B1: Domestication of cattle, micro-evolutionary consequences, related species, interspecies hybrids. Flashcards
Taxonomy:
Class
Order
Suborder
Family
Subfamily
Genus
species
kingdom: animalia
phylum: chordata (vertebrates)
Class Mammalia
Order ungulates
Suborder artiodactyla
Family Bovidae
Subfamily Bovinae (cattle)
Genus: Bos (true cattle) (are 5 more)
species: x6
x5 genus + species of cattle
genus –> speceis:
1) syncerus –> caffers
2) Bubalus –> buffalos
3) Bison –> bisons
4) poephagus –> yak
5) Bibos –> bantengs, gaurs
6) bos –> cattle, zebu
Where do domestic species originate from?
Bos primigenius – Aurochs (extinct)
Domesticated species originate from Aurochs:
▪ Bos primigenius taurus – Taurine (European) cattle
▪ Bos primigineius indicus – Zebu (Hump formed by hypertrophy of muscles)
▪ Bali cattle: Draught animal of Indonesia
▪ Gayal: Sacrificial animals in Burma, East India, Bangladesh
what wild species of cattle exist?
- Bison: Only two existing species, B. bison (American bison) & B. bonasus (European bison).
- Buffalo (Genus Bubalus): Variable chromosome number (Asian water bufallo =48; river buffalo = 50).
aleutian wild cattle
chillingham cattle
enderby island cattle
What interspecies hybrids may occur?
Bison (buffalo) x Yak = Yakalo
When did domestication of cattle occur?
What is the micro-evolutionary consequence?
Domestication of aurochs began in SE Europe, S asia 6000BC.
buffalo: 3000 BC India.
Domestication caused such drastic physiological changes that modern domestic
cattle are now considered to be a separate species (Micro evolutionary consequence).
What is a bull
Entire, adult male (proven fertile ! AI, breeding, listed bull)
What is a cow
Adult female who has had at least one calf.
▪ In-calf/pregnant cow
▪ Nurse cow
▪ Lactating cow
▪ Dairy cows
▪ Dry cows
what is a calf
Young cattle
▪ Bull calf
▪ Heifer calf
▪ Weaners (up to 1 yr)
▪ Yearlings
▪ Veal calve
What is a heifer
Young female before her 1st calf
In-calf heifer – Young female pregnant with her 1st calf
what is a steer?
What is a draft steer?
Castrated male (bullock)
Draft steer <4yrs = working steer (harness)
what is a freemartin
Freemartin: Female animal who is the twin of a bull (infertile partial intersex).
ovaries do not develop
have some male characteristics
what are the uses of cattle
- Beef & Dairy
- Draught
- Leather production (cattle hides)
- Sports – Rodeo, bullfighting (toro bravo)
- Religion – Sacrificial cows (Hindu)
what is the chromosome number of cattle?
2n = 60
Why are cattle important in modern industry?
- 70% of world population in „animal unit“ (1 A.U. = 1000 lbs live animal weight ~ 500 kg),
- covering 40% of human protein demand of animal origin,
- convenient transformation of feed-stuff energy (best in milk production: 45%),
- predominant proportion of feed-stuff is to consist of fibre-rich plants and of industrial by-products (in 90-30%),.
- all-round raw material for industrial processing (blood, bone, glands etc.)
- manure production (soil fertility),
- grazing (landscape),
- touristic pageant (draw),
- culture (care of folk tradition)
what are the common utilisations of cattle?
Single purpose: milk or meat.
Dual purpose: milk-pointed (milk – meat) or meat-pointed (meat – milk).
Triple purpose: milk – meat –power (draught cattle) etc.
milk only: holstein - fresian
meat only; charolais
meat + milk: felckvieh
triple: simmental
draught: red sindhi
milk: (GAT)
fat content
sugar content
protein content
lactation length
fat content: 3 - 4.5%
sugar content: 4.8 - 4.9%
protein content: 3.5 - 4%
lactation length: 240 - 340 days
lactation production of industrial or concentrated milk producing breeds e.g. jersey cow (GAT)
amount
protein
fat
lactose
4000 - 6500kg / lactation
fat: 4.5 - 5.5% (higher than normal)
protein: 3.5 - 4% (normal)
lactose: 4.8 - 4.9% (normal)
lactation production of dairy breeds producing milk for consumption e.g. holstein-freisian cow (GAT)
amount
fat
protein
lactose
7000 - 12000kg
fat: 3.3 - 3.7% (normal)
protein: 3 - 3.4% (lower)
lactose: 4.8 - 4.9% (normal)
What is the milk yield of cattle? (GAT)
2000 - 13000 L/ lactation
depend on species…
common lactation length of cattle? (GAT)
240- 340 days
