a head of cattle

Meanings

1. 1nouncountabletechnical

   one animal of the cattle group, used as a unit when counting cows and bulls

   Grammar: The counting word 'head' does not change in the plural: 'one head', 'two hundred head'.

   Patterns

   • a head of cattle
   • number + head of cattle

   The farmer sold a head of cattle at the market on Saturday.

   They keep about forty head of cattle on the north field.

   Each head of cattle must be tagged before it leaves the farm.

2. 2phrasefixed phrasetechnical

   a unit used for counting cattle, so that 'ten head' means ten animals

   Grammar: Used after numbers; 'head' never takes -s in this counting use.

   Patterns

   • twenty head of cattle
   • a herd of fifty head of cattle

   The ranch reported a loss of twelve head of cattle in the storm.

   Prices are quoted per head of cattle at the auction.

Common combinations

per head of cattle

The auction lists the price per head of cattle.

a herd of cattle

A herd of cattle grazed near the river.

raise cattle

Her family has raised cattle for three generations.

head of livestock

The same counting word is used for head of livestock in general.

Synonyms and how they differ

cow

A cow is one female animal; 'a head of cattle' can be any animal in the group, male or female.

animal

General and vague; use 'head of cattle' when you are counting farm animals officially.

Word family

cattle noun

The group of cows and bulls; always plural in form.

cattleman noun

A person who raises or works with cattle.

Commonly confused: a head of cattle or heads?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “a head of cattle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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