Bovids/The cattle family

Bovids are cloven-hoofed, ruminant mammals that include cattle, bison, buffalo, antelopes, and goat-antelopes. The members of this family show great variation in size and pelage coloration. Excepting some domesticated forms, all male bovids have two or more horns, and in many species, females possess horns, too. Most members of this family are diurnal and typically rest before dawn, during midday, and after dark. They have various methods of social organization and social behavior, which are classified into solitary and gregarious behavior. Bovids use different forms of vocal, olfactory, and tangible communication. Most members of this family are polygynous. In some species, newly born young remain hidden for a week to two months, regularly nursed by their mothers; in other species, the young are followers, accompanying females, rather than tending to remain hidden. The greatest numbers of bovids occur in Africa. Others also occur in Europe, Asia, and North America. This family also includes three of the five domesticated mammals whose use has spread outside their original ranges; these are cattle, sheep, and goats. They are raised for their leather, wool, meat, wool, dairy products.