How Many Chromosomes Does a Cow Have?
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Cows have 60 chromosomes: a single pair of the sex chromosomes and 29 pairs of autosomes. Similar to other mammals, the females all have two of the X chromosomes, and males have a single Y and X chromosome.
According to the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Animal and Poultry Science, during the stages of gametogenesis, the cow’s chromosomes undergo a process of meiosis. This results in a main reproductive cell that produces three polar bodies and one ovum. The cow contributes just one of the X chromosomes in the process of meiosis. All of the chromosomes are teardrop-shaped and have the centromere at the end, except the sex chromosomes, that feature the centromere more towards the middle of the chromosome.
