02/11/2022
Interesting facts about cows
Fact 1. Cows are ruminants for a reason - they chew constantly, methodically chewing partially digested food. Moreover, their jaws are able to tirelessly work hour after hour, making about a hundred movements per minute. Some rodents chew at the same rate, rabbits in particular, but they don't do it all day long.
Fact 2. Some scientists believe that cows cause great harm to the ecology of our planet. Everything was fine until man started to breed them in huge quantities, but now, among all mammals, cows are second only to humans in number of all mammals, and their intestinal gases, as well as the gas emitted by manure, contribute to global warming due to the increased greenhouse effect. . According to some estimates, up to 15-20% of the increase in the greenhouse effect in the Earth's atmosphere is due to cows, of which there are about 1,300,000,000 individuals on our planet.
Fact 3. Cows, like other cattle, have served as the equivalent of currency among many peoples for thousands of years. For example, in Africa, in the country of Eswatini, the law still provides for a fine of one, two or more cows for some violations. But violators, according to the same law, can pay a fine in monetary terms. And in Cuba, for a long time, since Fidel Castro came to power, a very severe punishment is due for the murder of this animal, up to many years in prison.
Fact 4. Cows in private farms, which often see their owners, often become attached to them. Unless, of course, they treat them well ... They are one of the few animals that can remember human faces and recognize them from them. At the same time, contrary to a common myth, the red color does not anger the bulls - cows do not distinguish colors at all, and at the bullfight bulls are irritated by the behavior of the bullfighter, and not by the red flag. It is made in red in order to be better visible to the public.
Fact 5. It should not be surprising that milk from different cows tastes different. This directly depends on the diet of the animal - it is one thing if it grazes on fertile meadows, and quite another if it feeds on mixed fodder. On average, one dairy cow can produce up to 30-50 thousand liters of milk during a lifetime, which is 150-200 thousand average glasses.
Fact 6. Most cows in the world are found in Argentina. Many local landowners have so many of these animals that they do not even know their numbers themselves - in herds, the number goes to millions of heads. This is partly why in Argentina, beef is the main ingredient for most national dishes, and pork, chicken and other meats are considered “second-rate” compared to beef.
Fact 7. Cows have to be milked strictly on schedule, otherwise the animals begin to experience discomfort, which quickly turns into severe pain. Under natural conditions, cows feed their calves with milk for about three years, but those used in the dairy industry give milk throughout their lives, every day, and if they do not express it, they begin to suffer. And a herd of hundreds of cows can produce up to 2 tons of milk per day!
Fact 8. In many cultures, cows occupy an important place, but in India and Nepal they are generally considered sacred animals. At least among the majority of the population of these states. But not all Hindus and Nepalese profess Hinduism - for example, in the Indian state of Goa, famous for its resorts, they eat beef quite well, since here the majority of the inhabitants are Christians, not Hindus.
Fact 9. Cows have several interesting features. Like humans, they can cry, and they also feel the earth's magnetic field, and during rest, the herd usually settles along its lines. And the prints of cow noses are as unique as the pattern on the skin of a tiger or the fingerprints of a person.
Fact 10. The most expensive cows in the world are wagyu. Wagyu includes four breeds originating from Japan, and their meat is valued for its propensity for "marbled" meat. Bred by the Japanese about 200 years ago, these cows are raised in special conditions - they are fed with selected grain, beer and sake are added to the diet, and in cases where, due to lack of pastures, animals cannot walk normally, they are given massages. All this, however, is dictated by concern not for the quality of life of animals, but for the fact that the final product is better.
