Here's a breakdown:
* Polled: Cattle with horns.
* Unpolled: Cattle without horns.
The absence of horns is often preferred in cattle for several reasons:
* Safety: Horns can be dangerous to both humans and other cattle, leading to injuries.
* Management: Horns can make handling cattle more difficult, especially during transport or feeding.
* Space: Cattle with horns need more space to avoid injuries to themselves and others.
While some breeds are naturally polled, like the Hereford, others can be either polled or horned. In these breeds, the polled trait can be selectively bred for by mating two polled individuals.
Essentially, "unpolled" is just a fancy way of saying "hornless" in the context of cattle.