cattle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cattle" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to domesticated bovine animals, typically raised for meat, milk, or labor. Example: "The farmer decided to expand his herd of cattle to increase milk production."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Hippos with young in tow are the most aggressive, sometimes attacking cattle that come to graze on the banks of the Niger.

The Guardian

It's popular with naturists, and with wandering Retinto cattle – don't be surprised to meet something red and horny.

The Guardian - Travel

The 1,200 conservatives who gathered in Iowa for a political cattle call on Saturday cheered, whooped and applauded enthusiastically at speakers' sharp criticisms of President Barack Obama's response to Islamist terrorism, signature healthcare reforms and executive action on immigration.

The Guardian

They also refused to buy from cattle farms that had recently cleared forest land or in any way employed slave labor.

The Guardian

Monitoring only direct sales to meatpacking companies leaves the supply chain open to cattle laundering, where cattle may be reared in deforested land but sold to other compliant farms before they arrive at slaughterhouses.

The Guardian

They weren't milk cows, it was cattle.

The Guardian - Music

The Beats of the Anatov, a study of Sudanese cattle herders, took the documentary prize for Hajooj Kuka, over the much-fancied The Look of Silence, Joshua Oppenheimer's followup to The Act of Killing.

The Guardian - Film

"I vote SDLP anyway but I think she has stood up for local farmers and in a rural constituency like this, that makes her popular," said a cattle farmer.

The Guardian

The current cull of badgers, aimed at cutting TB in cattle but derided by many scientists as ineffective, would be shut down by Labour.

The Guardian

Keeping the royal in the Royal Easter show happens a couple of times a decade and gives a lot of pleasure to the remnant grazier class who bring their sheep and cattle to town every Easter in the hope of ribbons.

The Guardian

Hawass said and that evidence indicates they the approximately 10,000 labourers working on the pyramids they ate 21 cattle and 23 sheep sent to them daily from farms.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal contexts, use "cattle" as a general term for bovine livestock. For more technical or scientific writing, consider using "bovine animals".

Common error

While "cattle" refers to a group of bovine animals (including cows, bulls, and steers), "cow" specifically denotes a female bovine. Using "cow" when you mean "cattle" can be inaccurate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "cattle" is as a plural noun, referring to domesticated bovine animals. Ludwig shows examples where it acts as the subject or object of a sentence, representing a group or herd of these animals.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Travel

15%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Science

9%

Lifestyle

8%

Music

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cattle" is a grammatically correct and very common plural noun used to refer to domesticated bovine animals. Ludwig AI indicates that it is suitable for a range of contexts, particularly in news, travel, and business writing. When using "cattle", remember that it is a plural noun and should not be used interchangeably with "cow". For more formal or scientific writing, consider using "bovine animals" as an alternative. This guide, based on real-world examples and linguistic analysis, aims to provide clear and practical advice for using the word "cattle" effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

livestock

Broader term encompassing various domesticated animals raised for agricultural purposes.

bovine animals

Technical and scientific term specifically referring to animals of the cattle family.

domesticated bovines

Emphasizes the domesticated nature of the cattle.

farm animals

General term indicating animals raised on a farm, including cattle.

herd animals

Focuses on the collective behavior and management of cattle.

grazing animals

Highlights the feeding habits of cattle.

beef cattle

Specifically refers to cattle raised for meat production.

dairy cattle

Specifically refers to cattle raised for milk production.

range cattle

Describes cattle that roam freely over large areas of land.

stock animals

Refers to animals kept or raised for use or profit.

FAQs

How to use "cattle" in a sentence?

You can use "cattle" to refer to a group of domesticated bovine animals raised for meat, milk, or other products. For example, "The farmer raises "beef cattle" on his farm."

What is the difference between "cattle" and "livestock"?

"Cattle" refers specifically to bovine animals such as cows, bulls, and steers, while "livestock" is a broader term encompassing various domesticated animals raised for agricultural purposes, including cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry.

What can I say instead of "cattle"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "livestock", "bovine animals", or "farm animals".

Is "cattle" singular or plural?

"Cattle" is a plural noun, referring to a group of bovine animals. The singular form is typically "head of cattle" or simply referring to the specific animal (e.g. "cow", "bull").