What is a young cow called?

A young cow is called a calf. The word is used for the young of cattle, whether the animal is male or female, and it is commonly applied from birth until the animal becomes older cattle.

Cattle belong to the species Bos taurus and are raised worldwide for milk, meat, leather, and work. Newborn calves rely on milk, and the first milk produced by their mothers is called colostrum. Colostrum supplies concentrated antibodies and nutrients during the early days of life.

Several farm-animal terms are easy to confuse. A lamb is a young sheep, a kid is a young goat, and a foal is a young horse. A female calf may later be called a heifer, while a mature male is commonly called a bull.