Description
Live Stock
COW
Cow, in common parlance, a domestic bovine, regardless of sex and
age, usually of the species Bos taurus. In precise usage, the name
is given to mature females of several large mammals, including
cattle (bovines), moose, elephants, sea lions, and whales.
Domestic cows are one of the most common farm animals around the
world, and the English language has several words to describe these
animals at various ages. A baby cow is called a calf. A female calf
is sometimes called a heifer calf and a male a bull calf. A heifer
is a female that has not had any offspring. The term usually refers
to immature females; after giving birth to her first calf, however,
a heifer becomes a cow. An adult male is known as a bull. Many male
cattle are castrated to reduce their aggressive tendencies and make
them more tractable. Young neutered males, which are primarily
raised for beef, are called steers or bullocks, whereas adult
neutered males, which are usually used for draft purposes, are
known as oxen. A group of cows, cattle, or kine (an archaic term
for more than one cow) constitutes a herd. English lacks a
gender-neutral singular form, and so cow is used for both female
individuals and all domestic bovines.
