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Cattle bred specifically for milk production are called milking or dairy cattle; [1] a cow kept to provide milk for one family may be called a family cow or a milker. A fresh cow is a dairy term for a cow (or a first-calf heifer in few regions) who has recently given birth, or "freshened." The adjective applying to cattle in general is usually ...
Horns usually have a curved or spiral shape, often with ridges or fluting. In many species, only males have horns. Horns start to grow soon after birth and continue to grow throughout the life of the animal (except in pronghorns, which shed the outer layer annually, but retain the bony core). Partial or deformed horns in livestock are called scurs.
Bovidae (cattle, goats, antelopes etc.). Giraffidae: Giraffids have a pair of skin covered bony bumps on their heads, called ossicones. Cervidae: Most deer have antlers, which are not true horns due to lacking a bone core and made of keratin. Rhinocerotidae: The "horns" of rhinos are made of keratin and lack a bone core.
[45] [47] The horns of females are usually smaller than those of males, and are sometimes of a different shape. The horns of female bovids are believed to have evolved for defence against predators or to express territoriality, as non-territorial females, which are able to use crypsis for predator defence, often do not have horns. [47]
The horns of females (cows) are smaller, at 27 to 64 cm (11 to 25 in) in length, and have a more upright shape. Both sexes have a short neck with a pronounced hump over the shoulders, although this is larger and more visible in males. [5] Males weigh 350 to 585 kg (772 to 1,290 lb), females weigh 225 to 255 kg (496 to 562 lb).
This is not the case with reindeer. They are referred to as "bulls" and "cows," just like cattle or elk. So, a female reindeer is called a cow. Next Up: 25 Days of Christmas Classics! Find Your ...
Polled strains have been developed of many cattle breeds which were originally horned. This has usually been done by crossing with naturally polled breeds, most commonly Angus and Galloway cattle. For example, polled Jersey cattle originated in Ohio sometime prior to 1895. Two strains were developed, the first to appear being founded by crosses ...
[27] [8] Furthermore, not all species of bovin look like cattle, such as the saola which looks more like antelope (a fact that caused some confusion among bovid biologists [21]). What all bovins or wild cattle do have in common is both sexes have the presence of smooth horns, instead of annulated horns seen in most other bovids.