Cattle

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cattle

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Bos taurus
2. What is the average lifespan?15-20 years in managed environments, with potential for longer life
3. What are cattle and why are they important on farms?Cattle are large gentle animals that give us milk, meat, and help pull tools. They have been with humans for thousands of years and help us grow food.
4. How do cattle eat and digest food?Cattle are ruminants with a four‑compartment stomach. Microbes in the rumen break down plant fibers into energy, and the animals chew cud to help digestion.

Ruminant: An animal with a specialized digestive system featuring a four-compartment stomach for processing fibrous plant material.
Cud: Partially digested food regurgitated from the rumen and re-chewed by a ruminant animal.
Selective Breeding: The process of humans intentionally breeding animals with desirable traits to enhance those characteristics over generations.