Bovis ISSN 2398-2993
Bos taurus
Synonym(s): European cattle, Bos indicus Linnaeus, Bos primigenius Bojanes
Contributor(s):
CABI,
Vetstream Ltd,
Introduction
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- Bos is a genus of cattle of the family Bovidae.
- This includes buffalo, bison and some wild ruminants.
- Bos taurus refers to the common domestic cattle of Europe - of which there are many breeds.
- Feral cattle can be distinguished from domestic stock only by their location and lack of ear marks or tags.
- Size and conformation vary greatly depending on sex, age and breed.
- The male is heavier and larger, particularly around the head and neck.
- The hair is either straight or curly, and ranges from whitish to black with shades and blotches of red, roan, brown or buff.
- Both sexes can have horns, which are permanent and hollow, and grow throughout life over bony cores projecting from a prominent ridge on the skull.
- The horns of bulls are usually shorter and thicker than those of cows.
Biological Data
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The history of Bos taurus breeds
- The ancestors of today's Eurasian breeds of humpless cattle were the "wild aurochs" - large, formidable, long-legged and long-horned beasts - the last of which were hunted to extinction in Poland in 1627.
- Archaeological evidence suggests that cattle were first domesticated in the Middle East between 6000 and 5000 BC, and spread from there through Africa and Europe.
- Other early independent centers of domestication included Switzerland, Germany and Denmark.
- Hundreds of distinct breeds have been produced by artificial selection and transported throughout the world.
- They are present in all continents, but are least present in French Southern and Antarctic Territories.
- They are also no longer present in Tuvalu.
Typical Blood parameters
Breed History and Information
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Further Reading
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