The Beginning
As I explored topics to use in a DYK, I came across National Cow Appreciation Day. Yep, you read that right. National Cow Appreciation Day. It’s celebrated annually on the second Tuesday in July.
Created by Chik-Fil-A in 2004, it commemorated Heff R. Jones’ 1995 humorous billboard campaign “Eat Mor Chickin,” where a few cows try to save the rest of their species by encouraging people to eat more chicken.
Did You Know…
- For many years, Chik-Fil-A restaurants gave away free entrées to anyone who came in dressed as a cow on Cow Appreciation Day.
The Basics
First, the terms. Most people tend to call all cattle “cows.” However, that’s not technically correct. A cow is a female bovine that has had at least one calf. A heifer is a female bovine that has not yet had a calf. Male bovines are either a bull (used for breeding) or a steer (which is not).
Cattle were first domesticated as livestock almost 10,000 years ago. Over time, they have been utilized by humans in a variety of ways. They can carry or pull things. They provide milk. And their bodies provide meat, hides, and other byproducts.
Today, there are over 800 different breeds of cattle. Some are bred for milk, some for meat, and some for their thick leather hides or long fur.
Did You Know…
- In Ancient Egypt, cows symbolized motherhood and nourishment.
- In Medieval Europe, cows could be judged and convicted of a crime just like humans.
- The first cow arrived in Jamestown in 1611.
- Until the mid-1800s, almost every family in the U.S. had their own dairy cow.
- Because cows are considered sacred in India, eating their red meat is forbidden, except in the state of Goa, whose population is mostly Christians and Hindus.
The Numbers
There are more than 1.5 billion cows worldwide. That’s about one for every five people.
According to 2024 stats, India has 307.42 million cattle, the most in the world. Brazil is second with over 194 million cattle, and China is third with over 105 million cattle. These three countries hold 64% of the world’s cattle population.
Did You Know…
- In New Zealand, the cattle (almost 9.6 million), outnumber humans (only 5.2 million).
- More than 91% of the Amazonian rainforest has now been destroyed to make way for herds of cattle.
- The U.S. has 89.3 million cattle, but that’s down over 14 million since 1996.
- Texas has more cattle (over 12.5 million) than any other state. Nebraska (6.5 million) and Kansas (6.25 million) are second and third.
Physical Characteristics
Cattle come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. The average dairy cow weighs about 1,200 pounds, while another breed’s bulls can weigh more than three times that. And while cattle of the same breed may look identical, they aren’t. Their hide patterns are as unique as fingerprints. The same goes for their nose prints.
With eyes on either side of their head, cattle have almost total 360-degree panoramic vision. This allows them to see all around themselves without moving their head. A special, extra reflective layer in the eye even allows them to see in the dark.
They have an excellent sense of smell, enabling them to identify both predators and food sources, and excellent hearing of both low and high-frequency sounds.
The speed of a walking cow is, on average, 2-4 mph, but they can run up to 20 mph. They are also great swimmers, and, when motivated, can jump surprisingly high.
Did You Know…
- Cattle can see colors, but it’s the movement, not the color red, that makes them charge.
- Cattle can detect odors up to six miles away.
- With good care, cows can live up to twenty years.
Food and Digestion
Cows eat only plants, but that doesn’t mean they eat only grass. On farms and ranches, they’re fed a diet of grains and cereals. In the wild, they will also eat root veggies, saplings, and some trees’ bark and leaves.
Cattle don’t have four stomachs, but four compartments in their stomach. They have a special digestion process to thoroughly break down all the tough plant material they eat. They regurgitate their food and chew it again, aka “chewing the cud.”
Up to eight hours every day are spent chewing. They do this with no upper front teeth. Instead, they have a hard, leathery pad called a “dental pad.” As a result of all this grazing, their teeth slowly erode.
Did You Know…
- Most cows tend to lose all their teeth by the time they reach fifteen.
- Cattle can drink between seven and fifty gallons of water every day.
- Cattle create approximately 125 pounds of saliva each day.
- 15% of greenhouse gases are attributed to farm animals around the world. The majority of those gases are blamed on cattle. To reduce it, cattle are now being fed seaweed. (And it seems to be working.)
Emotions and Intellect
Cows are very sociable and emotional animals. They don’t like to be alone. Like humans, they tend to form close relationships with their friends and family and will grieve when they’re separated from them.
They’re also extremely smart. They will learn their name and respond to it. They can be trained to perform simple tasks and follow commands. And like the crow, they recognize people’s faces and remember—for more than two years—how that person treated them.
Cattle can’t speak, but they communicate with vocal sounds. Different sounds convey different needs, i.e., anger, anxiety, fear, and hunger. An attentive farmer can understand their mood based on these sounds.
Did You Know…
- Cattle can get jealous.
- Cows like music. Soft, melodic melodies have been known to increase their milk production and reduce their stress.
- Happy cows produce more milk.
The Last Drop
This DYK barely scrapes the surface when it comes to cattle. They are certainly more interesting than one would assume.
Did You Know…
- In 1930, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to fly in a plane. To prove dairy products could be transported, she was milked during the flight then her milk was parachuted to spectators waiting below.
- Cow tipping is mostly a myth. Cattle are very stable when standing, and while they may nap in that position, for a deep sleep, they lie down.