Comment by pixl97

There are also deeper potential meanings, though the OP did clarify some.

Cattle are products on a farm. They have purposes. A few bulls are left for breeding, the rest are gelded. Some cows are for milk. Others are fattened up as much as possible.

But all end up in the slaughterhouse. Anyone that steps out of line causes problems before that time may find themselves culled from the herd.

The purpose of the system is not to make cows happy, or meet cow needs. It's to produce as much economic product as possible.