i know this is a stupid question, but, have heard the word culling for awhile. what does it mean?the dictionary says to select, collect, or pick out. but sometimes i get the feeling when it's used, that it means to get rid of. thanks, laura

-- laura cavallari (ladygoat13@aol.com), June 15, 2000

Answers

Culling, as used with animals, typically means to kill the animal because for some reason it is not up to standards needed for that particular animal. Depending on the circumstances, there can be many reasons that culling is done but it is chiefly because that animal would not meet the purpose for which the livestock was raised. It can be because of deformities in the animal or other reasons.

Some people, however, are against killing a culled animal and will cull them but find a suitable home for them to be raised in instead. That is why sometimes you will see the term cull used but the animal is not put to death.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), June 15, 2000.

I suppose the word "culling" means getting rid of in the sense that we have used it. Years ago when we saved our own breeding stock, we saved only the animals that had the characteristics that we wanted in the stock. If an animal was not a good mother, we did not save the off sring which in words met that we culled that animal "out". In goats it would include milking capacity, temperenment, etc. Hope this has helped you out. Jean

-- Jean Utterback (kjean@i-rule.net), June 15, 2000.

I suppose in a way it may seem cruel, but keep in mind that if it wasn't done, the quality and usefulness of both livestock and plant species would deteriorate. It is because of careful selection and culling that our crops and animals produce as well as they do, and are as healthy as they are. Sometimes nature does the culling, for instance severe weather, disease and predators all keep the wildlife populations from deteriorating through the breeding of unfit animals. We protect our animals from those elements, for the most part, so must do our own selecting and culling in place of what nature does with the wildlife.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), June 15, 2000.

Culling means selecting for discarding. You may be selecting to remove from your breeding stock, you may be selecting to remove even from the stock that eat food that could be better used for better animals, you may be selecting to discard small grain or small pods or fungal susceptibility in plants. Culled stock may be killed, but remember the best stock you can buy is almost always the breeder's culls.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), June 15, 2000.

thanks everyone, now i get it.laura

-- laura cavallari (ladygoat13@aol.com), June 15, 2000.

Ayuh! Here in Maine a "cull" is a lobster with only one claw, or a small claw, or even no claws. Don't generally see them unless you go to a "pound" or wholesaler, since most get sold to restaurants for newburg, or thermidore, or rolls, or the like. They are cheaper than "whole" lobsters, and actually cheaper by the pound. If you like claws, they're not for you. Personally, I've always prefered a piece of tail! GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), June 16, 2000.

Brad -- you're at it again!!! Behave yourself!!

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), June 16, 2000.

When I lived in an orchard, we used to get the "cull" peaches and other fruit. The ones that wouldn't make it to the store etc.

-- Novina West (lamb@stellarnet.com), June 19, 2000.

I think that culling is the greatest thing since sliced bred and if you don't like it kiss my ass

-- Steele Davies (steeleodavis@hotmail.com), April 25, 2001.