Bull

2022-05-14T09:06:59Z

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{{Short description|Male individual of cattle}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Multiple issues|
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[[File:A Friesian Bull, Llandeilo Graban - geograph.org.uk - 579885.jpg|thumb|A [[Holstein Friesian cattle|Holstein Friesian]] bull]]
[[File:Taureau charolais au pré.jpg|thumb|A [[Charolais cattle|Charolais]] bull]]
[[File:Dried bull gallbladder 01.jpg|thumb|A dried bull gallbladder]]

A '''bull''' is an intact (i.e., not [[Neutering|castrated]]) adult [[male]] of the species ''[[Cattle|Bos taurus]]'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species, the [[Cattle|cow]]s, bulls have long been an important symbol in many cultures, and play a significant role in [[beef]] [[ranch]]ing, [[dairy farming]], and a variety of other cultural activities, including [[bullfighting]] and [[bull riding]].

== Nomenclature ==
{{See also|List of animal names}}
The female counterpart to a bull is a [[cow]], while a male of the species that has been [[Castration|castrated]] is a ''steer'', ''[[Oxen|ox]]'',<ref>Delbridge, A, et al., Macquarie Dictionary, The Book Printer, Australia, 1991</ref> or ''bullock'', although in [[North America]], this last term refers to a young bull.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} Use of these terms varies considerably with area and dialect. Colloquially, people unfamiliar with cattle may refer to both castrated and intact animals as "bulls".

A wild, young, unmarked bull is known as a ''micky'' in Australia.<ref name="Coupe">Sheena Coupe (ed.), ''Frontier Country, Vol. 1'' (Weldon Russell Publishing, Willoughby, 1989), {{ISBN|1-875202-01-3}}</ref> Improper or late castration on a bull results in him becoming a ''coarse steer'', also known as a ''stag'' in Australia, [[Canada]], and [[New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spiritwoodstockyards.ca/losemoney.html |title=Sure Ways to Lose Money on Your Cattle |publisher=Spiritwoodstockyards.ca |access-date=2012-08-06}}</ref> In some countries, an incompletely castrated male is known also as a ''rig'' or ''[[ridgling]]''.

The word "bull" also denotes the males of other [[bovines]], including [[bison]] and [[water buffalo]], as well as many other species of large animals, including [[elephant]]s, [[rhino]]s, [[pinniped|seals and walruses]], [[hippo]]s, [[camel]]s, [[giraffe]]s, [[elk]], [[moose]], [[whale]]s, and [[antelope]]s.

== Characteristics ==
[[File:Highland Cattle bull.jpg|thumb|upright|A [[Highland cattle|Scottish Highland]] bull]]

Bulls are much more muscular than cows, with thicker bones, larger feet, a very muscular neck, and a large, bony head with protective ridges over the eyes. These features assist bulls in fighting for domination over a herd, giving the winner superior access to cows for reproduction.<ref>C. J. C. Phillips, ''Principles of Cattle Production'' (2010), p. 50.</ref> The hair is generally shorter on the body, but the neck and head often have a "mane" of curlier, wooly hair. Bulls are usually about the same height as cows or a little taller, but because of the additional muscle and bone mass, they often weigh far more. Most of the time, a bull has a hump on his shoulders.<ref name="farmanddairy">{{cite web|last1=Woods|first1=Katie|title=How to determine if cattle are bulls, steers, cows or heifers - Farm and Dairy|url=https://www.farmanddairy.com/top-stories/how-to-determine-if-cattle-are-bulls-steers-cows-or-heifers/274534.html|website=Farm and Dairy|access-date=December 27, 2017|date=30 July 2015}}</ref> 

In horned cattle, the [[horn (anatomy)|horns]] of bulls tend to be thicker and somewhat shorter than those of cows,<ref>Klaus-Dieter Budras, et al, ''Bovine Anatomy: An Illustrated Text'' (2003), p. 36.</ref> and in many breeds, they curve outwards in a flat arc rather than upwards in a lyre shape. It is not true, as is commonly believed, that bulls have horns and cows do not: the presence of horns depends on the breed, or in horned breeds on whether the horns have been [[livestock dehorning|disbudded]]. (It is true, however, that in many breeds of [[sheep]] only the males have horns.) Cattle that naturally do not have horns are referred to as [[Polled livestock|polled]], or muleys.<ref name="Muley">{{cite web|title=Muley|url=https://www.thefreedictionary.com/muley|website=The Free Dictionary|access-date=December 27, 2017}}</ref>

Castrated male cattle are physically similar to females in build and horn shape, although if allowed to reach maturity, they may be considerably taller than either bulls or cows, with heavily muscled shoulders and necks.<ref>{{cite web|author=TIM TRAINOR Montana Standard |url=http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_801a7346-530e-11df-a74c-001cc4c002e0.html |title=Example of large steer |publisher=Missoulian.com |date=2010-04-28 |access-date=2012-08-06}}</ref>

=== Reproductive anatomy ===
{{See also|Cattle#Anatomy}}
[[File:The anatomy of the domestic animals (1914) (20553750880).jpg|thumb|300px|The reproductive system of a bull]]
Bulls become fertile around seven months of age. Their fertility is closely related to the size of their [[testicle]]s, and one simple test of fertility is to measure the circumference of the scrotum; a young bull is likely to be fertile once this reaches {{Convert|28|cm|in|0}}; that of a fully adult bull may be over {{convert|40|cm|in|0}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rep.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/rep/59/2/jrf_59_2_029.xml?rskey=31y8uQ&result=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510234823/https://rep.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/rep/59/2/jrf_59_2_029.xml?rskey=31y8uQ&result=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-05-10 |title=A P Carter, P D P Wood and Penelope A Wright (1980), Association between scrotal circumference, live weight and sperm output in cattle, ''Journal of Reproductive Fertility'', '''59''', pp 447–451. |format=PDF |access-date=2012-08-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=G Jayawardhana (2006), ''Testicle Size – A Fertility Indicator in Bulls'', Australian Government Agnote K44.|url=http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Anim_Dis/747.pdf|website=Northern Territory of Australian|publisher=Agnote|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528020129/http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Anim_Dis/747.pdf|archive-date=May 28, 2016}}</ref><section begin="reproductive_anatomy" /> Bulls have a fibroelastic penis. Given the small amount of erectile tissue, little enlargement occurs after erection. The penis is quite rigid when not erect, and becomes even more rigid during erection. Protrusion is not affected much by erection, but more by relaxation of the [[retractor penis muscle]] and straightening of the [[sigmoid flexure]].<ref name="Sarkar">{{cite book| last =Sarkar| first = A.| title = Sexual Behaviour In Animals| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=bsCiWUiPY5UC&q=bull| publisher = Discovery Publishing House| year = 2003| isbn = 978-81-7141-746-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=naSWWxJLcd0C&q=bull+sigmoid+flexure |title=Functional Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals – William O. Reece – Google Boeken |date= 2009-03-04|access-date=2012-12-02|isbn=978-0-8138-1451-3|last1=Reece |first1=William O. }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7Z9o_vGPP4cC&q=bull+sigmoid+flexure |title=Modern Livestock and Poultry Production – James R. Gillespie, Frank B. Flanders – Google Boeken |date= 2009-01-28|access-date=2012-12-02|isbn=978-1-4283-1808-3|last1=Gillespie |first1=James R. |last2=Flanders |first2=Frank }}</ref> Bulls are occasionally affected by a condition known as "corkscrew penis".<ref>{{Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6MaO63mKKrsC&q=bull+%22corkscrew+penis%22&pg=PT1619 | title = Farm Animal Surgery | isbn = 1-4160-6465-6 | last1 = Fubini | first1 = Susan L | last2 = Ducharme | first2 = Norm | date = 2004-01-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Ww07sIWTYAAC&q=bull+%22corkscrew+penis%22&pg=PA105 | title = Principles and Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior: An Introductory Text | isbn = 978-1-78064-055-6 | last1 = Price | first1 = Edward O | year = 2008}}</ref> The penis of a mature bull is about 3–4 cm in diameter,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ganPdPc1tUMC&q=penis |title=Practical Atlas of Ruminant and Camelid Reproductive Ultrasonography|date=2009-09-24 |isbn=9780813808079|access-date=2013-06-22|last1=Descôteaux|first1=Luc|last2=Colloton|first2=Jill|last3=Gnemmi|first3=Giovanni}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0r4r5qR0NVAC&q=penis |title=Cattle Medicine – Philip R. Scott, Colin D. Penny, Alastair Macrae |date=2011-07-15 |isbn=9781840766110 |access-date=2013-06-30|last1=Scott |first1=Phillip |last2=Penny |first2=Colin D. |last3=MacRae |first3=Alastair }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j87wTz362roC&q=penis |title=Reproductive Pathology of Domestic Mammals – Mark McEntee |date=1990-08-28 |isbn=9780323138048 |access-date=2013-06-30|last1=McEntee |first1=Mark }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yuBSW1_MyGUC&q=penis |title=Clinical Examination of Farm Animals – Peter Jackson, Peter Cockcroft |date=2008-04-15 |isbn=9781405147392 |access-date=2013-06-30|last1=Jackson |first1=Peter |last2=Cockcroft |first2=Peter }}</ref> and 80–100 cm in length.<ref name="SchattenConstantinescu2008">{{cite book|author1=Heide Schatten|author2=Gheorghe M. Constantinescu|title=Comparative Reproductive Biology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6iNdSk7gPf4C&q=bull|date=21 March 2008|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-39025-2}}</ref>
The bull's [[glans penis]] has a rounded and elongated shape.<ref name="SchattenConstantinescu2008"/>
<section end=reproductive_anatomy/>
=== Misconceptions ===
A common misconception widely repeated in depictions of bull behavior is that the color red angers bulls, inciting them to charge. In fact, like most mammals, cattle are [[Dichromacy|red–green color blind]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itla.net/index.cfm?sec=Longhorn_Information&con=handling |title=Longhorn_Information – handling |publisher=ITLA |access-date=2010-03-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100511090201/http://www.itla.net/index.cfm?sec=Longhorn_Information&con=handling |archive-date=2010-05-11 }}</ref> In [[bullfighting]], the movement of the [[matador]]'s cape, and not the color, provokes a reaction in the bull.

== Management ==

=== Beef production ===
Other than the few bulls needed for breeding, the vast majority of male cattle are castrated and slaughtered for meat before the age of three years, except where they are needed (castrated) as work oxen for haulage. Most of these beef animals are [[Castration|castrated]] as calves to reduce aggressive behavior and prevent unwanted mating,<ref name="Ontario">''[http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/07-029.htm#reasons Castration of Calves Factsheet]'', Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, June 2007.</ref> although some are reared as uncastrated bull beef. A bull is typically ready for slaughter one or two months sooner than a castrated male or a female, and produces proportionately more and leaner muscle.<ref name="Ontario"/>

Frame score is a useful way of describing the skeletal size of bulls and other cattle. Frame scores can be used as an aid to predict mature cattle sizes and aid in the selection of beef bulls. They are calculated from hip height and age. In sales catalogues, this measurement is frequently reported in addition to weight and other performance data such as estimated breed value.<ref>{{cite web|title=Frame scoring of beef cattle|url=https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/beef-cattle/appraisal/publications/frame-scoring|website=New South Wales Government|publisher=Department of Primary Industries|access-date=10 January 2018|date=13 September 2007}}</ref>

=== Temperament and handling ===
[[File:Angry Bull in Pasture.jpg|thumb|right|A bull paws up dust in a threat display]]
[[File:Warning sign - bull in field - keep out.JPG|thumb|upright|A warning sign for a bull-occupied field]]
Adult bulls may weigh between {{Convert|500|and|1000|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. Most are capable of aggressive behavior  and require careful handling to ensure safety of humans and other animals. Those of [[dairy cattle|dairy breeds]] may be more prone to aggression, while [[Beef cattle|beef breeds]] are somewhat less aggressive, though beef breeds such as the [[Spanish Fighting Bull]] and related animals are also noted for aggressive tendencies, which are further encouraged by [[selective breeding]].

An estimated 42% of all livestock-related fatalities in Canada are a result of bull attacks, and fewer than one in 20 victims of a bull attack survives.<ref>{{cite web|title=''Handling Livestock Successfully''|url=http://www.cfa-fca.ca/upload/casw_livestock.pdf|website=Canadian Farming Administration|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312233112/http://www.cfa-fca.ca/upload/casw_livestock.pdf|archive-date=March 12, 2016|date=2000}}</ref> Dairy breed bulls are particularly dangerous and unpredictable; the hazards of bull handling are a significant cause of injury and death for dairy farmers in some parts of the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=Larry D. Jacobson, Extension Agricultural Engineer, ''Safe Work Practices on Dairy Farms'', University of Minnesota Extension Services (1989)|url=http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI0878.html|website=University of Minnesota - Extension|publisher=www.extension.umn.edu|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712024029/http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI0878.html|archive-date=July 12, 2013|quote="During the last 10 years, 12 farmers in Minnesota were mauled and gored to death by dairy bulls"}}</ref><ref>[http://cumberlink.com/news/local/bull-kills-southampton-man/article_594d4e4d-9c43-5582-bfc3-5e41870ee20b.html Cumberland County (Pa.) Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., February 12, 2008] A farmer in Southampton County, Michigan, was killed by a 2000-lb Holstein bull in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in February, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=200357 The Reading [Pennsylvania]Eagle, March 1, 2010] On February 28, 2010, a farmer near Reading, Pennsylvania was trampled and gored to death by a 2000-lb black Angus bull that he had been urged to get rid of by friends after earlier mishaps. Michelle Park, "Bull attacks, kills owner at South Heidelberg Township farm".</ref> The need to move a bull in and out of its pen to cover cows exposes the handler to serious jeopardy of life and limb.<ref>Alvin H. Clement, ''We Gotta Have More Jails'', The Writer's Club Press, New York (1984–87), at pp. 79-80. A humorous description of moving a cow to a neighbor's Jersey bull for breeding purposes, and the use of a 12-foot bull staff to get the loose-running bull under control after he had already spotted the cow</ref> Being trampled, jammed against a wall, or gored by a bull was one of the most frequent causes of death in the dairy industry before 1940.<ref>O.C. Gregg, Ed., Minnesota Farmer's Institute Annual No. 15, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. (1902), at p. 125; The James Way, The James Manufacturing Co., Ft. Atkinson, Wisc. (1914), p. 103.</ref> With regard to such risks, one popular farming magazine has suggested, "Handle the bull with a staff and take no chances. The gentle bull, not the vicious one, most often kills or maims his keeper".<ref>Helpful Information for Dairymen, ''The Farmer'', Webb Publishing Co., St. Paul, Minnesota, Mar. 12, 1927, p. 6.</ref>

=== Handling ===
[[File:TORO.jpg|thumb|left|A bull with a [[nose ring (animals)|nose ring]] that [[tether]]s him to a picket]]
In many areas, placing [[nose ring (animal)|rings]] in bulls' noses to help control them is traditional. The ring is usually made of copper, and is inserted through a small hole cut in the septum of the nose. It is used by attaching a [[lead (tack)|lead rope]] either directly to it or running through it from a [[halter|head collar]], or for more difficult bulls, a bull pole (or bull staff) may be used. This is a rigid pole about {{Convert|1|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} long with a clip at one end; this attaches to the ring and allows the bull both to be led and to be held away from his handler.

An aggressive bull may be kept confined in a bull pen, a robustly constructed shelter and [[pen (enclosure)|pen]], often with an arrangement to allow the bull to be fed without entering the pen. If an aggressive bull is allowed to graze outside, additional precautions may be needed to help avoid him harming people. One method is a bull mask, which either covers the bull's eyes completely, or restricts his vision to the ground immediately in front of him, so he cannot see his potential victim. Another method is to attach a length of chain to the bull's nose-ring, so that if he ducks his head to charge, he steps on the chain and is brought up short. Alternatively, the bull may be [[hobble (device)|hobbled]], or chained by his ring or by a [[collar (animal)|collar]] to a solid object such as a ring fixed into the ground.

In larger pastures, particularly where a bull is kept with other cattle, the animals may simply be fed from a [[pickup truck]] or tractor, the vehicle itself providing some protection for the humans involved. Generally, bulls kept with cows tend to be less aggressive than those kept alone. In herd situations, cows with young calves are often more dangerous to humans. In the off season, multiple bulls may be kept together in a "bachelor herd".

=== Artificial insemination ===
[[File:San marcos bullfight 01.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Bullfighting]]]]
{{See also|Frozen bovine semen}}
Many cattle [[ranch]]es and [[Station (Australian agriculture)|stations]] run bulls with cows, and most dairy or beef farms traditionally had at least one, if not several, bulls for purposes of herd maintenance.<ref>U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Yearbook 1922, Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. (1922), pp. 325-28 (noting a national on-farm bull population of over 600,000 "scrub" bulls in addition to a multiyear supply of "pure bred" bulls)</ref><ref>O.C. Gregg, Ed., Minnesota Farmer's Institute Annual No. 15, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. (1902), pp.129-32 (recommending the keeping and testing of sires for dairy herd improvement).</ref> However, the problems associated with handling a bull (particularly where cows must be removed from his presence to be worked) has prompted many dairy farmers to restrict themselves to [[artificial insemination]] (AI) of the cows.<ref>C. J. C. Phillips, ''Principles of Cattle Production'' (2010), p. 121.</ref> Semen is removed from the bulls and stored in canisters of [[liquid nitrogen]], where it is kept until it can be sold, at which time it can be very profitable; in fact, many ranchers keep bulls specifically for this purpose. AI is also used to improve the quality of a herd, or to introduce an [[outcross]] of bloodlines. Some ranchers prefer to use AI to allow them to breed to several different bulls in a season or to breed their best stock to a higher-quality bull than they could afford to purchase outright. AI may also be used in conjunction with [[embryo transfer]] to allow cattle producers to add new breeding to their herds.

== Relationship with humans ==
[[File:Lascaux painting.jpg|thumb|An [[aurochs]] bull in a cave painting in [[Lascaux]], [[France]]]]
[[File:Mecklenburg Arms.svg|thumb|left|upright|A bull used in [[heraldry]]: [[Coat of arms]] of [[Mecklenburg]] region, [[Germany]]]]
Aside from their reproductive duties, bulls are also used in certain sports, including [[bullfighting]] and [[bull riding]]. They are also incorporated into festivals and folk events such as the [[Running of the Bulls]] and were seen in ancient sports such as [[bull-leaping]]. Though less common than castrated males, bulls are used as draught [[ox]]en in some areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ags/publications/draugth_ap_overview.pdf |title=John C Barret (1991), "The Economic Role of Cattle in Communal Farming Systems in Zimbabwe", to be published in ''Zimbabwe Veterinary Journal'', p 10. |access-date=2012-08-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=''Draught Animal Power, an Overview'', Agricultural Engineering Branch, Agricultural Support Systems Division, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations|url=http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/agse/chapterps1/chapterps1-e.htm|website=Fiat Panis|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701114759/http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/agse/chapterps1/chapterps1-e.htm|archive-date=July 1, 2010}}</ref> The once-popular sport of [[bull-baiting]], in which a bull is attacked by specially bred and trained dogs (which came to be known as [[bulldog]]s), was banned in England by the [[Cruelty to Animals Act 1835]].

As with other animals, some bulls have been regarded as [[pets]]. The singer [[Charo]], for instance, has owned a pet bull named Manolo.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Capretto|first1=Lisa|title=The Unusual Pet That Upset Charo's Neighbors (Video)|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/10/charo-pet-upset-neighbors_n_5476134.html|website=Huffington Post|access-date=10 January 2018|date=10 June 2014}}</ref>

== Significance in human culture ==
[[Sacred bull]]s have held a place of significance in human culture since before the beginning of recorded history. They appear in [[cave painting]]s estimated to be up to 17,000 years old. The mythic Bull of the Heavens plays a role in the ancient Sumerian ''[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', dating as far back as 2150 BC. The importance of the bull is reflected in its appearance in the [[zodiac]] as [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]], and its numerous appearances in [[Bull (mythology)|mythology]], where it is often associated with fertility. See also [[Korban]]. In [[Hinduism]], a bull named [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]], usually depicted seated, is worshipped as the vehicle of the [[god]] [[Shiva]] and depicted on many of the images of that deity.

[[File:Joroinen.vaakuna.svg|thumb|upright=0.7|A bull head in the coat of arms of [[Joroinen]]]]
Symbolically, the bull appears commonly in [[heraldry]]. Bulls appears as [[Charge (heraldry)|charges]] and [[Crest (heraldry)|crests]] on the arms of several British families. Winged bulls appear as [[supporter]]s in the arms of the [[Worshipful Company of Butchers]].<ref name="Davies">[[Arthur Fox-Davies]], ''A Complete Guide to Heraldry'', T.C. and E.C. Jack, London, 1909, 205-207, https://archive.org/details/completeguidetoh00foxduoft.</ref> In modern times, the bull is used as a [[mascot]] by both amateur and professional sports teams.

Bulls also have a special significance in [[Culture of Spain|Spanish culture]], where the [[Running of the bulls|Running of the Bulls]] celebration occurs every year in summer. During this [[festival]], a group of human runners called "mozos" try to outrace a group of bulls running behind them, while large crowds watch the entire race.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pamplona Bull Run {{!}} RunningoftheBulls.com|url=https://www.runningofthebulls.com/about/|access-date=2020-11-13|language=en-US}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Cow-calf operation]]
*[[Bull market]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Wiktionary}}
*{{Wikiquote-inline}}
*{{Commons category-inline|Bulls}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bulls| ]]
[[Category:Cattle]]
[[Category:Livestock]]
[[Category:Male mammals]]

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