bovid

Bovidae, commonly called bovids, is a family of hoofed, cud-chewing mammals in the order Artiodactyla. The family includes cattle, sheep, goats, antelopes, gazelles, buffalo and related species. Bovids are ruminants with a four-chambered stomach and are primarily herbivorous, feeding on grasses, leaves and shrubs. They are distributed across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, occupying a range of habitats from savannas and grasslands to forests and mountains. They are not native to Antarctica or most of Australia, though some species have been introduced.

An identifying feature is the presence of horns in many species; horns are permanent and typically hollow, with a bone core and keratin sheath. Unlike deer, bovids generally do not shed their horns. They have cloven hooves and a dental arrangement typical of ruminants, including a dental pad on the upper jaw.

Taxonomically, Bovidae is divided into subfamilies including Bovinae (cattle and water buffalo), Caprinae (sheep, goats, muskox), Antilopinae, Hippotraginae, Alcelaphinae, Reduncinae, among others. Many species are domesticated and valued for meat, milk, wool or work, while wild bovids are important components of ecosystems.

Conservation status varies by species; habitat loss, hunting and competition with livestock threaten several members, but others remain widespread and abundant.