donn.” – the lot. |
| 4. Names for certain beasts, e.g. an animal on which the owner bestows particular attention |
| [moladh] | Did not want to praise their own cattle too much in case they might suffer loss of them: Air eagal ’s gu mìll moladh i. |
| [dosgainn] | If a beast died, a person on hearing it said: “Dosgainn na bliadhna gu robh leatha (leis).” (May the years loss be gone with it.) |
| [buachailleachd] | “Buachailleachd Chalum Chill’ oirre.” (May St Columba keep watch over her.) |
| 5. Parts of the body |
| ceann | [head.] |
| amhaich | [neck.] |
| adhraic | [horn.] |
| beul | [mouth.] |
| coinnlein | [nostril.] |
| cluimhteach | [hair?] |
| slinnein | [shoulder.] |
| uchd | [breast.] |
| lurgainn | [foreleg?] |
| cnaimh an droma | [backbone.] |
| cruachan | [hip?] |
| màs | [rump?] |
| féithean | [muscles.] |
| urball | [tail.] |
| casan toisich | [forelegs.] |
| casan deiridh | [hindlegs.] |
| leth-deiridh | |
| sgamhan | [lungs.] |
| grùdhan | [liver.] |
| dubhagan | [kidneys.] |
| mionach | [intestines.] |
| dumalas | |
| geir | [fat.] |
| piob a sgamhain | |
| 6. Calving |
| [Expressions used when a cow is taken to the bull:] |
| A dol chon a tairbh | |
| Chaidh i dhàir | |
| Ghabh i an tarbh | |
| [Terms associated with calving itself:] |
| Tha i a ligeil foidhpe | She is showing signs of calf-bearing. |
| Leab’ a laoigh | |
| Ghlan i | |
| Rug a bho | The cow calfed. |
| Thilg i a laogh | miscarriage. |
| 7. Milking |
| a’ bleoghan | [milking.] |
| a dol fo’n bhoin | [milking.] |
| An do bhleoghain thu bho? | |
| An do rinn thu ’n eadradh? | |
| Cha do dh’fhag mi sging aice | |
| a’ deoghal | [suckling.] |
| bainne nòis | [milk yielded the first two or three days after calving.] |
| moch is anamoch | |
| bainne na maidne, bainne na h-oidhche | |
| 8. Feeding |
| biathadh | |
| torr | a lot. |
| deannan | a goodly amount. |
| làn a beoil | a mouthful. |
| làn mo bhoise | handful. |
| sguab | |
| sguab no dhà | |
| dorlach mhath | a goodly amount of scraps. |
| teamain chirein | short type of seaweed boiled and given to cattle. |
| gan toirt gu deoch | bringing them to drink. |
| toirt deoch dhaibh | bringing drink to them. |
| a buachailleachd | |
| air teadhair | tethered. |
| mar reidh | free to roam. |
| mar sgaoil | free to roam. |
| gan cur do’n bheinn | driving them to the hill. |
| gan stiureadh do’n bheinn | driving them to the hill. |
| am buachaille | |
| 9. Apparatus |
| ceangal | [neck rope?] |
| teadhair | [tether.] |
| ciopain | [tether stake.] |
| udalan | [collars?] |
| buarach | [fetter for milking.] |
| cròcan | spiked instrument [attached to a calf’s mouth to prevent its sucking its mother]. |
| 10. Diseases |
| doire | ringworm. |
| feusalan | warble fly. |
| mialan | ticks. |
| an gàileach ribeach | large warts on gums. Cut in two and bled to cure. |
| am broillein | swelling on neck or in stomach. |
| an spùt | diarrhoea. |
| an tioramachd | [disease affecting the udder and milk production.] |
| fiaras a bhainne | [disease affecting the udder and milk production.] |
| tar na coise | leg sprain. |
| an ruadh | udder infection. |
| 11. Miscellaneous |
| Ledi, Tìneag | using cow’s name [to call it]. |
| shoocan no shoocan beag | calf call. |
| moigein | pet name |
| dròbh | [herd or any collection of cattle.] |
| an spreidh | [herd or any collection of cattle.] |
| na beathaichean | [herd or any collection of cattle.] |
| an aifeinn | [about a cow] usually on back with tether caught about the animal. |
| am bogadh | [cow] in a bog. |
| buachar | cow dung. |
| sitig | any dung hill. |
| guthdair | gutter in byre. |
| inneir | manure. |
| balg buachair | toadstool. |
| càise an Rodain | toadstool, more common than ‘balg buachair’. |
| seicein | calf in poor condition though sometimes used as an endearing term. |
