I’m not sure why, but I have always been fascinated with cows. I did grow up on a farm and when I was very young we had dairy cows. My grandfather attempted to teach me how to manually milk the cows. It was fun for about thirty seconds, or until the cow kicked you, or knocked over the bucket you had worked so hard to retrieve. They are just oddly shaped unusual creatures. To me they are beautiful! Funny thing is, I don’t eat much beef.
When we drove to Dillon Beach this last weekend, I was surprised to see so many cows, and so many different cows. I took lots of photos, hoping to come home and paint a few of them.
These are the photos, and I need to figure out which might be more painterly:
1. All “cows” are female. Males are called bulls or steer. Before having a calf for the very first time, a female is called heifer. Then, once she has her first calf, she becomes a cow.
2. There are over 800 different cattle breeds recognized worldwide (according to Wikipedia). For example, beef breeds are raised for their meat, and dairy breeds are raised to produce milk. At Clover Meadows Beef, we raise Angus-based cattle, which is a beef breed.
3. What do cows eat? Grass and sometimes grain. Cows don’t eat meat – ever. They’re always “vegetarian fed”. Therefore, if you ever see “vegetarian fed” on a beef label, you know it’s a marketing t
2. There are over 800 different cattle breeds recognized worldwide (according to Wikipedia). For example, beef breeds are raised for their meat, and dairy breeds are raised to produce milk. At Clover Meadows Beef, we raise Angus-based cattle, which is a beef breed.
3. What do cows eat? Grass and sometimes grain. Cows don’t eat meat – ever. They’re always “vegetarian fed”. Therefore, if you ever see “vegetarian fed” on a beef label, you know it’s only a “marketing term” designed to get sales.
4. Cows can see almost 360 degrees. As a result of this near-panoramic view, they can watch for predators from all angles. However, they don’t see well straight in front of them and they will typically turn their head to look at you.
5. Cows have an acute sense of smell and can detect odors up to six miles away.
6. Cows are very social and don’t like to be alone. For example, when a cow isolates herself it’s usually because she is sick or about to give birth.
7. Cows have no upper front teeth. Therefore, when they’re eating food, they press their sharp bottom teeth against the top hard palate of their mouth to cut blades of grass.
Cows spend about 10 hours a day lying down.
8. Cows will stand up and lay down about fourteen times a day.
9. Cows can sleep while they’re standing.
10. The first cow arrived in the U.S. in 1611 in Jamestown.
11. The main stomach of a cow, the rumen, holds up to 50 gallons of food that has been partially digested. To put that in perspective, a bathtub can usually hold 30-50 gallons of water. A cow will consume about 40 pounds of food in a day.
11. Farmers use ear tags as an animal identification system that helps keep track of important information about each animal, such as birth date, gender, age, weight, etc.
12. The main stomach of a cow, the rumen, holds up to 50 gallons of food that has been partially digested. To put that in perspective, a bathtub can usually hold 30-50 gallons of water. A cow will consume about 40 pounds of food in a day.
13. Farmers use ear tags as an animal identification system that helps keep track of important information about each animal, such as birth date, gender, age, weight,
14. Cows can see color. They can even see red. When you see a Matador waving a red flag at a bull (a male “cow”), the bull charges because of the flag’s movement.
15. The average body temperature of a cow is 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
16. Cows have 4 digestive compartments in one stomach – the rumen (this is where the cud comes from); the reticulum; omasum; and abomasum (this is sort of like a human’s stomach).
17. In the 1850’s, nearly every family in the U.S. had its own cow.
18. All cattle (even grass finished cattle) sometimes need to eat something other than grass in order to be healthy, like mineral. Like all animals, cattle require a balance of nutrients for survival. They receive these nutrients through their diet, which provides six basic cattle nutrients: water, carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals.
19. The hamburger debuted at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Yum!
20. Almost 2,000 quarter pound hamburgers can be made from the ground beef in one cow.The hamburger debuted at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Yum!The hamburger debuted at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Yum!The hamburger debuted at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Yum!
21. Cows have an acute sense of smell and can detect odors up to six miles away.
22. Cows are very social and don’t like to be alone.
23. Cows are strong swimmers! . They’ll tell you that many cows swim just as well, if not better than people. In some cases, cows swim across bodies of water as part of normal farming practices. For example, a herd of cattle in Ireland swim across a large lake each year to graze.
24. Cows are intelligent, emotional, and affectionate creatures forming strong social bonds within their herd and with humans. Cows show their affection with cute and friendly behavior much like a dog would; for example following you, licking you, and letting you pet them.
25. Cows can’t bite because they don’t have top front teeth. They may “gum” you, but they can’t bite you. Cattle do have molars on the upper and lower jaw, but their incisors are only the lower jaw. As a cow gets older, their teeth shows more wear.
26. Cows can’t vomit!
27. You can walk a cow up the stairs but they can’t walk back down them! Their knees don’t bend the right way.
28. Holstein cows are the ones that are white with big black splodges or spots on them. Like fingerprints on humans, these spots are unique to each cow. There are no two cows with the same patterning on them.
Why is cow poop called cow pie?
Cow dung has a soft texture and tends to be deposited in a circular shape, which gives dung patches their alternate names of cow pies and cow pats. The feces is a good manure when used correctly. … Cow dung “chips” are used in throwing contests, and cow pie bingo is played as a game.
Dried cow dung was used for fuel by early settlers in the American West.
Cow Chip Throwing is taken quite seriously by some, but I am guessing not the cow!
Cow Chip Bingo is an entirely different game.
A grid is set up, typically on an outdoor field, comprised of numbered, one-yard squares. Spectators buy tickets that stake out a specific square. If Bessie chooses your real estate to do her business, then shazaam: You’re a winner, with prizes running upwards of $10,000.
Typically only one cow takes the field, but flashier fundraisers release up to four. In multi-cow play, the first dookie earns a grand prize, with lesser awards for second and third poopers.
Some onlookers will try cajoling the cow to visit their plot; “Come over here, I’ll rub your belly!” in Wells, Minnesota. To stave off this kind of trickster, the town of Anaconda, Montana doesn’t allow its cows to go free-range. They are led around by harness, ensuring equal time spent in each square. It may seem like an austere approach to a light-hearted game, but consider the stakes: Anaconda’s game pot was $6,000 this year.
In Missoula, the playing field is bounded by an electric fence. Purportedly this is to keep Blessame from escaping as one year, she made a break for freedom. Admittedly it helps with rowdy spectators.
It’s not like cows will reliably poop within the lines. What happens when manure lands in multiple squares? Turns out, it’s all in the percentages. There’s typically a judge who determines which square contains the most dung. They’ve been able to eyeball winners thus far, but are prepared to use a scale in close cases: the cow bingo version of a photo finish.
