Information About Bovine Animals

The family Bovidae is a diverse group of animals ranging from antelopes to bison. One of the subfamilies of Bovidae is the Bovinae. The Bovinae subfamily has four groups, one of which is the Bovini, the animals referred to most commonly as bovine such as ox, cows, buffaloes and similar species. The word Bovinae, from which the generic term bovine stems, comes from the Latin word for cow: bovinus. Bovine are often domesticated for their meat, milk and hides.

  1. Characteristics

    • Defining features of bovines are cloven-hooves and one or both sexes possessing horns. The unbranched horns attach to the skull, don't shed and have a bone center covered in keratin. Bovids are one-hooved ungulates, meaning each limb terminates in a hoof that they walk on. Bovine also have a four-chambered stomach that lets them extract as much nutrition from their herbivorous diet as possible.

    Origins

    • The Bovidae family evolved in Africa and quickly diverged. The Bovinae likely evolved from an Asian group of Bovidae and the first bovine fossils are from 18.5 million years ago. Cooler climates in the region where bovines evolved led to them having bigger and heavier bodies than the other Bovidae subfamilies. Bovines spread to North America during the Pleistocene by crossing the Bering Land Bridge. Cattle were first domesticated in Asia about 7,000 years ago.

    Some Bovines Around the World

    • Found mainly in the Western United States, American bison are smaller than European bison, but otherwise look similar. Anoa are small animals from Indonesian rainforests that resemble cows. African buffalo and water buffalo are similar with stocky bodies and long, flat horns, but the water buffalo is smaller and has been domesticated. Yak are shaggy bovines found in the Himalayan range. Found around the world, domestic cows come in several sizes and colors.

    Uses of Bovine

    • Nearly all bovine species provide milk for human consumption. According to the USDA, the United States has more than 9 million dairy cows. The consumption of bovine meat occurs in most countries except Hindu areas of India. Hides from bovine animals become leather goods such as shoes, coats and upholstery. A few uses of cattle by-products include medical products, tires and lubricants.