Bull Taurus Head

The domestic cattle or simply bovine (Bos taurus, Latin formerly simply Bos) is the domesticated form of the Eurasian aurochs. It was first domesticated for its meat, later also for its milk and performance as a draught animal. Since then, humans have bred a number of different breeds of cattle, sometimes cross-bred with wild cattle (such as the American bison in the Beefalo). Cattle are top walkers and cloven-hoofed animals. The average life expectancy of a domestic cattle is 21 years. The zebus (Bos indicus) are descended from the Indian form of the aurochs. To distinguish them from breeds of zebuine origin, the domestic cattle common in Europe are called taurine cattle.

The ancestor of the zebus is also listed as a separate species (Bos namadicus) by some authors, which is not completely shared due to the similarity with the remaining aurochs types and the unlimited crossability of the zebus with taurine domestic cattle. Especially in Asia, other animals have been domesticated that are descended from other species, such as the Bali cattle (Bos javanicus f. domestica) from the Banteng (Bos javanicus), the Gayal (Bos gaurus f. frontalis) from the Gaur (Bos gaurus) and the domestic yak (Bos mutus f. grunniens) from the Wild yak (Bos mutus).

In contrast to the species mentioned so far, which belong to the genus Bos (actual cattle), the water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) belongs to the genus Bubalus (Asian buffalo). The domestic buffalo was bred from this species. The sexually mature male domestic cattle are called bulls. Only after the first calving is the mature female domestic cattle called a cow. A castrated male bovine of any age is called a steer. Young animals that are not yet ready for breeding (juveniles) are called calves up to the seventh month and then young cattle from the eighth to the twelfth month.