Cat"tle (kăt"t'l), n.
pl. [OE. calet, chatel, goods, property, OF. catel, chatel,
LL. captale, capitale, goods, property, esp. cattle, fr.
L. capitals relating to the head, chief; because in early ages beasts constituted the chief part of a man's property. See Capital, and cf. Chattel.]
Quadrupeds of the Bovine
family; sometimes, also, including all domestic quadrupeds, as sheep, goats, horses, mules, asses, and swine.
Belted cattle, Black cattle. See under Belted, Black.
-- Cattle guard,
a trench under a railroad track and alongside a crossing (as of a public highway). It is intended to prevent cattle from getting upon the track. -- cattle louse (Zoöl.),
any species of louse infecting cattle. There are several species. The Hæmatatopinus eurysternus
and H. vituli are common species which suck blood; Trichodectes
scalaris eats the hair.
-- Cattle plague,
the rinderpest; called
also Russian cattle plague. --
Cattle range, or Cattle run, an open space through which cattle may run or range. [U. S.] Bartlett. -- Cattle show, an exhibition of domestic animals with prizes for the encouragement of stock breeding; -- usually accompanied with the exhibition of other agricultural and domestic products and of implements.
Hear it pronounced