Contents
CATTLE,
common term for the domesticated herbivorous mammals that
constitute the genus Bos, of the family BOVIDAE,
raised for their meat, milk, and for draft purposes; they are also
of great importance for leather, glue, gelatin, and other products
they yield. Modern cattle are divided into two species: B.
taurus, which originated in Europe and includes most modern
breeds of dairy and beef cattle, and B. indicus, which
originated in India and is characterized by a hump at the withers.
The latter are now widespread in Africa and Asia, with lesser numbers
imported to North America (primarily in the southern U.S.), Central
America, and northern and central South America.
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The general characteristics of cattle can be provided through
their classification. They belong to the order Artiodactyla (even-toed,
hoofed mammals) and the suborder Ruminantia (four-compartmented
stomachs and a decreased number of teeth, with the upper incisors
missing). Like others of the family Bovidae, they have paired, hollow,
unbranched horns that do not shed. Other Bovidae that are so closely
related to true cattle that they can still interbreed include the
anoa, bison, gaur, Indian and African buffalo, and yak.
European cattle probably are descended from the wild cattle, B.
primigenius, of Europe and were first domesticated in southeastern
Europe about 8500 years ago. The ZEBU, or Brahman, cattle, B.
indicus, were domesticated in southern Asia about the same
time or a little later. Early records indicate that cattle were
used for draft, milk, sacrifice, and, in some instances, for meat
and sport. Some of these early uses have continued in modified forms
into the present, such as in bullfighting, as in sacrificing animals
for religious purposes, and as in considering cows sacred.
The concept and formulation of modern breeds of cattle began
in the midregions of England, in northern Europe, and on the Channel
Islands during the mid-1800s, and most modern breeds were formed
in the latter half of that century. Cattle with similar characteristics,
however, were present in these areas even before the concept of
breeds became dominant. Today more than 270 important recognized
breeds exist, and many other varieties and types that could be described
have not attained breed status. Thus, new breeds continue to evolve,
such as the Brangus, Santa Gertrudis, Charbray, Beef Master, and
Braford.
Dairy cattle are those breeds that have been developed primarily
to produce milk. In North America the major breeds of dairy cattle
are the Holstein-Friesian, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, and
Jersey. The ancestors of these animals were imported from Europe,
where similar cattle exist today. The Holstein-Friesian came from
Holland and adjacent areas, the Ayrshire from Scotland, the Jersey
and the Guernsey from the Channel Islands off the coast of England,
and the Brown Swiss from Switzerland. Among the major dairy breeds
of B. indicus found primarily in India are the
Gir, Hariana, Red Sindhi, Sahiwal, and Tharparker.
The major breeds show distinctive characteristics that may
be used for identification. The Holstein-Friesian is the largest;
a mature cow weighs at least 675 kg (1500 lb). It is followed in
size by the Brown Swiss, Ayrshire, and Guernsey. The Jersey is the
smallest, with mature cows weighing 450 kg (1000 lb). Breeds also differ
in color. The Holstein is black and white, although some animals
may be red and white; the Brown Swiss varies from a very light grayish-brown
to dark brown; and the Ayrshire can be red, brown, or mahogany with
white. The Guernsey is fawn, with white markings and a yellow skin,
and the Jersey may vary from a light gray to a very dark fawn, usually
solid in color but sometimes with white spots. Breeds also differ
with respect to volume of milk produced and milk composition. Holstein-Friesians
produce the largest volume, followed by the Brown Swiss, Ayrshire,
Guernsey, and Jersey. Milk from the Jersey contains the highest
concentration of fat (5 percent), however, followed by that of the
Guernsey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire, and the Holstein (3.61 percent).
Beef cattle have been bred and selected primarily for the
production of meat, and many breeds have been developed or adapted
for special conditions. The major breeds of registered beef cattle
in North America, listed in order of numbers, are Angus, Hereford,
Polled Hereford, Charolais, Shorthorn, Santa Gertrudis, Brahman,
Brangus, and Red Angus. In recent years, several “exotic” breeds
also have been imported, including the Simmental, Gelbvieh, Fleckvieh,
Limousin, Maine-Anjou, and Chianina. These later arrivals have been
used primarily for crossing with the major American breeds to increase
the size and milking ability of the crossbred offspring for commercial
production.
Herefords are characterized by a red coat color and a white
face. Polled Herefords have the same characteristics, but they are
hornless (polled). Angus are solid black in color and are polled;
the Charolais are white or cream-colored; and the Shorthorn may
be red, white, or roan (a mixture of red and white). The Brahman
is usually white in color, with large droopy ears, and a large dewlap.
The Santa Gertrudis was developed in Texas from crossbreeding the
Brahman and Shorthorn breeds, followed by selection and inbreeding
to fix characteristics. These cattle were selected and adapted to
the arid region where they originated and have been used successfully
in other areas with similar climatic conditions.
The recent importation and crossbreeding with the “exotic” breeds
may result in the establishment of new breeds in North America in
the near future. The various breeds of beef cattle also differ in
mature size, growth rate, gestation length, and birth weight. Limited
data indicate, however, that strains within the breeds may differ
as much as the different breeds in many of these characteristics.
Dual-purpose breeds are breeds that have been selected for
both meat and milk production. They include the Milking Shorthorn,
Red Dane, Red Polled, and Pinzgauer. Many of the animals classified
as either dairy or beef breed, particularly those of continental
Europe, could alternatively be classified as dual-purpose breeds.
Cattle are widely distributed throughout the world. The total
world cattle population in the mid-1990s was estimated to be more
than 1.3 billion head, with about 33 percent in Asia, 22 percent
in South America, 15 percent in Africa, 13 percent in North and
Central America, and 8 percent in Europe. The leading countries
were, in decreasing order, India (15 percent of the world total),
Brazil, the U.S., China, and Argentina. Beef cattle used for breeding
in the U.S. were estimated at about 35.3 million head, and the leading
states were Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana,
Kansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
Dairy cattle in the U.S. were estimated to number 9.4 million
head in the mid-1990s. The leading states were Wisconsin, California,
New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, and Washington.
In the U.S. in 1994 the average dairy cow produced about 7316 kg
(about 16,128 lb) of milk and approximately 268 kg (about 590 lb)
of butterfat. Individual high-performance cows may produce several
times this average amount.