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A Closer Look at Cows

Cows are sturdy yet gentle animals. They are social animals and form strong bonds with their families and friends that can last their entire lives. The bond between a cow and her calf is especially powerful. If a mother cow is caught on the opposite side of a fence from her calf, she will become alarmed, agitated and call frantically. If they remain separated, she will stay by the fence through blizzards, hunger, and thirst, waiting to be reunited with her baby. This bond continues even after the calf is fully grown.

Cows "moo" to each other fairly frequently, allowing them to maintain contact even when they cannot see each other. But when they can see each other, they also communicate through a series of different body positions and some facial expressions.

But did you know that not all cattle are cows? Cow is the word often used to describe all members of this species, but that is, in fact, a fallacy. Technically, only the mature females in the herd who have given birth to a calf are cows (females who have not yet calved are known as heifers). Yet we have come to refer to all animals of this species as cows.

Regardless of what we call them, we cannot deny they hold a special place in our hearts. They are therefore deserving of our respect, compassion, and gratitude.