cull animals

verb phrase

1. To select and kill some animals in a group, usually to control its size, improve its health, or prevent the spread of disease.

   B2

   transitiveformal

   • "The farmer had to cull animals that were seriously ill."B1
   • "Officials decided to cull animals in the affected area to stop the disease from spreading."B2
   • "Wildlife managers may cull animals when a population grows beyond what the habitat can support."C1
   • "The park rangers decided to cull the deer population to prevent overgrazing."B2
   • "Farmers sometimes cull their livestock to maintain herd health."B2