Cattle (colloquially cows) are the most common type of large domesticated Domestication or taming is the process whereby a population of animals or plants, through a process of selection, becomes accustomed to human provision and control. A defining characteristic of domestication is artificial selection by humans. Some species such as the Asian Elephant, numerous members of which have for many centuries been used as ungulates Ungulates are several groups of mammals, most of which use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving. They make up several orders of mammals, of which six to eight survive. There is some dispute as to whether Ungulata are a cladistic (evolution-based) group, or merely a phenetic group or folk taxon (. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily What does and does not belong to each family is determined by a taxonomist. Similarly for the question if a particular family should be recognized at all. Often there is no exact agreement, with different taxonomists each taking a different position. There are no hard rules that a taxonomist needs to follow in describing or recognizing a family Bovinae The biological subfamily Bovinae includes a diverse group of 10 genera of medium to large sized ungulates, including domestic cattle, the bison, African buffalo, the water buffalo, the yak, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes. The evolutionary relationship between the members of the group is obscure, and their classification into loose, are the most widespread species of the genus In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank (a taxon) used in the classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender", cognate with Greek: γένος – genos, "race, stock, kin" Bos Bos is the genus of wild and domestic cattle. Bos can be divided into four subgenera: Bos, Bibos, Novibos, and Poephagus, but these divisions are controversial. The genus has five extant species. However, this may rise to seven if the domesticated varieties are counted as separate species, and nine if the closely related genus Bison is also, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius. Cattle are raised as livestock Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food or fibre, or labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning of "livestock" is common for meat (beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle . Beef is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of Australia, Argentina, Europe and America, and is also important in Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Beef is considered a taboo food in some cultures: especially in Hinduism (although not strictly forbidden), and veal Veal is the meat of young cattle . Though veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, most veal comes from male calves of dairy cattle breeds. Veal has a tender texture), as dairy animals Dairy cattle are cattle cows (adult females) bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cows generally are of the species Bos taurus for milk Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It provides the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. The early lactation milk is known as colostrum, and carries the mother's antibodies to the baby. It can reduce the risk of many diseases in the baby. The exact and other dairy products Dairy products are generally defined as foods produced from cow's or domestic buffalo's milk. They are usually high-energy-yielding food products. A production plant for such processing is called a dairy or a dairy factory. Raw milk for processing mostly comes from cows and to a lesser amount from domestic buffalos , but occasionally from other, and as draft animals An ox or bullock (Australia, New Zealand, India) is a bovine animal trained as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly adult, castrated male cattle, but cows (adult females) or bulls (entire males) may also be used in some areas. Oxen are used for plowing, transport (pulling carts or wagons or sometimes for riding), threshing grain by trampling, and for (pulling carts A cart is a vehicle or device designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people. It is different from a dray or wagon, which is a heavy transport vehicle with four wheels and normally at least two horses, which in turn is different from a carriage,, plows The plough is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture. The primary purpose of ploughing is to turn over the upper layer of the soil, bringing fresh nutrients to the surface, and the like). Other products include leather Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry and dung Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation for manure Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil. Higher organisms then feed on the fungi and bacteria in a chain of life that comprises the soil food web or fuel Fuel is any material that can be used to generate energy to produce mechanical work in a controlled manner. The processes used to convert fuel into energy include chemical reactions, such as combustion, and nuclear reactions, such as nuclear fission or nuclear fusion. Fuels are also used in the cells of organisms in a process known as metabolism. In some countries, such as India India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with 1.18 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Mainland India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the, cattle are sacred Cattle are considered sacred in various world religions, most notably Hinduism, but also Zoroastrianism and the religions of ancient Egypt and Greece. In some regions, especially India, the slaughter of cattle may be prohibited and their meat may be taboo. It is estimated that there are 1.3 billion cattle in the world today.[1] In 2009, cattle became the first livestock animal to have its genome In modern molecular biology, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA mapped.[2]

Contents

Species of cattle

Cattle were originally identified by Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus [a 2] (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus [a 3], also known after his ennoblement as Carl von Linné , 23 May [O.S. 12 May] 1707 – 10 January 1778) was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also as three separate species. These were Bos taurus, the European or "taurine" cattle (including similar types from Africa and Asia); Bos indicus, the zebu Zebu, Bos primigenius indicus or Bos indicus, sometimes known as humped cattle or indicus cattle, are a type of domestic cattle originating in South Asia. They are characterised by a fatty hump on their shoulders, drooping ears and a large dewlap. They are highly adapted to high temperatures, and are farmed throughout the tropical countries, both; and the extinct Bos primigenius, the aurochs The aurochs or urus , the ancestor of domestic cattle, was a type of huge wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627. The aurochs is ancestral to both zebu and taurine cattle. Recently these three have increasingly been grouped as one species, with Bos primigenius taurus, Bos primigenius indicus and Bos primigenius primigenius as the subspecies.[3]

Complicating the matter is the ability of cattle to interbreed with other closely related species. Hybrid individuals and even breeds exist, not only between taurine cattle and zebu (including the sanga cattle breeds, Bos taurus africanus) but also between one or both of these and some other members of the genus In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank (a taxon) used in the classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender", cognate with Greek: γένος – genos, "race, stock, kin" Bos Bos is the genus of wild and domestic cattle. Bos can be divided into four subgenera: Bos, Bibos, Novibos, and Poephagus, but these divisions are controversial. The genus has five extant species. However, this may rise to seven if the domesticated varieties are counted as separate species, and nine if the closely related genus Bison is also: yak The yak, Bos grunniens, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population (called a dzo A dzo is a hybrid of yak and domestic cattle. The word dzo technically refers to a male hybrid, while a female is known as a dzomo or zhom. Alternative Romanizations of the Tibetan names include zho and zo. In Mongolian it is called khainag (хайнаг). There is also the English language portmanteau term of yakow; a combination of the words yak or "yattle"[4]), banteng The Banteng , also known as Tembadau, is a species of wild cattle found in Southeast Asia. Banteng have been domesticated in several places in Southeast Asia, and there are around 1.5 million domestic banteng, which are called Bali cattle. These animals are used as working animals, and for their meat. Bali cattle have also been introduced to and gaur The gaur (Bos gaurus, previously Bibos gauris) is a large, dark-coated forest animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The largest populations are found today in India. The gaur belongs to the Bovinae subfamily, which also includes bison, domestic cattle, yak and water buffalo. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger than the. Hybrids can also occur between taurine cattle and either species of bison Members of the genus Bison are large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant species and four extinct species are recognized. The surviving species are the American bison, Bison bison , found in North America, and the European bison, or wisent (Bison bonasus), found in Europe and the Caucasus. While these species are usually (for example, the beefalo Beefalo are a fertile hybrid offspring of domestic cattle, Bos taurus, and the American bison, Bison bison . The breed was created to combine the best characteristics of both animals with a view towards beef production breed), which some authors consider to be in the genus Bos as well.[5] The hybrid origin of some types may not be obvious – for example, genetic testing Genetic Testing : Gene tests , the newest and most sophisticated of the techniques used to test for genetic disorders, involve direct examination of the DNA molecule itself. Other genetic tests include biochemical tests for such gene products as enzymes and other proteins and for microscopic examination of stained or fluorescent chromosomes of the Dwarf Lulu breed, the only humpless taurine-type cattle in Nepal, found them to be a mix of taurine cattle, zebu and yak.[6] Cattle cannot successfully be hybridized with more distantly related bovines such as water buffalo The water buffalo or domestic Asian water buffalo is a large bovine animal, frequently used as livestock in southern Asia, and also widely in South America, southern Europe, north Africa, and elsewhere or African buffalo The African buffalo, affalo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovid. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear. Owing to its unpredictable nature which makes it highly dangerous to humans, it has not been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the domestic Asian water buffalo.

The aurochs originally ranged throughout Europe, North Africa North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes seven countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, and, and much of Asia. In historical times its range became restricted to Europe, and the last known individual died in Masovia Masovia or Mazovia is a geographic and historic region of east-central Poland. Administrative borders of the contemporary Masovian Voivodeship do not follow historical boundaries of the region. For example, a Masovian city of Łomża belongs instead to the Podlaskie Voivodeship; Skierniewice belongs to Łódź Voivodeship; while Radom,, Poland Poland /ˈpəʊlənd/ (Polish: Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Rzeczpospolita Polska), is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north. The total area of, in about 1627.[7] Breeders have attempted to recreate cattle of similar appearance to aurochs by crossing traditional types of domesticated cattle, creating the Heck cattle Heck Cattle are the result of an attempt to breed back the aurochs from modern aurochs-derived cattle. For this reason, they are also known as "Reconstructed Aurochs" breed.

Word origin

Cattle did not originate as the term for bovine animals. It was borrowed from Old French Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century. It is a direct descendent of Old Gallo-Romance. It was then known as the langue d'oïl to distinguish it from the langue d'oc (Occitan language, catel, itself from Latin caput, head, and originally meant movable personal property Personal property, roughly speaking, is private property that is moveable, as opposed to real property or real estate. In the common law systems personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. In the civil law systems personal property is often called movable property or movables - any property that can be moved from one location to, especially livestock of any kind, as opposed to real property Real property and personal property are the main classifications of property in the common law. Real property refers to land and the improvements made by human efforts—buildings, machinery, the acquisition of various property rights, and the like. Real property is also termed realty, real estate, and immovable property (the land, to also include wild or small free-roaming animals such as chickens, which would be sold as part of the land).[8] The word is closely related to "chattel Personal property, roughly speaking, is private property that is moveable, as opposed to real property or real estate. In the common law systems personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. In the civil law systems personal property is often called movable property or movables - any property that can be moved from one location to" (a unit of personal property) and "capital In economics, capital, capital goods, or real capital are factors of production used to create goods or services that are not themselves significantly consumed in the production process. Capital goods may be acquired with money or financial capital" in the economic sense.[9][10] The term replaced earlier Old English Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and south-eastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century. What survives through writing represents primarily the literary register of Anglo-Saxon feoh "cattle, property" (cf. German German (Deutsch, [ˈdɔʏtʃ] ) is a West Germanic language, thus related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. It is one of the world's major languages and the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Globally, German is spoken by approximately 120 million native speakers and also by about 80 million non-native speakers: Vieh, Gothic Gothic is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths. It is known primarily from the Codex Argenteus, a 6th century copy of a 4th century Bible translation, and is the only East Germanic language with a sizable corpus. All others, including Burgundian and Vandalic, are known, if at all, only from proper names that survived in: faihu).

The word cow came via Anglo-Saxon Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written in parts of what are now England and south-eastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century. What survives through writing represents primarily the literary register of Anglo-Saxon cū (plural cȳ), from Common Indo-European gʷōus (genitive In grammar, the genitive case is the case that marks a noun as modifying another noun. It often marks a noun as being the possessor of another noun but it can also indicate various relationships other than possession; certain verbs may take arguments in the genitive case; and it may have adverbial uses (see Adverbial genitive). Modern English does gʷowes) = "a bovine animal", compare Persian Gâv, Sanskrit go, Welsh buwch.[citation needed]

In older English sources such as the King James Version of the Bible, "cattle" refers to livestock, as opposed to "deer" which refers to wildlife (part of the real property). "Wild cattle" may refer to feral cattle or to undomesticated species of the genus Bos. Today, the modern meaning of "cattle", without any other qualifier, is usually restricted to domesticated bovines.[citation needed]

Terminology

Look up cattle or cow in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
A Hereford bull Cattle exhibit at Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport

In general, the same words are used in different parts of the world but with minor differences in the definitions. The terminology described here contrasts the differences in definition between the United Kingdom and other British influenced parts of world such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the United States.[11]

See also: List of animal names

Singular terminology dilemma

Cattle can only be used in the plural and not in the singular: it is a plurale tantum. Thus one may refer to "three cattle" or "some cattle", but not "one cattle". There is no universally used singular form in modern English of "cattle", other than the sex- and age-specific terms such as cow, bull, steer and heifer. Historically, "ox" was a non-gender-specific term for adult cattle, but generally this is now used only for draft cattle, especially adult castrated males. The term is also incorporated into the names of other species such as the musk ox and "grunting ox" (yak), and is used in some areas to describe certain cattle products such as ox-hide and ox-tail.[21]

A Brahman calf

"Cow" has been in general use as a singular for the collective "cattle" in spite of the objections of those who say that it is a female-specific term, so that phrases such as "that cow is a bull" would be absurd from a lexicographic standpoint. However, it is easy to use when a singular is needed and the sex is not known or is irrelevant in the context of the conversation, as in "There is a cow in the road". Further, any herd of fully mature cattle in or near a pasture is statistically likely to consist mostly of cows, so the term is probably accurate even in the restrictive sense. Other than the few bulls needed for breeding, the vast majority of male cattle are castrated as calves and slaughtered for meat before the age of three years. Thus, in a pastured herd, any calves or herd bulls usually are clearly distinguishable from the cows due to distinctively different sizes and clear anatomical differences. The Oxford English Dictionary lists the use of "cows" as a synonym for "cattle" as an American usage.[22][Full citation needed] Merriam-Webster, a U.S. dictionary, recognizes the non-sex-specific use of "cow" as an alternate definition,[23] whereas Collins, a UK dictionary, does not.[24]

Colloquially, more general non-specific terms may denote cattle when a singular form is needed. Australian, New Zealand and British farmers use the term "beast" or "cattle beast". "Bovine" is also used in Britain. The term "critter" is common in the western United States and Canada, particularly when referring to young cattle.[25] In some areas of the American South (particularly the Appalachian region), where both dairy and beef cattle are present, an individual animal was once called a "beef critter", though that term is becoming archaic.

Other terminology

A cow's moo Moo!
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Cattle raised for human consumption are called "beef cattle". Within the beef cattle industry in parts of the United States, the term "beef" (plural "beeves") is still used in its archaic sense to refer to an animal of either gender. Cows of certain breeds that are kept for the milk they give are called "dairy cows" or "milking cows" (formerly "milch cows" – "milch" was pronounced as "milk"). Most young male offspring of dairy cows are sold for veal, and may be referred to as veal calves.

The term "dogies" is used to describe orphaned calves in the context of ranch work in the American west, as in "Keep them dogies moving".[26] In some places, a cow kept to provide milk for one family is called a "house cow". Other obsolete terms for cattle include "neat" (this use survives in "neatsfoot oil", extracted from the feet and legs of cattle), and "beefing" (young animal fit for slaughter).

An onomatopoeic term for one of the commonest sounds made by cattle is "moo", and this sound is also called lowing. There are a number of other sounds made by cattle, including calves bawling, and bulls bellowing. The bullroarer makes a sound similar to a territorial call made by bulls.[citation needed]

Anatomy

Cattle have one stomach with four compartments. They are the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum, with the rumen being the largest compartment. The reticulum, the smallest compartment, is known as the "honeycomb". Cattle sometimes consume metal objects which are deposited in the reticulum and irritation from the metal objects causes hardware disease. The omasum's main function is to absorb water and nutrients from the digestible feed. The omasum is known as the "many plies". The abomasum is like the human stomach; this is why it is known as the "true stomach".

Dairy farming and the milking of cattle - once performed largely by hand, but now usually replaced by machine – exploits the cow's ruminant biology.

Cattle are ruminants, meaning that they have a digestive system that allows use of otherwise indigestible foods by regurgitating and rechewing them as "cud". The cud is then reswallowed and further digested by specialised microorganisms in the rumen. These microbes are primarily responsible for decomposing cellulose and other carbohydrates into volatile fatty acids that cattle use as their primary metabolic fuel. The microbes inside the rumen are also able to synthesize amino acids from non-protein nitrogenous sources, such as urea and ammonia. As these microbes reproduce in the rumen, older generations die and their carcasses continue on through the digestive tract. These carcasses are then partially digested by the cattle, allowing them to gain a high quality protein source. These features allow cattle to thrive on grasses and other vegetation.

The gestation period for a cow is nine months. A newborn calf weighs 25 to 45 kilograms (55 to 99 lb). The world record for the heaviest bull was 1,740 kilograms (3,840 lb), a Chianina named Donetto, when he was exhibited at the Arezzo show in 1955.[27] The heaviest steer was eight year old ‘Old Ben’, a Shorthorn/Hereford cross weighing in at 2,140 kilograms (4,720 lb) in 1910.[28] Steers are generally killed before reaching 750 kilograms (1,650 lb). Breeding stock usually live to about 15 years (occasionally as much as 25 years).

A common misconception about cattle (particularly bulls) is that they are enraged by the color red (something provocative is often said to be "like a red flag to a bull"). This is incorrect, as cattle are red-green color-blind.[29][30] The myth arose from the use of red capes in the sport of bullfighting; in fact, two different capes are used. The capote is a large, flowing cape that is magenta and yellow. The more famous muleta is the smaller, red cape, used exclusively for the final, fatal segment of the fight. It is not the color of the cape that angers the bull, but rather the movement of the fabric that irritates the bull and incites it to charge.

Although cattle cannot distinguish red from green, they do have two kinds of color receptors in the cone cells in their retinas. Thus they are dichromatic, the same as most other mammals (including dogs, cats, horses and up to ten percent of male humans; see also color vision. ). They are able to distinguish some colors, particularly blue from yellow, in the same way as most other non-primate land mammals.[31][32]

Cattle genome

Further information: Bovine genome

In the April 24, 2009 edition of the journal Science, it was reported that a team of researchers led by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has mapped the bovine genome.[33] The scientists found that cattle have approximately 22,000 genes, and 80 percent of their genes are shared with humans, and they have approximately 1,000 genes they share with dogs and rodents, but are not found in humans. Using this bovine "HapMap", researchers can track the differences between the breeds that affect the quality of meat and milk yields.[34]

Domestication and husbandry

Texas Longhorns are a U.S. breed

Cattle occupy a unique role in human history, domesticated since at least the early Neolithic. They are raised for meat (beef cattle), dairy products and hides. They are also used as draft animals and in certain sports. Some consider cattle the oldest form of wealth, and cattle raiding consequently one of the earliest forms of theft.

A hereford being inspected for ticks; cattle are often restrained or confined in Cattle crushes when given medical attention.

Cattle are often raised by allowing herds to graze on the grasses of large tracts of rangeland. Raising cattle in this manner allows the use of land that might be unsuitable for growing crops. The most common interactions with cattle involve daily feeding, cleaning and milking. Many routine husbandry practices involve ear tagging, dehorning, loading, medical operations, vaccinations and hoof care, as well as training for agricultural shows and preparations. There are also some cultural differences in working with cattle- the cattle husbandry of Fulani men rests on behavioural techniques, whereas in Europe cattle are controlled primarily by physical means like fences.[35] Breeders use cattle husbandry to reduce M. bovis infection susceptibility by selective breeding and maintaining herd health to avoid concurrent disease.[36]

Cattle are farmed for beef, veal, dairy, leather and they are less commonly used for conservation grazing, simply to maintain grassland for wildlife – for example, in Epping Forest, England. They are often used in some of the most wild places for livestock. Depending on the breed, cattle can survive on hill grazing, heaths, marshes, moors and semi desert. Modern cows are more commercial than older breeds and, having become more specialized, are less versatile. For this reason many smaller farmers still favor old breeds, like the dairy breed of cattle Jersey.

In Portugal, Spain, Southern France and some Latin American countries, bulls are used in the activity of bullfighting; a similar activity, Jallikattu, is seen in South India; in many other countries this is illegal. Other activities such as bull riding are seen as part of a rodeo, especially in North America. Bull-leaping, a central ritual in Bronze Age Minoan culture (see Bull (mythology)), still exists in southwestern France. In modern times, cattle are also entered into agricultural competitions. These competitions can involve live cattle or cattle carcases in hoof and hook events.

In terms of food intake by humans, consumption of cattle is less efficient than of grain or vegetables with regard to land use, and hence cattle grazing consumes more area than such other agricultural production when raised on grains.[37] Nonetheless, cattle and other forms of domesticated animals can sometimes help to use plant resources in areas not easily amenable to other forms of agriculture.

Economy

Holstein cattle are the primary dairy breed, bred for high milk production.

Cattle today are the basis of a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. The international trade in beef for 2000 was over $30 billion and represented only 23 percent of world beef production. (Clay 2004). The production of milk, which is also made into cheese, butter, yogurt, and other dairy products, is comparable in economic size to beef production and provides an important part of the food supply for many of the world's people. Cattle hides, used for leather to make shoes, couches and clothing, are another widespread product. Cattle remain broadly used as draft animals in many developing countries, such as India.

Environmental impact

Cattle — especially when kept on enormous feedlots such as this one — have been named as a contributing factor in the rise in greenhouse gas emissions.

A 400-page United Nations report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that cattle farming is "responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases".[38] The production of cattle to feed and clothe humans stresses ecosystems around the world,[37] and is assessed to be one of the top three environmental problems in the world on a local to global scale.[39]

The report, entitled Livestock's Long Shadow, also surveys the environmental damage from sheep, chickens, pigs and goats. But in almost every case, the world's 1.5 billion cattle are cited as the greatest adverse impact with respect to climate change as well as species extinction. The report concludes that, unless changes are made, the massive damage reckoned to be due to livestock may more than double by 2050, as demand for meat increases. One of the cited changes suggests that intensification of the livestock industry may be suggested, since intensification leads to less land for a given level of production.[39]

Some microbes respire in the cattle gut by an anaerobic process known as methanogenesis (producing the gas methane). Cattle emit a large volume of methane, 95% of it through eructation or burping, not flatulence.[40] As the carbon in the methane comes from the digestion of vegetation produced by photosynthesis, its release into the air by this process would normally be considered harmless, because there is no net increase in carbon in the atmosphere — it's removed as carbon dioxide from the air by photosynthesis and returned to it as methane.[citation needed] Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, having a warming effect 23 to 50 times greater,[41][42] and according to Takahashi and Young "even a small increase in methane concentration in the atmosphere exerts a potentially significant contribution to global warming".[42] Further analysis of the methane gas produced by livestock as a contributor to the increase in greenhouse gases is provided by Weart.[43] Research is underway on methods of reducing this source of methane, by the use of dietary supplements, or treatments to reduce the proportion of methanogenetic microbes, perhaps by vaccination.[44][45]

Cattle are fed a concentrated high-corn diet which produces rapid weight gain, but this has side effects which include increased acidity in the digestive system. When improperly handled, manure and other byproducts of concentrated agriculture also have environmental consequences.[46]

Grazing by cattle at low intensities can create a favourable environment for native herbs and forbs; however, in most world regions cattle are reducing biodiversity due to overgrazing driven by food demands by an expanding human population.[47]

Health

Cow urine is commonly used in India for medical purposes. It is distilled and then drank by patients seeking treatment for a wide variety of illness. There is still no conclusive medical evidence that this has any effect. [48]

Oxen

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Main article: Ox Draft Zebus in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Oxen (singular ox) are large and heavyset breeds of Bos taurus cattle trained as draft animals. Often they are adult, castrated males. Usually an ox is over four years old due to the need for training and to allow it to grow to full size. Oxen are used for plowing, transport, hauling cargo, grain-grinding by trampling or by powering machines, irrigation by powering pumps, and wagon drawing. Oxen were commonly used to skid logs in forests, and sometimes still are, in low-impact select-cut logging. Oxen are most often used in teams of two, paired, for light work such as carting. In the past, teams might have been larger, with some teams exceeding twenty animals when used for logging.

An ox is a mature bovine who has learned to respond appropriately to a teamster's signals. These signals are given by verbal commands or by noise (whip cracks). In North America, the commands are (1) get up, (2) whoa, (3) back up, (4) gee (turn right) and (5) haw (turn left).[citation needed] U.S. ox trainers favored larger males for their ability to work.

Riding an ox in Hova, Sweden.

Oxen can pull harder and longer than horses. Though not as fast as horses, they are less prone to injury because they are more sure-footed.

Many oxen are used worldwide, especially in developing countries.

Oxen are also used as food products, including their blood, livers, kidneys, hearts, hides, and tails.

Religion, traditions and folklore

Main article: Cattle in religion

Hindu tradition

In Hinduism, the cow is a symbol of wealth, strength, abundance, selfless giving and a full Earthly life.

Cattle are venerated within the Hindu religion of India.[clarification needed] According to Vedic scriptures they are to be treated with the same respect 'as one's mother' because of the milk they provide; "The cow is my mother" (Mahabharata)[49] They appear in numerous stories from the Puranas and Vedas. The deity Krishna was brought up in a family of cowherders, and given the name Govinda (protector of the cows). Also Shiva is traditionally said to ride on the back of a bull named Nandi. In ancient rural India every household had a few cows which provided a constant supply of milk and a few bulls that helped as draft animals.[citation needed]

Observant Hindus, even though they might eat meat of other animals, almost always abstain from beef, and the slaughter of cows is considered a heinous sin in mainstream Orthodox Hinduism. Slaughter of cows (including oxen, bulls and calves) is forbidden by law in almost all the states of the Indian Union. Illegal slaughter of cows in India is sometimes the reason for religious riots between Hindus and Muslims. McDonalds outlets in India serve only vegetarian, chicken or fishburgers. At one time the death sentence was imposed for killing a cow in India,[50] and as late as 1960, an individual could serve three months in jail for killing a pedestrian, but one year for injuring a cow, and life imprisonment for killing a cow. [51]

Other traditions

Legend of the founding of Durham Cathedral is that monks carrying the body of Saint Cuthbert were led to the location by a milk maid who had lost her dun cow, which was found resting on the spot.

In heraldry

Cattle are typically represented in heraldry by the bull.

Arms of Turin, Italy Arms of Kaunas, Lithuania Arms of Bielsk Podlaski, Poland Arms of Turek, Poland

See also: Ciołek coat of arms

Population

The world cattle population is estimated to be about 1.3 billion head.[1]. India is the nation with the largest number of cattle, about 281,700,000 or 28.29% of the world cattle population, followed by Brazil: 187,087,000, 18.79%; China: 139,721,000, 14.03%; the United States: 96,669,000, 9.71%; EU-27: at 87,650,000, 8.80%; Argentina: 51,062,000, 5.13%; Australia: 29,202,000, 2.93%; South Africa: 14,187,000, 1.42%; Canada: 13,945,000, 1.40% and other countries: 49,756,000 5.00%.[54] Africa has about 20,000,000 head of cattle, many of which are raised in traditional ways and serve partly as tokens of their owner's wealth.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Breeds of Cattle at CATTLE TODAY
  2. ^ Brown, David (2009-04-23). "Scientists Unravel Genome of the Cow". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/23/AR2009042303453.html. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
  3. ^ BZN 63(3) General Articles & Nomenclatural Notes
  4. ^ "Yattle What?", Washington Post, August 11, 2007
  5. ^ Groves, C. P., 1981. Systematic relationships in the Bovini (Artiodactyla, Bovidae). Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung, 4:264-278., quoted in Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press: "Bison". (online edition)
  6. ^ Takeda, Kumiko; et al. (April 2004). "Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Nepalese domestic dwarf cattle Lulu". Animal Science Journal (Blackwell Publishing) 75 (2): 103–110. doi:10.1111/j.1740-0929.2004.00163.x. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111%2Fj.1740-0929.2004.00163.x. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
  7. ^ Van Vuure, C.T. 2003. De Oeros – Het spoor terug (in Dutch), Cis van Vuure, Wageningen University and Research Centrum: quoted by The Extinction Website: Bos primigenius primigenius.
  8. ^ Harper, Douglas (2001). "Cattle". Online Etymological Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=cattle. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  9. ^ Harper, Douglas (2001). "Chattel". Online Etymological Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=chattel. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  10. ^ Harper, Douglas (2001). "Capital". Online Etymological Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=capital. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  11. ^ a b http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Cattle_-_Terminology/id/1287270 Cattle Terminology
  12. ^ a b Coupe, Sheena (ed.), Frontier Country, Vol. 1, Weldon Russell Publishing, Willoughby, 1989, ISBN 1 875202 01 3
  13. ^ "Definition of heifer". Merriam-Webster. http://webster.com/dictionary/heifer. Retrieved 2006-11-29.
  14. ^ a b Delbridge, Arthur, The Macquarie Dictionary, 2nd ed., Macquarie Library, North Ryde, 1991
  15. ^ McIntosh, E., The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English, Clarendon Press, 1967
  16. ^ Warren, Andrea. "Pioneer Girl: Growing Up on the Prairie" (PDF). Lexile. http://www.lexile.com/PowerV/Pioneer%20Girl%20Growng%20Up%20on%20the%20Prairie.pdf. Retrieved 2006-11-29.
  17. ^ Delbridge, A, et al., Macquarie Dictionary, The Book Printer, Australia, 1991
  18. ^ Meat & Livestock Australia, Feedback, June/July 2008
  19. ^ Sure Ways to Lose Money on Your Cattle
  20. ^ Australians Camdraft Assoc. Retrieved on 2009-7-31
  21. ^ Oxford English Dictionary 1933: Ox (sense 1), Ox (sense 2)
  22. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford
  23. ^ Merriam Webster Online
  24. ^ Collins Language.com
  25. ^ "Critter," definition 2.
  26. ^ Beales, Terry (1999). "Keep Those Dogies Movin!" (PDF). Texas Animal Health Commission News Release. http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/news/pr/1999/1999.08_CattleMove.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
  27. ^ Friend, John B., Cattle of the World, Blandford Press, Dorset, 1978
  28. ^ McWhirter, Norris & Ross, Guiness Book of Records, Redwood Press, Trowbridge, 1968
  29. ^ ITLA - Longhorn_Information - handling
  30. ^ http://iacuc.tennessee.edu/pdf/Policies-AnimalCare/Cattle-BasicCare.pdf
  31. ^ Jacobs, G. H., J. F.Deegan, and J. Neitz. 1998. Photopigment basis for dichromatic color vision in cows, goats and sheep. Vis. Neurosci. 15:581–584
  32. ^ Perception of Color by Cattle and its Influence on Behavior C.J.C. Phillips* and C. A. Lomas†2 J. Dairy Sci. 84:807–813
  33. ^ "Cow genome unraveled in bid to improve meat, milk". AP. 2009-04-23. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090423/ap_on_sc/us_sci_bovine_basics. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
  34. ^ BBC: Cow genome 'to transform farming'
  35. ^ Lott, Dale F.; Hart, Benjamin L. (October 1979). "Applied ethology in a nomadic cattle culture". Applied Animal Ethology (Elsevier B.V.) 5 (4): 309–319. doi:10.1016/0304-3762(79)90102-0.
  36. ^ Krebs JR, Anderson T, Clutton-Brock WT, et al. (1997) (PDF). Bovine tuberculosis in cattle and badgers: an independent scientific review. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/publications/hpanel.pdf. Retrieved 2006-09-04.
  37. ^ a b Edward O. Wilson, The Future of Life, 2003, Vintage Books, 256 pages ISBN 0-679-76811-4
  38. ^ "Livestock a major threat to environment". FAO Newsroom. http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html.
  39. ^ a b LEAD digital library: Livestock’s long shadow — Environmental issues and options
  40. ^ "Bovine belching called udderly serious gas problem". Los Angeles Times, Sunday, July 13, 2003.
  41. ^ (pie charts)
  42. ^ a b Junichi Takahashi and Bruce A. Young, Greenhouse Gases and Animal Agriculture: Proceedings (2002) Elsevier Health Sciences, 372 pages ISBN 0-444-51012-5
  43. ^ Spencer Weart: The Discovery of Global Warming: "Other Greenhouse Gases". June 2007.
  44. ^ "Triad bid to stop belching". BBC News. 2006-01-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4582174.stm. Retrieved 2006-01-04.
  45. ^ Research on use of bacteria from the stomach lining of kangaroos (who don't emit methane) to reduce methane in cattle
  46. ^ Manure Management
  47. ^ E.O. Wilson, The Future of Life, 2003, Vintage Books, 256 pages ISBN 067976811
  48. ^ http://online.wsj.com/video/indian-doctors-use-cow-urine-as-medicine/6E5E9BB4-B07A-418B-AAD3-C2121AEE0928.html?mod=WSJ_Article_Videocarousel_1
  49. ^ Mahabharata, Book 13-Anusasana Parva, Section LXXVI
  50. ^ http://expressbuzz.com/Opinion/Op-Ed/save-the-cow-save-earth/123392.html
  51. ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oegzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5O4HAAAAIBAJ&dq=india%20cow%20killing%20life-imprisonment&pg=6924%2C2401380
  52. ^ Kane, J.; Anzovin, S., & Podell, J. (1997). Famous First Facts. New York, NY: H. W. Wilson Company. pp. 5. ISBN 0-8242-0930-3.
  53. ^ Madden, Thomas (May 1992). "Akabeko". OUTLOOK. Online copy accessed 18 January 2007.
  54. ^ Cattle Population By Country

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bos taurus
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bull (cattle)
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of Raising Cattle
Look up cattle in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Extant Artiodactyla species
Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Mammalia · Infraclass: Eutheria · Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Suborder Ruminantia
Antilocapridae
Antilocapra Pronghorn (A. americana)
Giraffidae
Okapia Okapi (O. johnstoni)
Giraffa Giraffe (G. camelopardalis)
Moschidae
Moschus Himalayan Musk Deer (M. chrysogaster) · Siberian Musk Deer (M. moschiferus) · Dwarf Musk Deer (M. berezovskii) · Black Musk Deer (M. fuscus)
Tragulidae
Hyemoschus Water Chevrotain (H. aquaticus)
Moschiola Indian Spotted Chevrotain (M. indica) · Yellow-striped Chevrotain (M. kathygre) · Sri Lankan Spotted Chevrotain (M. meminna)
Tragulus Java Mouse-deer (T. javanicus) · Lesser Mouse-deer (T. kanchil) · Greater Mouse-deer (T. napu) · Philippine Mouse-deer (T. nigricans) · Vietnam Mouse-deer (T. versicolor) · Williamson's Mouse-deer (T. williamsoni)
Cervidae Large family listed below
Bovidae Large family listed below
Family Cervidae
Muntiacinae
Muntiacus Indian Muntjac (M. muntjak) · Reeves's Muntjac (M. reevesi) · Hairy-fronted Muntjac (M. crinifrons) · Fea's Muntjac (M. feae) · Bornean Yellow Muntjac (M. atherodes) · Roosevelt's muntjac (M. rooseveltorum) · Gongshan muntjac (M. gongshanensis) · Giant Muntjac (M. vuquangensis) · Truong Son Muntjac (M. truongsonensis) · Leaf muntjac (M. putaoensis)
Elaphodus Tufted deer (E. cephalophus)
Cervinae
Cervus Red Deer (C. elaphus) · Elk (C. canadensis) · Thorold's deer (C. albirostris) · Sika Deer (C. nippon) · Barasingha (C. duvaucelii) · Eld's Deer (C. eldii) · Sambar Deer (C. unicolor) · Rusa Deer (C. timorensis) · Philippine Sambar (C. mariannus) · Philippine Spotted Deer (C. alfredi)
Axis Chital (A. axis) · Hog deer (A. porcinus) · Calamian Deer (A. calamianensis) · Bawean Deer (A. kuhlii)
Elaphurus Père David's Deer (E. davidianus)
Dama Fallow Deer (D. dama) · Persian fallow deer (D. mesopotamica)
Hydropotinae
Hydropotes Water deer (H. inermis)
Capreolinae
Odocoileus White-tailed deer (O. virginianus) · Mule deer (O. hemionus)
Blastocerus Marsh Deer (B. dichotomus)
Ozotoceros Pampas deer (O. bezoarticus)
Mazama Red Brocket (M. americana) · Small Red Brocket (M. bororo) · Merida Brocket (M. bricenii) · Dwarf Brocket (M. chunyi) · Gray Brocket (M. gouazoubira) · Pygmy Brocket (M. nana) · Fair Brocket (M. ochroleuca) · Yucatan Brown Brocket (M. pandora) · Little Red Brocket (M. rufina) · Central American Red Brocket (M. temama)
Pudu Northern Pudu (P. mephistophiles) · Pudú (P. pudu)
Hippocamelus Taruca (H. antisensis) · South Andean Deer (H. bisulcus)
Capreolus Roe Deer (C. capreolus) · Siberian Roe Deer (C. pygargus)
Rangifer Reindeer (R. tarandus)
Alces Moose (A. alces)
Family Bovidae
Cephalophinae
Cephalophus Abbott's Duiker (C. spadix) · Aders' Duiker (C. adersi) · Bay Duiker (C. dorsalis) · Black Duiker (C. niger) · Black-fronted Duiker (C. nigrifrons) · Blue Duiker (C. monticola) · Harvey's Duiker (C. harveyi) · Jentink's Duiker (C. jentinki) · Maxwell's Duiker (C. maxwellii) · Red Forest Duiker (C. natalensis) · Ogilby's Duiker (C. ogilbyi) · Peters's Duiker (C. callipygus) · Red-flanked Duiker (C. rufilatus) · Ruwenzori Duiker (C. rubidis) · Weyns's Duiker (C. weynsi) · White-bellied Duiker (C. leucogaster) · Yellow-backed Duiker (C. Sylvicultor) · Zebra Duiker (C. zebra)
Sylvicapra Common Duiker (S. grimmia)
Hippotraginae
Hippotragus Roan Antelope (H. equinus) · Sable Antelope (H. niger)
Oryx East African Oryx (O. beisa) · Scimitar Oryx (O. dammah) · Gemsbok (O. gazella) · Arabian Oryx (O. leucoryx)
Addax Addax (A. nasomaculatus)
Reduncinae
Kobus Upemba Lechwe (K. anselli) · Waterbuck (K. ellipsiprymnus) · Kob (K. kob) · Lechwe (K. leche) · Nile Lechwe (K. megaceros) · Puku (K. vardonii)
Redunca Southern Reedbuck (R. arundinum) · Mountain Reedbuck (R. fulvorufula) · Bohor Reedbuck (R. redunca)
Aepycerotinae
Aepyceros Impala (A. melampus)
Peleinae
Pelea Grey Rhebok (P. capreolus)
Alcelaphinae
Beatragus Hirola (B. hunteri)
Damaliscus Korrigum (D. korrigum) · Common Tsessebe (D. lunatus) · Bontebok (D. pygargus) · Bangweulu Tsessebe (D. superstes)
Alcelaphus Hartebeest (A. buselaphus) · Red Hartebeest (A. caama) · Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (A. lichtensteinii)
Connochaetes Black Wildebeest (C. gnou) · Blue Wildebeest (C. taurinus)
Pantholopinae
Pantholops Tibetan antelope (P. hodgsonii)
Caprinae Large subfamily listed below
Bovinae Large subfamily listed below
Antilopinae Large subfamily listed below
Family Bovidae (subfamily Caprinae)
Ammotragus Barbary Sheep (A. lervia)
Budorcas Takin (B. taxicolor)
Capra Wild goat (C. aegagrus) · West Caucasian Tur (C. caucasia) · East Caucasian Tur (C. cylindricornis) · Markhor (C. falconeri) · Alpine Ibex (C. ibex) · Nubian Ibex (C. nubiana) · Spanish Ibex (C. pyrenaica) · Siberian Ibex (C. sibirica) · Walia Ibex (C. walie)
Hemitragus Nilgiri Tahr (H. hylocrius) · Arabian Tahr (H. jayakari) · Himalayan Tahr (H. jemlahicus)
Naemorhedus Red Goral (N. baileyi) · Japanese Serow (N. crispus) · Long-tailed Goral (N. caudatus) · Gray Goral (N. goral) · Mainland Serow (N. sumatraensis) · Taiwan Serow (N. swinhoei)
Oreamnos Mountain goat (O. americanus)
Ovibos Muskox (O. moschatus)
Ovis Argali (O. ammon) · Domestic sheep (O. aries) · Bighorn Sheep (O. canadensis) · Dall Sheep (O. dalli) · Mouflon (O. musimon) · Snow sheep (O. nivicola) · Urial (O. orientalis)
Pseudois Bharal (P. nayaur) · Dwarf Blue Sheep (P. schaeferi)
Rupicapra Pyrenean Chamois (R. pyrenaica) · Chamois (R. rupicapra)
Family Bovidae (subfamily Bovinae)
Boselaphini
Tetracerus Four-horned Antelope (T. quadricornis)
Boselaphus Nilgai (B. tragocamelus)
Bovini
Bubalus Water Buffalo (B. bubalus) · Lowland Anoa (B. depressicornis) · Mountain Anoa (B. quarlesi) · Tamaraw (B. mindorensis)
Bos Banteng (B. javanicus) · Gaur (B. gaurus) · Yak (B. mutus) · Cattle (B. taurus) · Kouprey (B. sauveli)
Pseudonovibos Kting Voar (P. spiralis)
Pseudoryx Saola (P. nghetinhensis)
Syncerus African Buffalo (S. caffer)
Bison American Bison (B. bison) · Wisent (B. bonasus)
Strepsicerotini
Tragelaphus Sitatunga (T. spekeii) · Nyala (T. angasii) · Bushbuck (T. scriptus) · Mountain Nyala (T. buxtoni) · Lesser Kudu (T. imberbis) · Greater Kudu (T. strepsiceros) · Bongo (T. eurycerus)
Taurotragus Common Eland (T. oryx) · Giant Eland (T. derbianus)
Family Bovidae (subfamily Antilopinae)
Antilopini
Ammodorcas Dibatag (A. clarkei)
Antidorcas Springbok (A. marsupialis)
Antilope Blackbuck (A. cervicapra)
Gazella Mountain Gazelle (G. gazella) · Neumann's Gazelle (G. erlangeri) · Speke's Gazelle (G. spekei) · Dorcas Gazelle (G. dorcas) · Saudi Gazelle (G. saudiya) · Chinkara (G. bennettii) · Thomson's Gazelle (G. thomsonii) · Red-fronted Gazelle (G. rufifrons) · Dama Gazelle (G. dama) · Grant's Gazelle (G. granti) · Soemmerring's Gazelle (G. soemmerringii) · Cuvier's Gazelle (G. cuvieri) · Rhim Gazelle (G. leptoceros) · Goitered Gazelle (G. subgutturosa)
Litocranius Gerenuk (L. walleri)
Procapra Mongolian gazelle (P. gutturosa) · Goa (P. picticaudata) · Przewalski's Gazelle (P. przewalskii)
Saigini
Pantholops Tibetan antelope (P. hodgsonii)
Saiga Saiga Antelope (S. tatarica)
Neotragini
Dorcatragus Beira (D. megalotis)
Madoqua Günther's Dik-dik (M. guentheri) · Kirk's Dik-dik (M. kirkii) · Silver Dik-dik (M. piacentinii) · Salt's Dik-dik (M. saltiana)
Neotragus Bates's Pygmy Antelope (N. batesi) · Suni (N. moschatus) · Royal Antelope (N. pygmaeus)
Oreotragus Klipspringer (O. oreotragus)
Ourebia Oribi (O. ourebi)
Raphicerus Steenbok (R. campestris) · Cape Grysbok (R. melanotis) · Sharpe's Grysbok (R. sharpei)
Suborder Suina
Suidae
Babyrousa Buru Babirusa (B. babyrussa) · North Sulawesi Babirusa (B. celebensis) · Togian Babirusa (B. togeanensis)
Hylochoerus Giant forest hog (H. meinertzhageni)
Phacochoerus Desert Warthog (P. aethiopicus) · Warthog (P. africanus)
Porcula Pygmy Hog (P. salvania)
Potamochoerus Bushpig (P. larvatus) · Red River Hog (P. porcus)
Sus Palawan Bearded Pig (S. ahoenobarbus) · Bearded Pig (S. barbatus) · Indo-chinese Warty Pig (S. bucculentus) · Visayan Warty Pig (S. cebifrons) · Celebes Warty Pig (S. celebensis) · Flores Warty Pig (S. heureni) · Oliver's Warty Pig (S. oliveri) · Philippine Warty Pig (S. philippensis) · Boar (S. scrofa) · Timor Warty Pig (S. timoriensis) · Javan Pig (S. verrucosus)
Tayassuidae
Tayassu White-lipped Peccary (T. pecari)
Catagonus Chacoan Peccary (C. wagneri)
Pecari Collared Peccary (P. tajacu) · Giant Peccary (P. maximus)
Suborder Tylopoda
Camelidae
Lama Llama (L. glama) · Guanaco (L. guanicoe)
Vicugna Vicuña (V. vicugna) · Alpaca (V. pacos)
Camelus Dromedary (C. dromedarius) · Bactrian Camel (C. bactrianus)
Cetartiodactyla (unranked clade, higher than Artiodactyla)
Hippopotamidae
Hippopotamus Hippopotamus (H. amphibius)
Choeropsis Pygmy Hippopotamus (C. liberiensis)
Heraldic creatures
Beasts Bear · Boar · Bull · Dog · Camelopard · Hind · Kangaroo · Lion · Ox · Stag · Tiger · Wolf
Birds Cock · Dove · Eagle · Pelican · Rook
Legendary Creatures Alce · Basilisk · Biscione · Cockatrice · Dragon · Enfield beast · Griffin · Keythong · Lindworm · Manticore · Martlet · Opinicus · Phoenix · Salamander · Turul · Unicorn · Wyvern
Fish Dolphinfish · Ged · Lucy · Scallop
Others Bat · Bee · Crapaudy · Emmet · Serpent

Categories: Domesticated animals | Cattle | Herbivorous animals | Sequenced genomes

 

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Can anyone explain the difference between live cattle and feeder cattle?
Q. I am writing a paper on a commodity and i cannot find the exact difference b/w live cattle and feeder cattle. Perhaps it is a given and most people in the market know the difference? Any helpis appreciated!
Asked by wang_chung1682 - Fri Nov 17 13:04:22 2006 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. These are terms that relate to the commodities market, not zoology. These definitions are taken from the Man Global Research Report definitions page: Live Cattle: The commodity upon which the CME Live Cattle contract is based. These are cattle that have been fed a high energy ration to develop meat characteristics consistent with general consumer preferences in the U.S. This term is interchangeable with "fed" cattle or "fat" cattle. Feeder Cattle: The commodity upon which the CME Feeder Cattle contract is based. These cattle are those ready to be placed in a feedyard and put on a high energy ration for fattening. Usually, these cattle will come from some form of grass or grazing program. While not exclusively correct, "yearlings"… [cont.]
Answered by Karin C - Fri Nov 17 14:46:26 2006

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