Bubona is the Roman Cow-Goddess who watches over and protects
cattle, and oversees their multiplication and health. She is considered one
of the numina, protective deities who watch over everything from the
home, gardens, and fields to people, animals, and crafts. (Pomona
has Her origins as a numen of orchards). Bubona may have originally
been a guardian spirit of horses as well; but when the Romans encountered the
Gauls, they adopted Epona as the Horse-Goddess par
excellence. Both Bubona and Epona protected the stables and the creatures
within, and little shrines to Them were made in niches in the walls, or on
the pillar holding up the barn roof. Sometimes Their images were painted over
the feeding-trough as well.
Her name is akin to the Latin word for cow or ox, bovis,
and the adjective bubula, meaning "relating to cows or oxen";
the English word bovine is related.