DictionarystockFarm animals
noun

stock

Animals kept on a farm collectively.

The farmer checks the stock before closing the gate.

Etymology

Stock came to mean the productive resources kept for use. Farm animals form part of that living reserve, hence livestock and stock for the animals collectively.

More examples

  • The farm raises healthy stock.
  • They brought the stock into shelter.
  • The sale included breeding stock.

Forms

stock

Similar words

livestock
The explicit word for farm animals collectively.