What Is a Castrated Bull Called?

A castrated bull is called a “steer” in the majority of cases. Outside of North America, an old steer is referred to as a “bullock.” An “ox” is a castrated male raised for draft purposes.

Terms used to describe cattle may vary from region to region, especially between North America and other major cattle producers, such as Australia and New Zealand. Bullocks is an example of this occurrence. Despite its meaning elsewhere in the world, in North America, bullocks refers to a young bull that has not been castrated. The term used can also be influenced by the destination of the beef, such as the term “Japanese ox” from Australia, which provides Japan with a large amount of its beef.