Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows (though technically cow refers only to female bovines), are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. They are raised as livestock for meat (called beef and veal), dairy products (milk), leather and as draught animals (pulling carts, plows and the like). In some countries, such as India, they are honored in religious ceremonies and revered. It is estimated that there are 1.3 billion cattle in the world today.

Beef cattle browse more than 11 million acres of grazing lands in the State of Florida. Such large herds naturally generate large quantities of manure and other waste. What is being done to manage this challenge to the environment?

Wildlife Services, a ridiculous misnamed agency of the federal government kills animals on behalf of the livestock industry, particularly the beef/cattle industry. There were 1.6 million animals killed by this agency in 2006. "A record number of gray wolves (278)...were killed in numbers that are up more than six-fold since 1996."

" 'Beef, it's what's for dinner' is the very thing that is killing our wild buffalo, wild horses, prairie dogs, wolves, and the countless other plant and animal species that suffer to appease the fears and greed of livestock producers."

A five year research programme by the government and industry will look into the potential of perennial ryegrass in obtaining higher content of omega-3 rich polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA). With the benefits passed on to humans via beef cattle.

Cattlemen from the department of Paraná, Entre Rios, reported finding strangely mutilated animals in fields in this province. The animals, all of them beef cattle, have had their genitals, tongues and udders removed, according to peasants.