calfs

Calfs is a nonstandard plural form of the noun calf. The standard plural is calves. The word calf has two primary senses in English: a young bovine and the back portion of the lower leg. The meaning is determined by context.

In livestock contexts, a calf refers to a young cattle animal from birth until weaned. Calves are typically born singly or in rare cases twins. They rely on their dam’s milk after birth and gradually transition to solid feed. In farming, calves may be raised for dairy, beef, or breeding.

Anatomy sense: The calf is the posterior compartment of the lower leg. It includes major muscles such as the gastrocnemius and soleus, together known as the triceps surae. These muscles extend the foot (plantarflexion) at the ankle and propel the body during walking or running. Injuries include strains and cramps.

Etymology and usage: The plural calves comes from Old English cealf; the irregular plural is common across Germanic languages. Calfs as a plural is generally regarded as incorrect in standard modern usage, though it may appear in nonstandard dialects or older texts.