Cows

Each cow eats about 30 pounds (13.6 kg) of hay per day — that’s like eating 120 hamburger buns!

Cows can climb up stairs easily, but they have trouble going down because their knees don’t bend the right way!

A cow’s hearing is so good they can hear lower and higher pitched sounds than humans!

Cows have a special stomach chamber called a rumen that can hold up to 50 gallons (189 liters) of food and water!

A cow’s sense of smell is so strong they can smell something from further away than your dog can!

One cow can turn 18,000 pounds (8,165 kg) of grass into 2,000 pounds (907 kg) of beef each year!

A single dairy cow can produce enough milk in a year to make 1,600 pounds (726 kg) of cheese!

Cows help maintain grasslands by naturally mowing and fertilizing the grass as they graze!

Humans started keeping cows as farm animals over 10,000 years ago!

The first cows in America arrived with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493!

Ancient Egyptians worshipped a cow goddess named Hathor who they believed helped create the world!

A cow’s sense of taste is so good they can detect flavors in one teaspoon of water mixed into 100 gallons (379 liters)!

Cows spend about 10–12 hours every day lying down and resting their legs!

A cow can produce up to 125 pounds (57 kg) of saliva in a single day — that’s like filling 15 water bottles!

Cows can walk up to 8 miles (13 kilometers) in a single day while grazing — that’s like walking around a football field 80 times!

A cow’s top running speed is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) per hour — as fast as a bicycle!

Cows almost always face either north or south when eating or resting — scientists think they can sense Earth’s magnetic field!

Cows produce more milk when they listen to calm, soft music!

Cows grow thicker fur in winter to stay warm and shed it in spring!

A cow’s black and white spots help them stay cool in summer and warm in winter!

Cows prefer temperatures between 40-65°F (4-18°C) — when it gets too hot, they produce less milk!

The average dairy cow spends about 6 hours each day being milked and waiting to be milked!

A dairy farm with 2,000 cows produces about 48,000 gallons (181,700 liters) of milk every day — enough to fill a swimming pool!

Dairy cows are milked 2–3 times every day, starting at around 4:00 in the morning!

Most cows get a new bed of fresh straw or sawdust every day to keep them comfortable!

A cow’s hooves need trimming about 2–3 times per year, just like getting a haircut!

Cows in a herd develop a pecking order that determines who eats and drinks first!

Young calves often form playgroups in the pasture, just like kids at recess!

Cows remember negative experiences for a long time and will avoid places where scary things happened!

Each cow in a herd has a different personality — some are shy, while others are bold!

Cows often groom each other to show friendship and keep each other clean!

As of 2014, the tallest cow ever recorded was 6 feet 4 inches (190 cm) tall — as tall as many adult humans!

The heaviest cow ever recorded weighed 3,800 pounds (1,724 kg) — as much as a small truck!

The longest recorded lifespan for a cow was 48 years 9 months — that’s three times longer than most cows live!

The most milk ever produced by a cow in one year was 59,298 pounds (26,897 kg) — enough to fill a large tanker truck!

The Holstein cow is the most common dairy cow in the world, known for its distinctive black and white spots!

Brown Swiss cows produce milk with more protein than most other breeds — perfect for making cheese!

Jersey cows are one of the smallest dairy breeds, but their milk has the highest fat content!

The Ankole cattle of Africa have horns that can grow up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) long — taller than a door frame!

The Scottish Highland cow has a thick, shaggy coat that can be red, black, or blonde in color!

A single cow can fertilize up to half an acre of land naturally each year!

A single dairy cow can produce enough milk in a day to make up to 160 glasses of milk!

Milk straight from a cow is warm — about 101°F (38.3°C), almost the same as our body temperature!

The average cow produces about 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime!

It takes only 48 hours for milk to travel from a cow to your local grocery store!

Modern cows descended from an ancient wild ox called the aurochs, which went extinct in 1627!

The first cows were domesticated over 10,000 years ago in the Middle East!

Cave paintings from 17,000 years ago show early humans hunting wild cattle!

Some cows in Switzerland wear bells that can weigh up to 12 pounds (5.4 kg)!

In some parts of India, cows can freely walk the streets and are considered sacred!