In cattle terminology, what is the term for a female that has calved?

• A. Cow
• B. Heifer
• C. Steer
• D. Bull

Answer: (A)

Calving describes giving birth, and the term used for the female after she has delivered a calf is cow. A heifer is a young female that has not calved yet, so she changes from heifer to cow once she has calved. The male terms are bull for an intact adult and steer for a castrated male, while a calf is a young animal of either sex. So the best answer is cow because it identifies an adult female that has produced offspring.