In recent Minecraft snapshots and beta/preview versions, Mojang introduced two new mob variants for chickens, cows, and pigs. These new variants will be released in an upcoming game drop for the sandbox and their appearances will change based on the temperature of the biome they spawn in.
If we take a look at other existing mobs with variants, a rather unique pattern seems to emerge.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.
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Ways in which new Minecraft mob variants are following a variant pattern
1) Many existing mobs have a cold and warm variant

When we look at existing mob variants in Minecraft, we can notice that many of them are either cold or warm variants. For example, strays, drowns, green frogs, white foxes, polar bears, and even endermites are cold variants.
The warm variants include withered skeletons in the Nether, blaze, white frogs, husks, and more. Another example is slimes, which can be considered temperate; their warm variants are magma cubes.
Hence, the trend of warm and cold mob variants has been in Minecraft for many years now.
2) New mob variants also introduce cold and warm variants

Mojang released two new chicken, pig, and cow variants for the upcoming game drop. As mentioned, these variants are based on the temperature of the biome the farm animals spawn in. This means if players are in a cold biome, cold pigs, cows, and chickens will different textures will spawn around them, and vice versa in warm biomes.
By looking at existing mob variants, it is clear that Mojang is following the trend of warm and cold.
3) Mojang could bring more new variants to other mobs in the future

While other mobs have cold and warm variants, some of them do not have all three variants. For example, foxes have temperate and cold variants, but they do not have a warm variant yet. Slimes have a temperate and warm variant, but they do not have a cold variant. Polar bears can get both temperate and warm variants.
Mojang can use this mob variant trend in Minecraft and add variety to existing creatures.
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