Animal Science Misconception #1: "Is that a cow?"

Myth: "Cow" is considered a general term used to describe all female cattle.

Truth: Generally, it seems to be the case that whenever we see a herd of cattle we always seem to want to refer to them as "cows". There's a very basic reason for that. The reason for that is because when we were young and learning the terms for various farm animals we were taught to refer to them as that based off of a general description. In reality, the term "cow" has a much more specific and thorough description. A "cow" is technically characterized as a "female member of the bovine family that has given birth to a calf". In other words, cows are basically mothers. In reality, whenever we see a herd of cattle, it is nearly impossible to know from a bystander's perspective whether or not any of those animals would be classified as a cow unless you know the personal history of that animal. In conclusion, whenever you travel past a field of cattle, there may or may not be a cow hiding amongst the herd but you never know.

Here is a list of the other cattle terminology:

~ Heifer - female who has not given birth

~ Bull - male who is capable of producing offspring

~ Steer - male who is incapable of producing an offspring+