Also bos might do. However, if you use it you can expect to be required to explain every time that “bos” is the genus of domestic and wild cattle. It’s much easier to just say “cow.”
generic: cat
fertile female: queen
fertile male: tom
collective: clowder (mostly archaic) or pride
For female birds, I’ve always used, and heard used, hen.
That’s a general term when no definite other term exists. However, in the case of ducks, it’s properly duck*, for geese, it’s goose**, and for falcons, it’s falcon, when one is making a distinction from the male. As I mentioned above, one other bird in which the female has a specific name other than hen is the swan, where the female is called a pen, and the male a cob. In turkeys, although the male is called a tom, the female is called a hen.
Here’s a list of male and female animal names, although it’s not particularly authoritative.
- as seen in the expression, playing ducks and drakes.
** as seen in the expression, “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”
Enright3: “Look at that bunch of cows”
David Simmons: “Not ‘bunch’; herd.”
Enright3: “Heard of what?”
David Simmons: “Herd of cows”
Enright3: “Of course I’ve heard of cows!”
David Simmons: “No. A Cow HERD”
Enright3: “Why would I care what a cow heard? I have no secrets from a cow!”
Sounds a lot like a Dr. Bob sketch to me.
Abbott and Costello, actually, although I wouldn’t be surprised if they stole it from someone else.