Cattle's Scientific Name ,Terminology and External Body Part.

Cattle

Cattle or cows (commonly called cows), are among humankind's most important domesticated animals for several purposes such as providing food,industrial

 raw materials, fuel, by products etc. They are r hoofed mammals, of the species Bos taurus. Through history, they have had a tremendous effect on human culture, economy, social economy and religion.Cattle were identification by Mr. Carolus Linnaeus as three separate species. 

These were,

• Bos taurus -  European cattle, including similar types from Africa and Asia.

• Bos indicus- Zebu or humped cattle found in India.

• Bos primigenius- Aurochs. 

Scientific Classification of Cattle.

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Bovinae
Genus:	Bos
Species:	B. taurus

         

Binomial Name : Bos taurus

English Terminology.

• Cow-An adult female over two years of age 

• Bull-An adult, intact (not castrated) Male 

• Calves-Young Cattles

• Bull Calf-Young Male 

• Heifer -Young female before she has calved 

• Bullock or steer - The castrated male 

 

External Appearance of Cattle.

The external body parts from the head region of a cow – in this head region, 

identify the mouth, lip, cheek, chin, muzzle, forehead, poll, ear, eye, nostril, and other. 

 

Different parts from the neck region of a cow – here, find the neck crest, dewlap,

brisket, and jugular groove.

 

The external parts from the body or barrel of a cow – in this region, find many external features. The most important features are – hump, wither, loin, rump, pin bone, heart girth, flank, and others. 

 

Different parts from the forelimb of a cow –the shoulder, point of shoulder, arm, forearm, knee joint, cannon bone, fetlock, pastern, and coffin joints. 

 

The external features of the hindlimb of a cow – here in this region, can find a point of the hipbone, thigh bone, leg bone, stifle joint, hock joint, Achilles’ tendon, and more.

 

The cow’s mouth consists of lips, teeth, tongue, jaw, and dental pad. There is a well-developed cornual process present in a cow. This process may be back at a young age and yellowish black at an older age. But in some breeds of cow, the pinkish-yellow cornual process. 

 

You will also find the head crest in between the base of the cornual-process of a cow. Below the head crest and above the level of two eyes of a cow, there is a flat forehead. The poll of a cow is a bulging portion that lies at the top middle center of the forehead. 

The chin of a cow lies below the lower lip, and it is fleshy and pinkish. Again, the muzzle is the projecting part of the head, including the mouth, nose, and jaw of a cow. 

 

You will find a neck crest that lies between the head crest and hump. In addition, the hump is the bulging fleshy portion between the neck crest and back. 

There is a well-developed dewlap in a tropical breed of cow. But you will find less developed dewlap in European cows. 

 

There is a fleshy bulging brisket present between and in front of the forelimb of a cow. 

You will find the wither of the cow just behind the hump and in between two shoulders. The back of a cow is the part between the wither and the last rib.

You will find a well-developed flank region in a cow. This is a part of thick skin that hangs from the hindlimb and abdomen.