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The word "cattle" did not originate as a name for Bovine animals. It derives from the Latin 'Caput', Head, and thus originally meant "unit of livestock" or "One Head". The word the closely related to "Chattel" (a unit of property) and to "capital" as in the sense of "property".

Young cattle are known as calves, a young male is called a bull calf, a young female before she has calved the second time is called a Keifer. Some male cattle that have been bred solely for meat will be castrated; they will then become a Bullock or a Steer. An intact male is referred to as a Bull. An adult female over two years of age is known as a Cow. The adjective applying to Cattle is Bovine.

Cattle have a unique digestive system, which they are well known for. It allows them to digest otherwise indigestible foods by repeatedly regurgitating and re-chewing until it is an appropriate 'cud'. The cud is then swallowed again and further digested by microbes that live in the stomach. The microbes are principally responsible for generating volatile fatty acids (VFAs) that the cattle use as their major metabolic stimulant. Cattle, unlike the myth, only have one stomach, however it has four compartments, each compartment designated a different function. They are the Rumen, which is the largest, the Reticulum, which is the smallest, the Abomasum is most like the human stomach and is often referred to as the 'true stomach' and the Omasum, which main function is to absorb nutrients and water from the feed.

This brings us to the slaughter process. Despite what you believe happens in the slaughter houses and abattoirs, you should read through this anyway. The truth may surprise you, if you can handle it that is.

From the moment the cow is born, until the moment it is slaughtered, it is fed all sorts of chemicals to help it grow. Unless of course they intend to use the calf for veal (see Stop The Veal campaign),  If it is a female, it will most likely be used the breed again before it's slaughter... if it was born to a dairy cow, she might be raised as a dairy cow and used to replace the older cows, they need to get the most out of their money don't they?!  So when she reaches a calving age she is made pregnant by AI (Artificial Insemination). At around 2 years old, she's no use for anything more than slaughter. The cattle are inhumanly treated, despite what any government or companies try to tell you. She will spend the first year of her life in a cattle shed, with hundreds of other cows, all of them distressed and confused.  They are forced to live in their own excrement.

The cattle that are allowed to graze, face painful mutilations such as dehorning and castrations, all without anesthetic, and in most cases, without pain relief. You wouldn't put your dog through that, would you?

Once the cow is ready for slaughter it is led to a crowded shed where it is put into a pen and a bar placed upon its neck. If a human walked into a slaughter house, they would wretch from the smell of blood and death, what makes you think it is any different for a cow? You think they can't smell blood? Or sense the danger? They do, because at this point of the process they begin to show signs of distress.
The majority of cattle are supposedly killed with what's called a Captive Bolt Pistol. Even the Humane Slaughter Association have admitted "whilst it may appear that captive-bolt stunning is a straight forward procedure, great care must be taken in its operation, as both operator error and equipment failure will severely compromise anima welfare". That means that the pistol must be used by an expert, placed in the exact right place, and use the exact cartridge strength in order for it to be a successful stunning. If it doesn't work which in 230,000 cases a year it doesn't, the cow in severe distress by now has to endure a second attempt, or to just save time, have their throats cut while they are still conscious.

CAUTION: TRUTHFUL PICTURES BELOW 

The cattle, once dead is skinned and pulled apart ready to be used for consumption, Gelatin and Leather (see Loathing Leather). You'd be surprised as to where bovine extracts will turn up, almost all chewy sweets contain gelatin, although many companies are now realising this and beginning to introduce synthetic gelling agents.