Domesticated bovines raised for meat, milk, and hides.
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Cattle are large domesticated bovines of the species Bos taurus and Bos indicus, raised worldwide for meat, milk, hides, and draft power. They descend from the extinct wild aurochs (Bos primigenius), domesticated around 10,500 years ago in the Fertile Crescent and separately in the Indus Valley around 8,000 years ago, giving rise to taurine and zebu lineages. Major breed groups include beef breeds such as Angus, Hereford, and Charolais; dairy breeds such as Holstein, Jersey, and Guernsey; and dual-purpose and draft breeds such as Simmental and Brahman. Global cattle numbers exceed 1.5 billion head, with Brazil, India, the United States, and China among the largest herds. Cattle are ruminants with a four-chambered stomach that ferments fibrous feed, and they contribute significantly to agricultural greenhouse gas emissions through enteric methane. They also provide manure for soil fertility and are central to pastoral cultures. Modern production ranges from extensive grazing to intensive feedlots and zero-grazing dairy systems.
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