Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
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 ...
Cattle have some 22,000 genes, of which 80% are shared with humans; they have about 1000 genes that they share with dogs and rodents, but not with humans. Using this bovine "HapMap", researchers can track the differences between breeds that affect meat and milk yields. [65]
However, beef cattle can also be bred through artificial insemination, [1] depending on the cow and the size of the herd. Cattle are normally bred during the summer so that calving may occur the following spring. [1] However, cattle breeding can occur at other times of year. Depending on the operation, calving may occur all year round.
Over 1000 breeds of cattle are recognized worldwide, some of which adapted to the local climate, others which were bred by humans for specialized uses. [1] Cattle breeds fall into two main types, which are regarded as either two closely related species, or two subspecies of one species.
Beefalo constitutes a hybrid offspring of domestic cattle (Bos taurus), usually a male in managed breeding programs, and the American bison (Bison bison), usually a female in managed breeding programs. [1] [2] The breed was created to combine the characteristics of both animals for beef production.
The Brahman is an American breed of zebuine-taurine hybrid beef cattle. It was bred in the United States from 1885 using cattle originating in India, imported at various times from the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil. These were mainly Gir, Guzerá and Nelore stock, with some Indu-Brasil, Krishna Valley and Ongole. The Brahman has a high ...
Once bred, a heifer is pregnant for nine months and, after giving birth, is then considered a cow. During pregnancy, the udder begins to develop further. After calving, a cow will nurse its calf briefly and then typically be milked two to three times daily. Cows produce about 80 pounds of milk per day, though some can produce well over 100 pounds.
Crossbreeding through the use of Limousin terminal sires in purebred British breed cow herds allows the complementary traits of higher marbling and fat cover provided by the British breed cows, and required or preferred by some markets, [74] [75] to be combined with the higher yield and feed conversion efficiency of Limousin sires.