Bovine erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone produced primarily by the kidneys in response to hypoxia that regulates erythropoiesis by binding to the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) on erythroid progenitor cells, activating JAK2/STAT5, PI3K/Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways to promote red blood cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. In cattle, EPO is essential for maintaining adequate oxygen-carrying capacity during growth, pregnancy, lactation, high-altitude adaptation, and recovery from blood loss or disease. In bovine health, EPO plays a critical role in the response to anemia associated with parasitic infections, chronic inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, hemorrhage, and renal disease, making it an important biomarker and potential therapeutic target for improving animal welfare and productivity. Beyond livestock health, bovine EPO is valuable in comparative physiology and translational research, serving as a large-animal model for investigating erythropoiesis, hypoxia signaling, renal endocrine function, and the development of erythropoiesis-stimulating therapies for human anemia and related hematologic disorders.