Cows

by Katie Jones

C O W s

Cows are part of the cattle or bovine family. (Interesting note: The term,

“cattle” replaced earlier Old English feoh"cattle, property" (cf. German: Vieh)

Male cattle used for breeding are called bulls.

Male cattle, called steers, are castrated & grown for their meat.

Female cattle that have NOT given birth are called heifers.

Female bovine that have given birth are called cows.

Baby bovine are called calves (singular = calf).

Oxen are work or draft cattle.

Cattle / Bovine

Adults

Heifer (female) no calves

Cow (female) had calves

Bull (male) breeding

Steer (male) meat

Oxen (draft animals)

Babies Calves

A cow gives birth to 1-2 calves after 9 months.

Calves are weaned from their mothers at around 3-8 months.

Dairy cattle are tagged on their ears for identification. Beef cattle are branded on their sides.

Cattle digestion6 hrs – eating8 hrs – chewing

cudrumen,

reticulum, omasum, and abomasum

There are generally two types of cattle for consumption.

Beef Dairy

Dairy Cattle

Guernsey cows have orange bodies with white markings and a white tail.

Holstein cows are some of the top producers of milk and is black and white.

Jersey cows have tan bodies and brown feet. The tips of their tails are white.

Dairy must be milked at least 1 per day. Otherwise, they get mastitis.

Dairy cattle eat grass, hay, & corn.

Most US dairy live on family farms with average size of 135 cows.

The biggest dairy is in IN

and has 30,000

Beef Cattle

Brangus cattle are black and saggy.

Hereford cattle have reddish bodies and white faces.

Charoloais are creamy white with a pink nose.

Beef cattle eat …hay, grass, grain hulls, oilseed hulls,

distillers grains, sweet corn cannery waste, bakery waste, grain screenings, apple pomace, soybeans, canola meal, corn, barley, oats

Most US beef cattle live on pasture farms and then on big feedlots.

The meat from cows is called beef. What is your favorite beef dish?

Sourceswww.agclassroom.or/okhttp://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/cow.asp http://www.kerncattlewomen.org/wp-content/uplo

ads/2011/04/CattleCountryBookletOct2010.pdf

http://www.lessonsnips.com/lesson/cowscartons http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/faen/dairy%20facts.

html

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/91-066.htm