Funny Cow Facts
Every second Friday in July we celebrate Cow Day! Reason enough to deal a little more intensively with these wonderful animals. For example, did you know that cows are afraid of heights? Or that they produce 200 liters of saliva a day? Here are 10 curious facts about cows.
1.What a drool!
By ruminating up to 100 kilograms of grass, a cow produces 200 liters of saliva every day. This requires an unbelievable 30.000 chewing movements!
2. Incisor...toothless
Cattle have no incisors in the upper bite bar. They don't need one either, as they simply enclose and tear off clumps of grass with their tongues and grind them with their molars.
3. Beef or Cow?
A cow is a female bovine that has already calved. When we talk about cows, however, we generally mean all cattle.
4. Make cows.. boeh
..at least in the Netherlands. While they make "moo" in German-speaking countries, it is "moo" in England or "bø" in Norway.
5. 330 degree field of view
Cows always have (almost) everything in view, because they have a field of vision of 330 degrees. However, their vision is blurry and they do not recognize the color red at all.
6. Cuddle mode
Cows are very social creatures. They can recognize at least 50 conspecifics and like to join their "friends" in the pasture.
7. There is strength in stillness
Cows love to rest. A cow therefore lies down five to ten times a day and spends up to 12 hours resting.
8. With all senses
Cows can smell you from 10 kilometers. The sense of hearing is also strong. Cows can also hear very low and very high frequencies that we humans do not perceive.
9. Clever mind
Cows are not stupid, on the contrary. For example, they can pull the lever on a water trough to drink or press a button with their heads to get food.
10. Attention stairs
Cows are clever, but they are afraid of heights and cannot bend their knees very well. Therefore, they can theoretically climb a flight of stairs, but have difficulty descending it again.
