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The metrics and other information on this page provide general information that may prove useful when discussing animal rights and veganism as it relates to cows.

Note: We use the word “cow” to mean both male and female of the species unless used with a gender-revealing adjective.

Closely related: Cows: Injustices and Suffering | Cows: Sentience and Cognition

Points to Consider

Seventy percents of cows in the United States are factory farmed.

• Using data from the USDA Census of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition of concentrated animal feeding operations, the Sentience Institute determined that 70 percent of cows in the USA are factory-farmed^[1]“US Factory Farming Estimates.” Sentience Institute. Accessed 2022-06-23
• The figures for other industrialized nations are likely to be similar.

Globally, over 350 million cows are slaughtered annually for meat, and another 280 million dairy cows are slaughtered.

• Over 350 million cows are slaughtered annually for meat.^[2]Derived from United Nations FAO statistics for 2017: “FAOSTAT.”
• Over 280 million dairy cows are slaughtered annually.^[3]Derived from United Nations FAO statistics for 2017: “FAOSTAT.”

In the United States, over 32 million cows are slaughtered annually for meat, and another 9 million dairy cows are slaughtered.

• In the United States, over 32 million cows are slaughtered annually for meat.^[4]Derived from United Nations FAO statistics for 2017: “FAOSTAT.”
• In the United States, over 9 million dairy cows are slaughtered annually.^[5]Derived from United Nations FAO statistics for 2017: “FAOSTAT.”

Cows raised for meat are typically slaughtered at 18 months, which is less than 8 percent of their 15 to 20-year natural lifespan.

• Slaughter age of cows raised for meat.^[6]“Age of Animals Slaughtered.” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017.
  • Slaughter Age: 18 Months
  • Natural Lifespan: 15-20 Years
  • % of Life Lived: < 7.5%
  • Human Age: 6 Years

Cows raised for dairy are typically slaughtered at 6 years, representing less than 30 percent of their 15 to 20-year lifespan.

• Slaughter age of cows raised for dairy^[7]“Age of Animals Slaughtered.” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017.
  • Slaughter Age: 4-6 Years
  • Natural Lifespan: 15-20 Years
  • % of Life Lived: < 30 %
  • Human Age: < 20 Years

Other Useful Information

Definitions

• Cow is often used generically to refer to male and female cattle, as it is at this website, but technically is “the mature female of cattle (genus Bos).^[8]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Cow, Accessed 2022-06-23. The word can also used for females of other species, such as elephants and whales.
• Cattle are “domesticated quadrupeds held as property or raised for use,” or more specifically “bovine animals on a farm or ranch.”^[9]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Cattle, Accessed 2022-02-28. We would use this word reluctantly because of its etymology from ”property.”^[10]“Cattle | Origin and Meaning of Cattle by Online Etymology Dictionary.” Accessed 2022-02-28.
• Bovine is sometimes used as a synonym for cows, but zoologically means “any of a subfamily (Bovinae) of bovids including oxen, bison, buffalo, and their close relatives.”^[11]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Bovine, Accessed 2022-02-28
• Calf refers to “the young of the domestic cow.” It is also used for the young of related species such as bison, as well as certain other mammals like whales and elephants.^[12]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Calf, Accessed 2022-06-23.
• Livestock denotes “animals kept or raised for use or pleasure.” It is usually used for farm animals.^[13]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Livestock, Accessed 2022-02-28
• Heifer refers to “a young cow, especially one that has not had a calf.^[14]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Heifer, Accessed 2022-02-28
• Steer usually means “a male bovine animal and especially a domestic ox (Bos taurus) castrated before sexual maturity.” It can also refer to “an ox less than four years old.”^[15]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Steer, Accessed 2022-06-23
• Bull means “a male bovine,” particularly an uncastrated adult. It is also used to refer to adult males of various other species, such as whales and elephants.^[16]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Bull, Accessed 2022-06-23.
• Ox refers to “a domestic bovine mammal (Bos taurus),” or more broadly simply a bovine mammal. It is sometimes used to mean “an adult castrated male domestic ox.”^[17]Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary—Ox, Accessed 2022-06-23

Lineage

• Cows were domesticated from the now-extinct aurochs (wild ox) at least twice, and possibly three times.^[18]Loftus, R. T., D. E. MacHugh, D. G. Bradley, P. M. Sharp, and P. Cunningham. “Evidence for Two Independent Domestications of Cattle.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 91, no. 7 … Continue reading
• In the near east, cows were domesticated about 10,500 years ago,^[19]Orlando, Ludovic. “The First Aurochs Genome Reveals the Breeding History of British and European Cattle.” Genome Biology 16, no. 1 (December 2015): 225. Accessed 2019-12-03. while on the Indian subcontinent they were domesticated about 7000 years ago. The latter are known as zebu cattle and differ in several ways — for example, they have humps and upright horns.
• Modern domestic cows are significantly smaller than their wild ancestors.^[20]Zeder, Melinda A., ed. Documenting Domestication: New Genetic and Archaeological Paradigms. Berkeley, Calif: University of California Press, 2006, 317-318.
• Historically, cows have been used for meat, milk, leather, and transport.^[21]Orlando, Ludovic. “The First Aurochs Genome Reveals the Breeding History of British and European Cattle.” Genome Biology 16, no. 1 (December 2015): 225. Accessed 2019-12-03.

Related Links

• On this website
  • Cows: Injustices and Suffering
  • Cows: Sentience and Cognition
  • Slaughter Age vs Natural Lifespan
• On other websites
  • US Factory Farming Estimates, Sentience Institute
  • Evidence for Two Independent Domestications of Cattle, Research article
  • The First Aurochs Genome Reveals the Breeding History of British and European Cattle, Research article

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Footnotes