What is the name of the bull with horns. Where does a wild bull live and what does it look like. Habitat and food

Evolution is an amazing mechanism invented by nature. Thanks to her, thousands of species of animals were born, very similar to each other, but at the same time having hundreds of differences. The wild bull is also no exception, because its family includes many subspecies.

These proud animals live in almost all corners. Representatives of wild bulls can be found in the desert savannahs of Africa, and in the snowy expanses of Tibet. What do we know about these animals? Why are they special? And why is their fate considered one of the most tragic on the planet?

The sad fate of the horned giant

Once upon a time in the vastness of modern Europe was found wild bull tour. It was a majestic beast, weighing just under a ton. His horns were made to tremble in fear of numerous enemies, with the exception of man. Indeed, it is thanks to the latter that this type of wild bulls has not survived to our times.

The wild bull tour was a good source of meat and skin, because of this, it was on him. And given the slowness of the beast, even the weakest hunter could kill him. According to historical data, the last tour died in 1627. And yet, the memory of him has not disappeared, because it is this mighty handsome man who is the ancestor of almost all known types of bulls, including domestic ones.

Bison is the closest relative of the aurochs

One of the most tour is bison. This is a large animal, reaching almost 2 m at the withers. At the same time, the weight of the giant sometimes exceeds the limit of one ton, which makes it one of the most major representatives of its kind. The bison has a dark brown coat, which is able to warm it in severe frosts.

Previously, this wild bull lived throughout the territory of modern Europe, Russia, and also in the Caucasus. But, as in the case with often attacked by people. This led to the fact that the number of bison declined sharply, and at the beginning of the 20th century they found themselves on the verge of complete extinction.

They were saved from oblivion by environmental organizations that undertook to restore the bison population. They placed these animals in reserves, where they are still under close supervision and protection.

Wild bulls of North America

Another relative of the tour, but this time overseas, is the bison. This wild forest bull lives in the territory North America and its appearance strongly resembles a bison. True, the hair of a bison is much longer than that of its relative, and sometimes reaches 50 cm in length.

And yet, as in the case of the aurochs, this wild bull was also subjected to tyranny by man. So, if in early XIX centuries, their population numbered more than 60 million heads, then a century later this number fell to the mark of 1 thousand. What was the reason for this? The answer is simple - immigrants.

The new colonialists began to kill animals in order to feed the workers who built the railroad tracks. A little later, buffalo hunting began to look more like fun than foraging. There were even actions, according to which, those who bought train tickets could shoot from the windows at poor animals.

Fortunately, over time, people came to their senses, according to at least part of them. The bison were taken under guard and provided them with everything the necessary conditions for population growth. Now this wild bull is safe, but still environmentalists continue to closely monitor their numbers.

In the cold mountains of Tibet

The snow-capped mountains of Tibet have served as a haven for one of the most amazing animals - the yak. This is a wild bull with huge horns that reach 80 cm in length. Thick brown wool protects it from frost and snowfalls. And muscular legs allow you to move from one cliff to another without any problems.

And although the yak can be found in other regions of Central Asia, such as Altai and Kyrgyzstan, it is only in Tibet that these animals feel at home. After all, here their contact with a person is minimized, which means that nothing threatens their freedom.

Hot country lovers: gaur and buffalo

On the territory of India lives gaur - a wild bull, striking in its size. Cases have been recorded when adults reached a weight of 1.3-1.4 tons. The height of an adult animal ranges from 1.8-2.2 m at the withers. The gaur's horns are not too large, at least smaller than those of relatives. The coat has a dark brown color, and with age it darkens and becomes almost black.

Another hot climate lover is the buffalo. This animal lives in where the temperature sometimes exceeds the threshold of 40 degrees in the shade. This animal has strong horns, almost fused at the bottom.

And although this wild bull has an impressive size, it still has enemies among the local inhabitants. Lions and crocodiles often prey on them, and yet the population of these animals is out of danger.

The smallest wild bull

Among wild bulls there are also dwarfs. For example, anoa. This tiny creature has a height of 0.8-1 m. At the same time, its weight ranges from 150-300 kilograms. The smallest part of the body is the horns. In Anoa, they reach only 30-40 cm in length.

These bulls live on what in Indonesia. Since these animals are found only here, they are under protection. World Organization for the protection of animal rights.

Under the phrase "wild bull" several varieties of these beautiful undomesticated animals are combined. We will talk about the most interesting of them in today's publication.

Anoa

These small animals belonging to the bovid family are conventionally divided into two groups - mountain and plain. Both of them live in the forests of the island of Sulawesi. But the former inhabit the higher regions, while the latter live in the lowlands. Outwardly, they are very similar to each other. They can only be distinguished by their horns. In lowland anoas they are triangular, while in mountain ones they are round. The body length of this wild bull is about 170 centimeters with a height not exceeding 80 cm. The mass of adults varies from 150 to 300 kilograms. The entire almost hairless body of the anoa is painted black or brown.

The basis of the diet of these herbivores is fruits, ginger, aquatic plants, leaves and young trees. As for drinking, they calmly consume not only fresh, but also salty sea ​​water. Anoa are very cautious and rarely move alone. Most often they can be seen in pairs, and sometimes they even gather in a few herds.

Gaur

These are the largest representatives of the genus of real bulls. They live in grassy plains and mountain forests. Most often they can be found in Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, India and southern Vietnam. Gauras come out to the plains and forest edges only to feast on fresh grass. In all other cases, they stay away from open areas.

The height of an adult is 2.2 meters with a mass of about 1000-1200 kilograms. In addition to impressive dimensions, gauras have a properly folded, harmonious body. Oddly enough, but this huge wild bull is distinguished by a calm, balanced disposition. He has practically no natural enemies.

The body of the gaur is covered with dark brown hair. And the males have white “stockings” on their legs. The feeling of power is achieved not only due to the impressive appearance, but also due to the presence of massive long horns, each of which grows up to 90-115 centimeters. The basis of the diet of these animals is shrub shoots, bamboo seedlings and young grass. They are most active in the morning and evening hours.

Watussi

These ancient animals are descended from primeval tour. They inhabit savannas and open fields. Despite the fact that they historical homeland is Africa, they quickly spread around the world. The weight of an adult individual ranges from 400-750 kilograms. And the total length of the horns of a wild bull, pierced by numerous blood vessels, is about 2.4 meters.

These animals are unpretentious in everything related to food. Special structure digestive system allows watussi to consume even very coarse food, which has a low nutritional value. The stomach of these creatures is able to absorb nutrients from everything eaten. This wild bull leads a herd life and is distinguished by a developed instinct for protecting young animals. Settling down for the night, watussi fit into a circle, in the center of which all the calves are driven.

Yak

This unique animal is capable of climbing to dizzying heights. It never descends below two and a half kilometers above sea level. The higher the yak climbs, the better he feels. It is often referred to as the long-haired wild bull. It lives in Turkmenistan, Mongolia and Tibet.

Outwardly, the yak is very similar to several animals at once. It resembles a ram, a goat, a horse and a bison at the same time. Behind fluffy tail and its beautiful rounded forms are often compared to a horse. Its muscular body strongly resembles the body of a bison, and a massive head with huge horns gives it a resemblance to a bull.

Yak hunting is a very dangerous activity. In addition to the fact that a person will have to master the skills of a climber, he must also try to kill a powerful animal with a single shot. A wounded wild bull in anger is able to destroy an unlucky hunter.

Despite the formidable nature of the yak, they managed to tame it. There are already large herds of these animals in Mongolia and Tibet. They are often used to transport heavy loads. One yak is capable of carrying a two-hundred-kilogram burden.

bison

This artiodactyl animal is on the verge of extinction, so it was listed in the Red Books of the countries in which it lives. The height of an adult wild forest bull is about 192 centimeters with a mass of 450-640 kilograms. The weight of individual individuals can reach 820 kg.

The whole life of bison is directly connected with the forest and relatively mild climate. He has an excellent sense of smell and hearing. They are able to detect the smell of a person from a distance of five hundred feet.

Bison lead a herd life, straying into groups of up to twenty individuals. basis them plant food. They successfully winter in areas where the snow cover is up to fifty centimeters high. Bison have no natural enemies other than humans. And their life expectancy in the wild is about twenty-seven years.

Wild bull tour

In historical times, these animals could be found almost throughout Europe. They also lived in Asia Minor, North Africa and the Caucasus. Their disappearance is associated with intensive deforestation, which began in the 9th-11th centuries. In addition, it was during this period that they were actively hunted. When the animals were on the verge of extinction, they were taken under the protection of the law. They lived in royal parks. But, unfortunately, this did not save them from extinction. The last tour on the planet was destroyed in 1627.

The growth of the extinct animal reached 180-200 centimeters at the withers with a mass of about 600-800 kilograms. However, in nature there were individuals weighing a whole ton. Outwardly, the tour gave the impression of a fairly light animal. He had a not too massive front part of the body, huge horns and high dry limbs. The body of the extinct bull was covered with short, smooth, dark hair.

Tours fed mainly on shoots, grass, leaves of shrubs and trees. They lived alone or in small groups, and for the winter united in numerous herds. These aggressive and powerful bulls easily dealt with any predators, so they had practically no natural enemies.

The meaning of the word BISON in the Big Modern Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language

A large animal of the bovid family with long soft hair; wild North American bull.

Large modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. 2012

See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what is BISON in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:

  • BUFFALO in the Encyclopedia of Biology:
    , a mammal of the genus ...
  • BUFFALO in the Big Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  • BUFFALO in big Soviet encyclopedia, TSB:
    (Bison bison) is a wild bull of the bovid family of the artiodactyl order. Lives in North America. Close to the European bison; Some zoologists believe...
  • BUFFALO in encyclopedic dictionary Brockhaus and Euphron.
  • BUFFALO
    [Latin, Ancient Greek bison] a wild bull found in the northern ...
  • BUFFALO in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    a, m., breath. Wild North American bull with long soft hair. Bison, bison - related to the bi-zone, ...
  • BUFFALO in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    , -a, m. Large bovid hoofed animal with soft hair, wild North American bull. II adj. bison, -ya, -ye and bison, -th, ...
  • BUFFALO in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
    BISON, artiodactyl fem. bovids. Close to a bison. Length body up to 3 m, weight up to 720 kg. Lived on the prairie...
  • BUFFALO in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.
  • BUFFALO in the Full accentuated paradigm according to Zaliznyak:
    bizo "n, bizo" us, bizo "na, bizo" new, bizo "well, bizo" us, bizo "na, bizo" new, bizo "nom, bizo" us, bizo "not, ...
  • BUFFALO in the Dictionary for solving and compiling scanwords:
    American…
  • BUFFALO in the New Dictionary of Foreign Words:
    (lat. bison) wild bull of large size, close to bison; as a result of extermination, the number was sharply reduced; currently preserved...
  • BUFFALO in the Dictionary of Foreign Expressions:
    [lat. bison] wild bull of large size, close to bison; as a result of extermination, the number was sharply reduced; currently preserved in…
  • BUFFALO in the dictionary of Synonyms of the Russian language:
    animal, bison, ...
  • BUFFALO in the New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language Efremova:
  • BUFFALO in the Dictionary of the Russian Language Lopatin:
    biz'on, ...
  • BUFFALO full spelling dictionary Russian language:
    bison, ...
  • BUFFALO in the Spelling Dictionary:
    biz'on, ...
  • BUFFALO in the Dictionary of the Russian Language Ozhegov:
    large bovid hoofed animal with soft hair, wild North American ...
  • BISON in Dahl's Dictionary:
    husband. wild American bull, black-brown, shaggy; it is mistakenly confused with our bison and with the musk bull living in the very north ...
  • BUFFALO in the Modern Explanatory Dictionary, TSB:
    artiodactyl animal of the bovid family. Close to a bison. Body length up to 3 m, weighs up to 720 kg. Lived on the prairies of the North. …
  • BUFFALO in the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language Ushakov:
    bison, m. (Greek bison) (zool.). American wild bull...
  • BUFFALO in the Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova:
    bison m. A large animal of the bovid family; wild North American...
  • BUFFALO in the New Dictionary of the Russian Language Efremova:
    m. Large animal of the bovid family; wild North American...

A real wild bull is now a rarity. Many varieties of these animals, which were found in the expanses of Eurasia and Africa 200 years ago, have already been completely exterminated or domesticated. A striking example is the tour, from which the modern cow originated. However, thanks to the actions of nature conservation organizations, corners of the wild nature still remain, which has helped the conservation of some species of these majestic animals. In addition, active work is currently underway to restore lost varieties by breeding their domesticated descendants. This has already given some positive results.

A real wild bull is now a rarity.

North American bison

This is the most famous variety of wild animals of this species. Before European colonizers arrived in North America, more than 600 million wild bison roamed the open prairies of the continent. In a very short time, their number was reduced to 835 individuals. Thanks to environmental protection measures and the creation protected areas their number is gradually restored. Their population has already reached about 30 thousand individuals. An adult healthy bison is very large in size.

The animal can reach approximately 2.5 m at the withers and exceed 3 m in length. There is a characteristic hump on the back. The head is elongated. She is very massive. The head, neck and part of the back are covered with thick woolly mane. Bulls can reach a weight of about 1500 kg. A healthy adult has virtually no natural enemies. Wolves that are found on the plains where these ungulates live prefer to attack young, sick or old individuals who have strayed from the herd in a pack. Such buffalo usually cannot offer violent resistance. The diet of these ungulates throughout the year may include;

  • forbs;
  • lichens;
  • young branches and foliage;
  • seaweed.

polar animal fox

This subspecies of a wild bull is an excellent swimmer, so it can overcome even major rivers during the migrations that animals carry out while searching for food. These creatures have very strong hooves, so they can dig their food even from under deep snow.

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Majestic European bison

These are real bulls that trace their pedigree from the time when mammoths roamed the snowy plains. American varieties of such animals and bison have common roots. And now between these species there is much in common. At present, the number of these majestic creatures reaches only about 7 thousand heads. They live mainly in European reserves, including Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Here these large animals eat forbs and young shoots. The Belovezhskaya bull differs from its North American counterpart not only in its name, but also in some anatomical features.

These are real bulls that trace their pedigree from the time when mammoths roamed the snowy plains.

The body length of the animal can reach about 3 m, and the height is about 2 m. A bull usually weighs about 1 ton, and a cow - up to 800 kg. These animals have well-developed muscles. The head is relatively small. Bulls, as a rule, have large horns, rounded in the shape of a crescent. These creatures usually live in herds of up to 50 individuals. The dominant position in a strict hierarchy is occupied by a large male. Like many types of bulls living in wild nature, the creatures are perfectly adapted to the natural environment. They can withstand even severe frosts, overcome obstacles up to 2 m and swim across large rivers.

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Resurrection of the forest bull

Some large representatives of the bovid family are now completely extinct. For example, the last wild forest bull disappeared from natural environment in 1967, although domesticated representatives of this species have survived quite successfully to this day. It is believed that the cause of the extinction of these animals was mass felling forests and the emergence of new diseases. The wild forest bull has failed to adapt to the changing ecosystem.

The species began to disappear almost everywhere, even in protected areas created for its conservation.

They were real giant bulls. Their weight exceeded 1000 kg. The color of the males was black with a characteristic white stripe along the ridge. The height of an adult animal was about 180 cm at the withers. The cow was somewhat smaller. She had a brownish-brown coat color. This wild bull with huge horns easily made his way even through dense forest thickets. Animals were kept in small herds of 50 individuals. They could eat a wide variety of vegetation.

Currently, scientists from the Ostwarderspasse nature reserve, which is located in the Netherlands, have recreated a wild forest bull, called Heka. These animals outwardly very much resemble those ungulates that became extinct more than 4 centuries ago. The modern wild forest bull is only going through a period of adaptation. A whole herd of such animals has already been bred, but they are under the scrutiny of scientists. The modern wild forest bull is not yet fully accustomed to natural conditions, but work is underway on this. It is assumed that such animals will continue to live without human intervention.

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Indian zebu

These representatives of the bovid family are found exclusively in tropical and subtropical latitudes. The Indian bull zebu is in no way connected with tours and forms its own separate subspecies. Some individuals have been domesticated and are currently used not only to obtain high-quality milk and meat, but also as draft animals.

This wild bull of India often crosses with tamed buffaloes.

In some cases, wild individuals can lead herds of females from pastures if people do not pay enough attention to grazing and control the animals. The bulls of this breed are distinguished by great strength and nasty character. Their weight reaches approximately 600-800 kg. This forest bull from India has a smooth, short coat. The body and legs are usually light gray, while the neck and head are dark. There is a distinct hump on the back.

The ancestor of the domesticated cow is the wild bull tour, which, according to scientists, existed on the planet more than 7,000 years ago. This type of livestock began to actively spread in household during the early Neolithic, following sheep, pigs and goats. Later, people began to breed other types of cattle. Initially, only the meat of wild cows and bulls was valued, but as it developed Agriculture people began to use cattle as a draft force.

Description of the first ancestor of the modern cow

The first domesticated tours were incredibly hardy and productive. They had very long and massive horns.

Initially, a wild bull with huge horns served as a carrier of oversized cargo between the countries of Europe, Africa, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. The appearance of the wild ancestor of cattle had the following data:

  • a muscular animal reached a mass of 800 kg;
  • height could vary from 170 to 180 cm;
  • males had a characteristic black coloration with a narrow strip of white tint along the back;
  • calves and adult females had a brown coat color with a reddish tint.

The diet of ancient aurochs consisted of shoots, leaves of shrubs and trees, as well as a variety of forest grass. Animals preferred to gather in small groups or live alone, and only in winter could gather in herds.

The last tour died in 1627.

North American bison

North America is home to the largest herbivorous species of wild cattle, the North American bison. This animal reaches a height of 2 m and a length of 3 m.

The anterior part of the body is expressed most massively, and the posterior part is characterized by poorly developed muscle mass. The head and part of the back of the animal are framed with felted wool. Bison have large horns, which are developed in each individual in their own way. Most often, the bison is characterized by a black color, but brown, gray or white representatives can be found.

North American bison are divided into steppe and forest bison. Steppe wild bulls are much smaller than forest bulls, have a thicker coat and horns covered with bangs.

North American individuals love space, so they choose forest plains and glades for existence, which transmit light as much as possible. Adult bison weigh over a ton. Female individuals, although they have massive dimensions, do not reach such a weight.

European bison

This type of cattle is difficult to distinguish from the North American representatives, but looking closely, you can see the characteristic key points of their appearance. The European bison is endowed with a well-defined head against the background of the body and a square figure with a brownish color.

The body length of the bison reaches 3 m, height - 2 m. The animal has a dark brown coat. Male individuals are distinguished by a pronounced mane.

The European bison is endowed with excellent hearing and scent, swims and jumps excellently. Its life span is 30 to 40 years.

In ancient times, in the meadows and pastures one could observe the Caucasian subspecies of European cattle, which was distinguished by a pronounced curly and thick coat.

Today, European reserves contain Bialowieza individuals, which are the only descendants of the ancient European bison. In nature, this subspecies is protected International Union Nature Protection.

Yak - a wild bull with massive horns

This subspecies of cattle is difficult to study, as it prefers to live away from people. To date, yaks can only be found in highland Tibet, but there are very few of them left here. They prefer to stay in close-knit groups or settle in small families. Old individuals choose a solitary lifestyle.

The fierce and strong yak has a long and shaggy coat that completely covers its legs. Animals can have a different color, but individuals are more common brown or black with a grayish tint, with white markings on the head.

chief hallmark This type of cattle is a characteristic hump on the back.

Male wild bulls reach 2 m in height and 4 m in length. Female individuals have a length of 2.8 m, their height does not exceed 1.6 m. The horns of both sexes are very long (reach up to 95 cm). From the base of the growth, they are directed in opposite directions, as they become elongated, they smoothly bend and become cup-shaped. A yak can live 25 years.

Tamarau and Anoa

Tamarau belongs to the genus of Asian buffaloes. Endowed with small stature and short horns. In height, the animal reaches 106 cm, in length - 220 cm, while its weight can range from 180 to 300 kg. Color black to dark brown.

The tamarau is an endangered species of buffalo. In captivity, these animals cannot breed, so their numbers are noticeably reduced. They prefer a solitary lifestyle in forest areas, but cows and calves live together until the latter reach independence. Tamarau are under the strictest protection.

The anoa bull is considered the smallest representative of cattle. The weight of a male individual does not exceed 300 kg, female - 150 kg. The length of the body is not more than 160 cm, in height - 80 cm. These are hairless animals with a dark skin of brown or black color. Just like the tamarau, the anoa are endangered and protected by law. From 1079 to 1994, the Anoa population decreased by 90%.

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Cattle have been one of the main sources of human livelihood since ancient times, thanks to their nutritious meat and milk. Animal skins were used to make clothes and dwellings. After many centuries, agriculture continues to flourish, of course, something has changed, technology has come to help people, and farmers are breeding new breeds of bulls.

Reference. AT modern world there are more than one thousand varieties, among which 300 are used everywhere for human needs, of which 70 are in the CIS.

Characteristics and types of rocks

Nowadays, the types of these animals are divided into three types:

  1. Dairy- individuals that are bred for the production of dairy products. Due to their lean physique, the use for beef production becomes unprofitable, but they are distinguished by a calm character and balanced behavior.
  2. Meat breeds of bulls are distinguished by large dimensions compared to the previous representatives. A rapid increase in muscle mass provides a large amount of meat and its high quality.
  3. Combined, that is, universal breeds, are characterized by the fact that they combine the quality of both directions.

Limousinskaya

This variety has a large supply of meat, therefore it is used for slaughter. It was bred in France thanks to a long selection during the XVIII-XIX centuries. Its representatives appeared on the territory of the USSR in the middle of the last century. Now they are used to develop a new breed by breeding with more dairy individuals. In Russia, the number of cattle of this breed is relatively small, only 1.8% of the total livestock.

The structural features of the body of Limousin bulls include:

  • strong legs;
  • massive muscles;
  • small head and wide forehead;
  • broad chest and rounded massive ribs.

The appearance is distinguished by red-brown colors of the suit and light shades of horns and hooves. The mass of females is about 600 kg, and bulls reach 1100 kg. Approximately 1700 kg of milk with a fat content of 5% is produced per year. Cows are very picky about the conditions of their keeping, they are able to endure severe frosts and calve easily.

Simmental

The Simmental cow belongs to the combined breeds of cattle. It was brought to us from Switzerland about 200 years ago. Their muscles are developed, the weight reaches 1100 kg, and the bull grows up to 145 cm at the withers. The coloration is usually pale yellow, sometimes with white spots. The annual milk yield of one individual is approximately 4500 kg. They are also often crossed with other dairy species to increase milk production and quality.

A Simmental cow is ready to bear offspring for 31 months and calve every year. Calving is easy, which, if necessary, makes it possible to take birth right in the middle of the field. Calves are also not picky about food, they can long time feed on milk, which allows you not to worry about their food. Representatives of this breed can gain a kilogram per day. In addition, they adapt very well to weather conditions.

Holstein

Most common among cattle breeders. The size of an adult bull can be compared with individuals that are grown for slaughter - 1200 kg with a height at the withers of 160 cm, and the annual milk yield exceeds most other breeds - 7500 kg. The black-and-white color is the external distinguishing feature of these cows. They are characterized by a deep chest, a wedge-shaped body, a large udder.

It was bred by North American farmers, and their ancestors were from Western European countries - Germany, Belgium, etc. The variety was brought to the United States in the middle of the 19th century, and breeding work was immediately started to improve animal productivity.

The performance of cows depends on many factors, such as feed and weather. AT different parts In the world, the average annual milk yield of Gelstein cows ranges from 7.5 to 10 tons of milk. Also, the percentage of fat content varies, the highest rate is given by individuals with red-and-white coloring - almost 4%, but the amount of milk they produce is much less.

Santa Gertrude

Received the name in honor of the farm on which it was bred by selection. It belongs to the meat type of cattle. The mass of cows is from 560 kg to 600 kg, while bulls weigh from 830 to 1000 kg. The breed was bred for farms in the steppe regions, so in Russia it is most often found in the southern regions. The color of the suit is most often burgundy-red.

The subspecies of the wild zebu bull and the Shorthorn breed of cows were taken as the basis for the selection. The breeding work lasted 30 years, and as a result, scientists managed to get 150 calves that passed on their genotype to descendants that have survived to this day.

Features of the Santa Gertrude breed: meat of the highest grade, while the milk produced is enough to feed the calves. Animals are perfectly adapted to hot weather, but at the same time they are not susceptible to insects that live in such a climate.

Charolais

It is one of the most massive breeds. It was brought out by French farmers in the 18th century, and brought to Russia relatively recently. Its coloration is most often white without spots. Has a strong and harmonious physique.

An adult bull reaches a mass of 1400 kg, and a cow - 1100 kg. Relative to the body, the head is small. Also, this breed is characterized by a wide chest and a straight back. With a large mass, the proportion of bones in it is only 20%, and the taste and culinary qualities of meat are at the highest level. Refers to the meat type of livestock. The annual milk yield is quite small, but allows you to feed growing calves.

Charolais cows can be used for about 15 years, but they are very picky about climate and nutrition. At low temperatures suffer from frostbite. In addition, calving is quite difficult, often resorting to caesarean section.

Belgian blue

This is an amazing breed of bulls. Her brood has a very favorable meat-to-bone ratio. Thanks to long selection and genetic experiments, scientists managed to remove the gene that inhibits muscle gain. Unfortunately, representatives of this species are not bred in Russia.

Individuals do not differ in high growth, on average 150 cm. The color is often white and blue, but individuals of black color are also often found. The muscles of the neck, lower back, shoulders and legs are strongly developed. The temperament is very quiet and calm. The live weight of an individual reaches an average of 1250 kg. Good average annual milk yield, approximately 3000 l.

But large mass there are some disadvantages, one of them is that natural calving is almost impossible. In most cases, a caesarean section is used. The female is ready to produce the first offspring at 28 months. Pregnancy proceeds quite quickly - 285 days.

Shorthorn

One of the oldest breeds beef cattle is Shorthorn. It got its name from its short horns. Just like the previous one, it is a meat genus of cattle. It was bred in England in the 18th century by crossing foreign types of cattle. A century later, it was brought to the territory of Russia.

Peculiarities:

  • suit of different shades of red, from light red to burgundy;
  • the animal has a loose physique and delicate constitution;
  • well-developed muscles and a large, barrel-shaped body;
  • the height at the withers reaches 130 cm, which is a rather modest indicator;
  • whimsical to climatic conditions and feed.

The average weight of an adult bull is 800 kg, and females - 600 kg. It has rather tender meat, which is commonly called “marble”, in addition, the percentage of the meat product in the carcass is more than 80%.

This species is bred almost all over the world, including regions of Russia, such as Orenburg, Rostov, Tyumen and others. Now the number of representatives is decreasing faster and faster, due to a small natural increase.

Hereford

The most common among meat breeds. Animals of this species live in Australia, Africa, America and many other parts of the world. Originally from the UK, where it was bred in the 18th century.

They are very unpretentious in conditions of detention and are able to withstand long hauls, which allows them to be bred in the conditions of the steppe, and thanks to their strong physique, they adapt perfectly to any climate.

They are distinguished by a rather rough constitution: a short neck, imperceptibly flowing into the body, a large head, long, low body, short legs.

The growth of an adult exceeds 130 cm, and the weight is about 1000 kg, a maximum of 1500 kg. Wide chest girth up to 215 cm. Gives very little milk, only 300 liters per year. Its meat is valued for its excellent taste and is ideal for cooking steaks.

It calves easily, and newborns with good feeding grow quickly. Weight gain per day is about 1000 g.

Aberdeen Angus

Another breed whose meat taste is highly valued comes from Scotland. Her ancestors were rootless cattle, they were used for the needs of agriculture. Through a long selection in 1775, she found her name. Due to the precocity of cattle, it quickly took root in Australia and the CIS. In addition, when crossing, the offspring were endowed with all the positive qualities of the ancestor.

Animals are black and small stature- 120 cm at the withers. They have:

  • large neck and small head;
  • powerful chest;
  • muscular body of a rounded shape;
  • straight back.

For maximum precocity, it is recommended to feed high quality and a lot. For six months, the calf eats up to 180 kg of live weight. They can add a kilogram per day, the weight of an adult bull reaches 1000 kg. Thin bones determine the high slaughter yield - 83%. Cow gives about 1700 kg of milk per year.

Kalmyk

This ancient breed of cattle comes from Asia. Distributed, as the name suggests, in the steppe area, including many regions of Russia. Belongs to the meat category of cattle. Perfectly adapted to constant hauling, as their ancestors served the nomadic peoples of Mongolia.

Individuals of this species:

  • have a strong constitution;
  • color color from burgundy to light red;
  • have a massive neck and small head;
  • have horns white color;
  • they have developed muscles, a massive chest.

On average, the growth of an individual is rather small - 130 cm. Straight, strong back and voluminous lower back.
The weight of a live cow is 420-480 kg, and that of a bull is up to 950 kg. Milk yield per year up to 1500 kg of milk with a fat content of up to 4.4%. The content of muscle mass in the carcass is 70%, fat is 10%.

Kalmyk cattle are unpretentious in terms of weather and feeding, gaining weight very quickly during the pasture season. Easy reproduction. Marble meat, characteristic of this breed, is valued all over the world.

Kazakh

The variety was bred as a result of crossing the Hereford with local cattle, thanks to which it was possible to combine the positive qualities of both breeds. They tolerate any weather well and are unpretentious to feed, while their meat has excellent taste.

Suit color: various shades of red, but some parts of the body are white. Well developed muscles are distinguishing feature beef cattle. The dewlap strongly stands out, the body is rounded. Bulls grow 130 cm, and their chest girth is 190 cm.

The live weight of bulls is up to 950 kg, cows - up to 800 kg. Milk yield per year does not exceed 1500 liters of milk, the fat content of which is 3.8%. Very high fertility of the breed. The average yield of slaughtered animals is approximately 55%.

Conclusion

Various types of livestock are distributed throughout the world, thanks to which such a variety of bull breeds has appeared. At the same time, each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you should seriously consider the choice of certain cattle for your farm.

Evolution is an amazing mechanism invented by nature. Thanks to her, thousands of species of animals were born, very similar to each other, but at the same time having hundreds of differences. The wild bull is also no exception, because its family includes many subspecies.

These proud animals live in almost all corners. Representatives of wild bulls can be found in the desert savannahs of Africa, and in the snowy expanses of Tibet. What do we know about these animals? Why are they special? And why is their fate considered one of the most tragic on the planet?

The sad fate of the horned giant

Once upon a time in the vastness of modern Europe there was a wild bull tour. It was a majestic beast, weighing just under a ton. His horns were made to tremble in fear of numerous enemies, with the exception of man. Indeed, it is thanks to the latter that this type of wild bulls has not survived to our times.

The wild bull tour was a good source of meat and skin, because of this, it was on him. And given the slowness of the beast, even the weakest hunter could kill him. According to historical data, the last tour died in 1627. And yet, the memory of him has not disappeared, because it is this mighty handsome man who is the ancestor of almost all known types of bulls, including domestic ones.

Bison is the closest relative of the aurochs

One of the most tour is bison. This is a large animal, reaching almost 2 m at the withers. At the same time, the weight of the giant sometimes exceeds the limit of one ton, which makes it one of the largest representatives of its species. The bison has a dark brown coat, which is able to warm it in severe frosts.

Previously, this wild bull lived throughout the territory of modern Europe, Russia, and also in the Caucasus. But, as in the case with often attacked by people. This led to the fact that the number of bison declined sharply, and at the beginning of the 20th century they found themselves on the verge of complete extinction.

They were saved from oblivion by environmental organizations that undertook to restore the bison population. They placed these animals in reserves, where they are still under close supervision and protection.

Wild bulls of North America

Another relative of the tour, but this time overseas, is the bison. This wild forest bull lives in North America and its appearance strongly resembles a bison. True, the hair of a bison is much longer than that of its relative, and sometimes reaches 50 cm in length.

And yet, as in the case of the aurochs, this wild bull was also subjected to tyranny by man. So, if at the beginning of the 19th century their population numbered more than 60 million heads, then a century later this number fell to the mark of 1 thousand. What was the reason for this? The answer is simple - immigrants.

The new colonialists began to kill animals in order to feed the workers who built the railroad tracks. A little later, buffalo hunting began to look more like fun than foraging. There were even actions, according to which, those who bought train tickets could shoot from the windows at poor animals.

Fortunately, over time, people came to their senses, at least some of them. The bison were taken under protection and provided them with all the necessary conditions for the growth of the population. Now this wild bull is safe, but still environmentalists continue to closely monitor their numbers.

In the cold mountains of Tibet

The snow-capped mountains of Tibet have served as a haven for one of the most amazing animals - the yak. This is a wild bull with huge horns that reach 80 cm in length. Thick brown wool protects it from frost and snowfalls. And muscular legs allow you to move from one cliff to another without any problems.

And although the yak can be found in other regions of Central Asia, such as Altai and Kyrgyzstan, it is only in Tibet that these animals feel at home. After all, here their contact with a person is minimized, which means that nothing threatens their freedom.

Hot country lovers: gaur and buffalo

On the territory of India lives gaur - a wild bull, striking in its size. Cases have been recorded when adults reached a weight of 1.3-1.4 tons. The height of an adult animal ranges from 1.8-2.2 m at the withers. The gaur's horns are not too large, at least smaller than those of relatives. The coat has a dark brown color, and with age it darkens and becomes almost black.

Another hot climate lover is the buffalo. This animal lives in where the temperature sometimes exceeds the threshold of 40 degrees in the shade. This animal has strong horns, almost fused at the bottom.

And although this wild bull has an impressive size, it still has enemies among the local inhabitants. Lions and crocodiles often prey on them, and yet the population of these animals is out of danger.

The smallest wild bull

Among wild bulls there are also dwarfs. For example, anoa. This tiny creature has a height of 0.8-1 m. At the same time, its weight ranges from 150-300 kilograms. The smallest part of the body is the horns. In Anoa, they reach only 30-40 cm in length.

These bulls live on what in Indonesia. Since these animals are found only here, they are protected by the World Organization for the Protection of Animal Rights.

Domestic cows and bulls have already become part of our lives. Even city dwellers know what they look like, and have seen these animals in the villages grazing along the roads more than once. And who was the ancestor of domestic cows and bulls?

Indian buffalo is widely used in agriculture

Tour

The famous wild forest bull is a tour, the ancestor of domestic cattle.

Habitat

Lived in the Eastern Hemisphere:

  • throughout Europe;
  • North Africa;
  • Asia Minor;
  • In the Caucasus.

However, he was exterminated. Only in the forests of Central Europe there are few of these bulls left. In 1400 they were met on the territory of Belarus, Poland, Lithuania. But even there the number of animals decreased every year, in 1627 the last representative of this species died.

Appearance

What did the famous wild forest bull look like? It was an animal weighing up to 800 kg. Its height is 170-180 cm. There were horns on its head. Mature males are black, but along the back there was an ornament - a narrow white stripe. Females and young were brown, with a reddish tint. They preferred to live in the forest-steppes, but gradually moved to the forests. Eat grass, run. Gathered in herds.

Reconstruction of the appearance of the tour

Bulls are found everywhere. The famous wild American bull is the bison, which was the master of North America. Huge herds of these animals lived here. They had no natural enemies, except for wolves, and even they could not overcome an adult animal. But the first Europeans killed animals in order to local residents there was no source of food. The number of animals has dropped from 600 million to 835.

Now the number of bison has increased - up to 30 thousand. But you will no longer meet wild individuals in the USA and Canada.

Appearance

Bison is distinguished by strength and size. Its body is up to 3 m long. It is covered with gray-brown fur. It differs in its density and length. Therefore, bison do not freeze in winter. The back is decorated with a hump. The head and neck are darker. The bulls are larger, their weight is up to 1.5 thousand kg.

Habitat and food

They live in North America. They choose flat areas, but are also found in the forest. For them, the main thing is the availability of a source of food. They feed on herbaceous plants. In winter, they dig out their food under layers of snow. For life choose those places where dense vegetation. They live in herds: males - separately, females with calves also separately. In the herd, the head is the oldest male.

Bison - North American wild bull

European bison

Appearance

This contemporary of the mammoth is an animal whose body length reaches 3 m, and its height is up to 2 m, and its weight is up to 1 ton. There is a hump. Fur color is dark brown. Curly hairs adorn the head, chest and shoulders, front legs. The mane is striking in males, in cows and calves it is not so pronounced.

About the animal

A bison can easily overcome an obstacle of 2 m. It can swim. He has no natural enemies. They have a keen sense of smell and hearing, but poor eyesight. They eat grass and tree leaves. They live in herds. If there are two candidates for the position of the leader, the issue is resolved by a fight. The loser leaves. Bison live 30-40 years.

European bison can swim and jump high

Yak

The main decoration of animals is horns. A wild bull with huge horns is a yak. This subspecies of the bull was domesticated in the first millennium. Domestic yaks are not as large as wild ones, their character is calmer, their color is different.

Appearance

The height of the yak at the withers is up to 2 m, the length is 4 m in males. Females are smaller: length up to 2.8 m, and height 1.6 m. There is a hump on the back. The horns are long, look to the sides, and then bend, their length is up to 95 cm. The wool is long and shaggy, it completely covers the legs of the bull, brown or grayish-black, but white spots are visible on the muzzle.

About the animal

The wild yak has not been studied, because this subspecies lives only where there are no people. Now they are found only in the highlands of Tibet. But there aren't many of them left. They live in herds or families, old bulls prefer loneliness. Life expectancy - 25 years. There are very few wild yaks left. they die out in territories developed by people. They are fierce and strong animals. Tibetan chronicles speak of them as animals dangerous to humans. He, without hesitation, attacks the person who attacked him, so such a hunt is deadly. It is not easy to kill him, because. like hardy.

Wild yak carefully avoids people

The largest wild forest bull is the gaur. This is also a rare animal. They live in India, there are 30 thousand gaurs, in other countries there are fewer of them - only a few hundred.

Appearance

The largest bull impresses with its size. Its height at the withers is 1.7 - 2.2 m, and its weight is 700-1000 kg, but there are individuals that weigh 1.3 -1.5 tons. Females are slightly smaller. The horns are also huge, up to 90 cm, shaped like a crescent.

A ridge stands out on the back, which stretches from the shoulders to the middle of the body.

The skin is dark brown, covered with short hair. Older males are black. The top of the head is slightly lighter.

About the animal

They are active during the day, but where there are many people, they prefer to stay awake at night. Females and calves live in herds, while males live alone. They feed on grass, plant shoots and fruits. In the heat, they prefer to hide in the shade of trees. Live up to 30 years. Natural enemies are tigers and crocodiles.

Gaur can weigh up to one and a half tons

buffaloes

These are also strong and courageous large bulls. There are 4 types of buffalo:

  1. African.
  2. Indian.
  3. Dwarf (anoa).
  4. Tamarau.

The largest subspecies of the buffalo. Its weight can reach 1200 kg, but this is rare. The height is relatively small - 1.5-1.6 m. Some subspecies are much smaller than these sizes. Males are always larger than females. Fur color is black. They have poor eyesight and rely on their sense of smell.

The African buffalo does not see well, therefore it focuses on the scent

The length of adults is more than 3 m, and the height reaches 2 m. The average weight is about 900 kg, but sometimes more. The length of the horns reaches up to 2 m, they are directed backwards and look like a crescent. Now there are not so many representatives of this species left, because. humans are destroying their environment. These wild bulls eat grass in the early morning or evening. During the day they prefer to hide from the heat, immersed in liquid mud.

They live in herds, but old bulls prefer loneliness.

Tamarau

This is an animal from the genus of Indian buffalo, which differs from them in its small stature and the shape of the horns. Its height is 106 cm, body length is 220 cm, it weighs from 180 to 300 kg. The color of the skin is black or dark brown, a dark line is visible on the back. This is an endangered species, therefore it is protected by law. In captivity, they do not breed, so the number of animals is rapidly falling every year. Main threat is the absence of habitats for these animals. These are solitary animals, females and calves live in groups that persist throughout the year.

Tamarau - Philippine buffalo

Anoa

The smallest bull is the anoa. The length of his body is only 160 cm, and the height is 80 cm. Males weigh 300 kg, females are 2 times less. They are hairless, the skin is colored brown or black. Under threat of extinction. This animal is protected by law, but poachers shoot them in order to sell them to tourists. Therefore, the population has decreased by 90% (from 1079 to 1994).

  • Order: Artiodactyla Owen, 1848 = artiodactyla, artiodactyl
  • suborder: Ruminantia Scopoli, 1777 = Ruminants
  • Family: Bovidae (Cavicornia) Gray, 1821 = Bovids
  • Subfamily: Bovina = Bulls
  • Genus:
  • Species: Bos tnutus Przewalski, 1883 = Yak ; ; ; ; (4) ;

Genus: Bos Linnaeus, 1758 = Real bulls

Sizes medium or large. Body length 180-325 cm, height at the withers 130-210 cm, tail length 70-140 cm. Weight 325-1200 kg. Females are significantly smaller than males (for example, females reach a height at the withers of 145 cm). The body is long. The front part of the body is not particularly massive. Back at the withers with a slight hump. The limbs are relatively short and strong. The neck is short; usually there is a well-defined dewlap. The head is big. The eyes are relatively small. The ears are medium in size or large oval. The tail is long with a brush of hair at the end. Both males and females have horns, but females have fewer. The horns are small or large (length from 15-68 cm for ban tenga to 60-115 cm for gaur), located on the sides of the skull, at the base go to the sides, then bend up and slightly forward; the tops are directed upward and somewhat back and inward. The horns are round in diameter, their surface is smooth. The elk cover is variable: it can be low and sparse or high and dense. Very long and thick hair can be located along the belly, chest, bottom of the sides and limbs. The color of the hairline differs little in different forks; from reddish-brown to dark brown and black. There are no specific skin glands. Nipples 2 pairs.

The skull is large with a shortened brain region and an elongated facial region. The bones of the skull are strongly pneumatized. The frontal bones are very large. Their rear edge forms a ridge between the horns. There are no pits for the preorbital glands on the lacrimal bones. Ethmoid openings are absent or very small.

The diploid number of chromosomes in banteng is 60, gaura 58, yak 60.

Distribution covers Europe, North Africa, Anterior, Middle and South Asia including Tibet, Java, Bali, Sumatra and Kalimantan.

live in different types forests and jungles, up to sparse ones, swamps are avoided, they rise to mountains up to 2 thousand meters above sea level. They feed mainly herbaceous plants, to a lesser extent, leaves and shoots of shrubs. They are active mainly in the early morning and evening. They keep in small herds mainly from one male and 2-30 females. In yaks, females with young sometimes gather in a herd of up to 2000 individuals together. There is no seasonality in breeding (banteng, gaur) or the rut occurs in April-May (kouprey) or September-October (yak). The duration of pregnancy is approximately 270-280 days. There is one, rarely two cubs in the litter. Female yaks breed once every two years. Sexual maturity occurs at 2-3 years. Life expectancy is 20-25 years.

There appear to be 5 species in the genus:

banteng - V. javanicus D "Alton, 1823 (Burma, Indochina and Malacca Peninsulas, Java and Kalimantan Islands);

gaur - V. gaurus H. Smith, 1827 (India, Nepal, Burma, Indochina and Malacca)

cuprey-V. Sauveli Urbain, 1937 (Kampuchea);

tour - V. primigenius Bojanus, 1827 (lived in North Africa, almost throughout Europe, north to 6HU N, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, Asia Minor, on Southern Urals, Turkmenistan, Trans-Urals, south Western Siberia, in the region of Krasnoyarsk, Transbaikalia, China from 50 to 40 ° N. sh.; in Africa was exterminated around 2400 BC, in Mesopotamia by 600 BC, in Central and Western Europe by 1400, in the Kamensky district of the Kuyaunda steppe, he lived as early as the 16th or 17th centuries, and near Kuznetsk - in the 18th century);

yak - V. tnutus Przewalski, 1883 (Tibet, and in historical time, apparently, Altai and Sayans).

The taxonomy of the genus has not been finally established. Thus, Simpson (1945), Geptner et al. (1961) include the tur and yak in the genus Bos, and the gaura, banteng and kouprey in the genus Bibos Hodgson, 1837. I. I. Sokolov (1958) proposes the following system: the genus Bos with one species - aurochs, genus Poephagus Gray, 1843, with one species - yak and the genus Bibos with 3 species - gaur, banteng and kouprey.

Tur served as the ancestor of European cattle (B. primigenius taurus Linnaeus, 1758). The domestication of the aurochs probably took place in Greece around 2000 BC. Almost all other representatives of the genus were also domesticated. Home forms of banteng are known on the islands of Bali and Java - B. javanicus domesticus Cans, 1917, gaura - gayal, B. gaurus frontalis Lambert, 1804, yak - domestic yak, iB. mutus grunniens Linnaeus, 1766.

The "Red Book" includes: endangered kouprey (the number in 1970 was 30-70 yuls compared to 500 in 1964) and yak; few species that may be in danger of extinction in the near future: banteng (by 1972 very few; in most of the range it disappeared completely and it is believed that it survived in the wild only on the islands of Kalimantan and Java) and gaur (preserved only in remote locations and protected parks).



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