Cattle

 

This week is the first of hooved animals, I am starting with cattle.

Cattle are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus Bos. Mature female cattle are called cows, and mature male cattle are bulls.

There are over 1000 breeds of cattle that are recognised worldwide, some of which adapted to the local climate, others which were bred by humans for specialised uses.

The natural lifespan of a cow is 15-20 years; however, the dairy industry rarely allows cows to live past age five.

Cows typically thrive on a diet primarily consisting of high-quality forage, such as fresh grass or good-quality hay. These fibrous plant materials provide essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. In some cases, cows may also be fed grains, silage, or supplemental feeds for specific nutritional needs.

Cows are smart, social animals. They have a rich repertoire of communication that includes moos, grunts, bellows and even non-verbal signals such as tail position.

A cow is pregnant for around nine months (or 279 to 292 days). The gestation length varies depending on several factors, such as the breed of the cow and the sex of the calf. While cows are typically monotocous (giving birth to one calf), twinning can occur, with rates varying between 2-5%.  Twin birth is a result of multiple ovulations, being more common in dairy rather than in beef cattle. Calves could be monozygous or dizygous, with the same or of different sexes.

Cows are surprisingly good swimmers and can swim for several miles, if necessary, sometimes even as part of normal farming practices. 

Cows can doze lightly while standing, they need to lie down to achieve deep, REM sleep, they need only around 4 hours sleep at a time. 

They also have good night vision, but not as good as humans, and they are better adapted to low-light conditions than humans. They have a higher concentration of rod photoreceptor cells in their eyes, which are more sensitive to light than cone photoreceptor cells. 

Cows run when they are startled by something, like all animals and most humans. They may run when they are happy, like when dinnertime hits. Did you know that cows can jump, too? Just not over the moon like in fairytales.

Cows will often come when their name is called. They even differentiate between the voices of the person calling their name and sometimes they ignore you – just like a stubborn teenager trying to avoid a job they don't like. Don't be fooled – they hear just fine! Like many animals (and people) cows follow their nose.