Cattle (domestic)

Cattle

Detail	Cow	Bull
Species	bovine
No. Appearing	20-200	2-5
Behaviour	herd
Range	rural
Size	5 ft. at shoulder	5½ ft. at shoulder
Weight	1,000 lbs.	1,330 lbs.
Intelligence	1	2
Armour Class	7	6
Hit Dice	3	4+1
Action Points	5	5
Max. Stride	11	14
THAC0	19	18
Hp/Die	d4+d6	d12
Attack Forms	2: horns
Damage	horn (1-6)	horn (1-8)
Natural Abilities	stampede	charging, trampling

Domestic cattle trace their ancestry back to auroch cattle, which were initially domesticated approximately 7,500 years ago in the southern Caucasus and northern Mesopotamia. Since then, these selectively bred cattle have expanded their presence to every continent, adapting to diverse climates worldwide. Through selective breeding, much of the natural aggressiveness has been bred out of domestic cattle, making them generally indifferent to humans as long as they are not provoked. However, many bulls still retain a potential for aggression.

Medieval cows were significantly smaller than contemporary beef cattle breeds, typically weighing around 500 pounds. They had a relatively compact and stout body shape with shorter legs compared to modern cattle. This body structure allowed them to graze efficiently in the rough and often hilly terrain of medieval Europe. Further, medieval cows possessed prominent horns, which varied in shape and size, curving or extending outward from the animal's body, increasing the risk of injury to farmers.

Cows

On a typical farm, dairy cows are usually brought in from the pasture for milking in the evenings and then returned to the field after their morning milking session. In contrast, beef cows may be allowed to spend the night on fenced-in pastures. They generally prefer to move along quietly; herders employ various methods to keep cattle moving, including vocal calls, gentle tapping or guiding them from horseback.

Cattle spend a significant part of their day grazing and resting. When driven too forcefully or aggressively, they can become "nervous" and easily startled by loud noises or sudden movements. During long cattle drives, precautions are taken to maintain their calm and allow them time to relax. If cornered, individual cattle stand and fight, but groups of cattle always stampede.

Stampede. If cattle in a group are threatened, they begin moving rapidly and uncontrollably in a panicked state, posing a serious risks to both the animals involved and any humans or structures in their path. As a body, these animals can wreck wagons, small buildings, trees and anything else in their way. A character in their path would be attacked by 2-5 horns per round, while sustaining an additional 1-10 points of incidental damage — and if stunned, would be trampled for an additional 2-12 damage.

Bulls

Bulls are more muscular and aggressive than cows, playing a significant role in beef ranching, dairy farming and other cultural activities like bullfighting. A male bull that's been castrated is called a "steer," "ox" or "bullock." Bulls have a large, bony head with protective ridges over the eyes. Their horns are thicker and shorter than thoses of cows, curving outwards in a flat arc rather than upwards in a lyre-shape.

They require careful handling; if angered, they'll drop their heads and charge, gaining +2 to hit and striking with +1 damage to each horn that hits. Adjacent creatures are subject to incidental damage and those who are stunned will be trampled upon for an additional 2-8 damage.

See Bestiary