Cattle-Steers vs. Bulls/Cows

Factual Questions
1

I was wondering.

I’ve heard of steers and then I’ve heard of Bulls and Cows. I know a bull and a cow are basically the respective male and female cattle(and other species as well).

What’s the difference? Not knowing too much about Bovines, I don’t know they are the same things, a commerical designation(different commerical applications for same animal) or two distinct species? Are steers just cattle in general?

2

Did you consider using a dictionary?

Main Entry: 1steer
Pronunciation: 'stir
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English stEor young ox; akin to Old High German stior young ox
Date: before 12th century
1 : a male bovine animal castrated before sexual maturity – compare STAG 3
2 : an ox less than four years old

–from m-w.com

3

I don’t know if I understood your question…

Cattle: Any of various mammals of the genus Bos, including cows, steers, bulls, and oxen, often raised for meat and dairy products.

Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition Copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V., further reproduction and distribution restricted in accordance with the Copyright Law of the United States. All rights reserved.

Now the difference between Cow and Heifer = a heifer has not been bred.

The difference between a Bull and a Steer = Steers cannot breed (cause they’ve had their testicles removed)

4

To add a little info. Bulls are castrated to make them steers. This keeps their minds “off the ass and on the grass.”

5

Steers sing at a higher pitch.

6

Beats head againest wall in realization

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!

Sorry about wasting your time by asking that.

7

[quotes]
Bulls are castrated to make them steers.
[/quotes]

Minor correction: bobby calves/poddy calves etc are castrrated to make steers. Steers are castrated before maturity.

Bulls are castrated to make them bullocks.

8

I love that … also I believe it makes the meat more tender.

9

Excuse the nitpick, but I believe a heifer has been bred, but has not bred [any calves of its own].

10

Since it appears to be invalid:

Main Entry: 1breed
Pronunciation: 'brEd
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): bred /'bred/; breed·ing
Etymology: Middle English breden, from Old English brEdan; akin to Old English brOd brood
Date: before 12th century
transitive senses
1 : to produce (offspring) by hatching or gestation
2 a : BEGET 1 b : PRODUCE, ENGENDER <despair often breeds violence>
3 : to propagate (plants or animals) sexually and usually under controlled conditions <bred several strains of corn together to produce a superior variety>
4 a : BRING UP, NURTURE <born and bred in the country> b : to inculcate by training <breed good manners into one’s children>**
5 a : 4MATE 3 b : to mate with : INSEMINATE c : IMPREGNATE 2**
6 : to produce (a fissionable element) by bombarding a nonfissionable element with neutrons from a radioactive element
intransitive senses
1 a : to produce offspring by sexual union b : COPULATE, MATE
2 : to propagate animals or plants

11

I stand corrected then. My desk dictionary doesn’t include that definition.