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Key Points:
- Cows belong to the Bovidae family of mammals and are found on most continents of the earth.
- Cattle breeders may exaggerate the musculature of some bulls to demonstrate how much muscle their calves will be able to produce.
- This particular bull is an albino which means that his body does not produce melanin. This is the pigment that causes coloration.
This is one outstanding bull! Every single muscle is highly developed and pumped up to the max. If bulls went to the gym, this is what they would look like! The pale coat accentuates the muscle definition and makes it stand out even more.
History Of Domestic Cows
Cows belong to the Bovidae family of mammals and are found on most continents of the earth. Strictly speaking, cows are the female of the species and the males are called bulls. Collectively, they are called cattle.
Scientists have now discovered genetic evidence that shows that cattle were first domesticated by humans more than 10,000 years ago. Early humans used them as work animals and for meat and milk.

Studies have shown that all cattle are descended from wild ox.
©LFRabanedo/Shutterstock.com
These studies have also shown that all the cattle on earth right now are descended from around 80 individuals who were domesticated from the wild ox. This happened in the Near East – and the discovery was made following excavations at Iranian archaeological sites.
The international team comprised scientists from the French National Centre for Scientific Research, the National Museum of Natural History in France, the German University of Mainz and University College London (UK) in Germany, and UCL in the UK. They extracted DNA from cattle bones at sites that were active soon after the invention of agriculture.

Cattle were first domesticated over 10,000 years ago
©Gatien GREGORI/Shutterstock.com
Cattle Appearance
Not all cattle look like this one! Cattle breeders may exaggerate the musculature of some bulls to demonstrate how much muscle their calves will be able to produce. When cattle are bred for meat, muscle is important!
Cattle have a wide variety of breeds, colors, sizes, and characteristics. Over thousands of years, breeders have selected animals with the characteristics that they want. For example, high milk yield and a docile nature are desired characteristics in dairy cattle that need to be handled often.

Holstein cattle have black-and-white coloring.
©iStock.com/Diane Kuhl
Most cattle have thin bristly hair that can be in many colors and patterns. Holstein cattle have irregular black-and-white shapes, Angus cattle are completely black and Highland cattle have a long, shaggy, brownish-red coat.

Highland cattle are noted for their long shaggy coats.
©attilio pregnolato/Shutterstock.com
Lifespan Of Cattle
A cattle’s lifespan differs, depending on what breed they are. The natural lifespan of a cow is about 15 to 25 years. A study conducted by the National Library of Medicine on the impact of hair color and longevity in cows, in particular the Holstein cattle, has shown that the black hair-coated holsteins have a longer lifespan than those with white hair.
This particular bull is an albino which means that his body does not produce melanin. This is the pigment that causes coloration. Albinism can only occur when one or more mutated genes are inherited from BOTH parents. This does not happen very often and that is why it is so rare.
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