* Sometimes the term "cow" is used in a general way to refer to all kinds of cattle.
* In some cultures, cattle are traded in exchange for goods. Sometimes they are used as gifts given to the parents of a young woman a man desires to marry.
* In the Bible, the Jewish people used cattle for sacrifices, especially a certain type called the red heifer.
* A "heifer" is a cow that has not yet had a baby.
A heifer is an adult female cow that has not yet given birth to a calf.
An "ox" is a type of cattle that is specifically trained to do agricultural work. The plural of this term is "oxen." Usually oxen are male and have been castrated.
* Throughout the Bible, oxen were depicted as animals tied together by a yoke to pull a cart or a plow.
* Having oxen work together under a yoke was such a common occurrence in the Bible that the phrase "to be under a yoke" became a metaphor for hard work and labor.
* A bull is also a male type of cattle, but it has not been castrated and has not been trained as a work animal.
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