E

Glossary

EDI Electronic data interchange protocol.

Electrical stimulation A slaughter technique which prevents cold-shortening. It involves transmitting pulses of electric current through carcasses in the early post-slaughter period. These pulses cause a very rapid fall in pH which accelerates rigor mortis so that cooling can commence without the danger of cold-shortening.

EMA Eye Muscle Area.

Embryo transfer Removing fertilized ova (embryos) from one cow (the donor), generally in response to hormone-induced superovulation, and placing these embryos into other cows (the recipients).

Embryotomy The cutting of the fetus while in the uterus to aid its removal when delivery is impossible by natural means.

Empty weights Animal weight when it consumes no feed or water for minimum 12 hours prior to weighing.

Entities Data objects, that are composed of a set of data elements (items and code sets), describe the contents and the structure of records that are transmitted according to ADIS rules.

Entity tables Tables of data objects.

Environmental effects Effects which influence the performance of an animal which are not genetic in origin.

EPD Expected Progeny Difference.

Estimated Breeding Value (EBV) A measure of an animal’s genetic merit for a given trait.

E-U-R-O-P EU carcass conformation system.

Eye Muscle Area Cross sectional area of the longissimus dorsi muscle. It is usually measured between the 12th -13th ribs of the ribbed carcase.