Cattle
Domesticated bovid ungulates raised for meat, dairy, and labor.
Cattle (Bos taurus) are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus Bos. Cattle are commonly raised for meat, dairy products, and leather, and are also used as draft animals. They are considered sacred in Hinduism, and it is illegal to kill them in some parts of the Indian subcontinent. Small breeds such as the miniature Zebu are kept as pets.
- gestation_period
- About nine months
- natural_lifespan
- 25–30 years
- known_for
- Meat, dairy, leather, draft work, sacred status in Hinduism
Lore & Background
A separate domestication event in the Indian subcontinent produced zebu cattle. Taurine cattle are widely distributed across Europe and temperate areas of Asia, the Americas, and Australia; zebus are found mainly in India and tropical areas; Sanga cattle are found primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. Cattle are ruminants with a four-compartment stomach, allowing them to digest cellulose-rich plant material through symbiosis with microorganisms. They regurgitate and re-chew their food in a process called chewing the cud. Their gestation period is about nine months, and calves stay with their mother until weaning at 8 to 11 months. Cattle have a dominance hierarchy maintained through mock fights and licking behavior. Cattle possess a variety of cognitive abilities, including memorizing food locations for at least 48 days, discrimination learning, and recognizing familiar individuals by faces and vocalizations. Their hearing is better than that of horses but worse than dogs or humans. Olfaction plays a large role in their social life.
Reader's Guide
Cattle are among the most significant domesticated animals in human history, providing meat, dairy products, leather, and draft power. Their farming contributes about 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Cattle were one of the first domesticated animals to have a fully-mapped genome. Their cultural importance is highlighted by their sacred status in Hinduism, with legal protections in parts of the Indian subcontinent. The term 'cattle' originally referred to movable personal property, especially livestock, and is related to 'chattel' and 'capital'. Their cognitive abilities, including memory, discrimination learning, and tool use, demonstrate a complex behavioral repertoire.
Did You Know?
- Cattle have a four-compartment stomach and regurgitate food to chew the cud.
- A cow named Veronika has been documented using different ends of a deck brush to scratch different parts of her body, a case of multi-purpose tool use.
- Cattle can memorize the locations of multiple food sources for at least 48 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Cattle?
Cattle are large, four-toed ungulates in the bovid family and represent the most widespread species in the genus Bos. They are the modern descendants of the now-extinct wild aurochs and are found on nearly every inhabited continent.
What are Cattle primarily raised for?
They serve as a major source of meat, milk, and leather, while also providing draft power for agricultural work in many regions. Their versatility has made them one of the most economically important livestock animals in human history.
What is the cultural significance of Cattle in Hinduism?
Cattle hold a sacred status in Hindu tradition, and in certain parts of the Indian subcontinent, harming or killing them is actually prohibited by law. This deep reverence has shaped local agriculture, economy, and social norms for thousands of years.
How long do Cattle typically live?
Under natural conditions a healthy cow can reach an age of roughly 25 to 30 years, with a gestation period of about nine months for each calf. In modern farming settings, however, most animals are slaughtered well before reaching their full natural lifespan.
More in Mammals 1-24
Elsewhere in the Mammals universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record