Wild kine of Araw

The Kine of Araw are the largest of Middle-earth's bovids, that is creatures with split, even-toed, hoofs. It is believed that these large, white cattle are the gift of the Vala Araw. This is quite possibly true. The beasts are found on the shores of the Sea of Rhûn and on the plain of Talath Harroch, east and south of Mirkwood.

As far as anyone can tell, the Easterling tribes are the only people to have domesticated these creatures and used them as draft beasts, since the Rhovanion Northmen revered the Kine and used them only for breeding other cattle. Easterlings, on the other hand, employed Kine to pull the Great Wains of their chiefs. During the brief existence of the Wainrider Kingdom in Wilderland (T.A. 1854-99), dozens of these magnificent beasts were pressed into service, and many perished in the raiding and wars that accompanied the Wain-easterlings' occupation.

Many people of central Middle-earth value the long gray horns of these cattle, both to use as trumpets and drinking horns and to cut into sections for superb compound bows. A few superstitious folk use the ground horn as an ingredient for healing potions, but no proof has ever been found that this substance is of any real value in healing.