Head or Heads of Cattle?
Grammarly insists that the example sentence should be modified to read "350,000 heads". However, it is my understanding that "head" is a zero plural form when refering to cattle. Comments?
See example:
The initial small herd of 500 cattle eventually grew to 350,000 head, the largest herd of any California mission.
asked Apr 26 '11 at 19:25
Jeff Pribyl
Grammarly Fellow
Jeff Pribyl
Grammarly Fellow
2 answers 
In BrE we would always say a head of cattle (meaning the whole herd) but we wouldn't give a number of those head/heads.
The inital small herd of 500 cattle eventually grew to 350,000, the largest herd of any Californian mission.
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answered Apr 27 '11 at 08:54
Dave Phillips
New member
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If you were talking about human heads, it would be heads, but as a former ranch-hand/cowboy, I have always heard cattle reffered to as head, whether talking about one cow or an entire heard, or even multiple heards.
"I bought 75 head at the cattle auction."
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edited Apr 18 '12 at 08:08
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