Cow Try Hard for Mating!

Cow Try Hard for Mating!

Cows are animals that are found all over the world. They were domesticated by humans over 10,000 years ago for work, dairy, meat, and more. However, scientists are still learning much about their complex brains and emotions. These gentle giants range from 700 lbs, to as big as a car, with some having long horns, humps on their backs, colorful patterns, or other incredible traits! 

While technically a ‘cow’ only refers to a female, the term is often used to describe any animal of the species regardless of gender. The technically correct term for a group of animals in this species is ‘cattle’. 

The scientific name for a cow is Bos taurus. Bos Taurus is the largest in the category of bovinae. Two major subspecies of cow are the indicus and the taurus (or Bos taurus taurus). Indicus traces its roots to southern Asia, particularly modern-day India. Meanwhile, the taurus traces its origins to Europe.

The predecessor to modern-day cows was the auroch. The auroch was an undomesticated bovine that lived in what is now Turkey and Pakistan. As cows were domesticated, they were interbred and soon started to spread across different civilizations. Researchers have found that the genetics of cattle brought to the Americas during Spanish colonization have traces of serval different bovine lineages, showing the historical mixing of breeds from African cows and European cows.