Cow Facts For Kids
Cows are best known for the the delicious things they provide, such as milk, dairy products, and meat. They are most often seen on farms (Old McDonald, anyone?) and give a loud “moo”!
Although these animals may seem familiar, there are many things about them that you might not know. Continue reading to find out interesting facts about cows.
Different names for cows
When we talk about cows, it can actually be a little confusing. The technical name for this type of animal is cattle. Young cattle are called calves until they become adults.
Adult females are called cows while adult males are called bulls. When we use the word “cow” in our article, we are talking about all of these different kinds of cattle in general.
Characteristics of a cow
Cows are known for their special type of stomach – one stomach with four different compartments (and you thought you could eat a lot)!
Each of these has its own purpose in helping the cow eat and digest its food. Cows have hooves on their feet and can weigh up to 4,000 pounds.
Males can have large horns on their heads while females will have udders.
Where do cows live?
Cows live in a lot of different countries around the world. They are usually found on farms or ranches, and some kinds still live in the wild.
Cows prefer to have a space where they can spread out and eat plenty of food.
They also need a place where they can drink a lot of water. Cows drink about a bathtub full of water every day. That would be one big water bottle!
What do cows like to eat?
Thanks to their special stomach, cows are able to eat a lot of different kinds of tough plants and grasses. When a cow eats, it first swallows its food without chewing, and stores it in one of its compartments.
Once it finds a quiet place to continue, it vomits the food back up (yuck!) and slowly chews it into tiny pieces that are easy to break down.
It then swallows this food once again and it’s stomach is able to digest it. Makes you hungry, doesn’t it?
What do we use cows for?
Cows have a huge variety of uses all over the world. Thousands of years ago, cows were actually one of the first forms of money, and people would use them to buy and trade things.
Today, cows are mainly used for food items like beef, veal, and dairy.
They are also used for bullfighting, bull riding, animal shows, and rodeos. In some parts of the world, cows are considered sacred and special, so they are not eaten.
Interesting Facts About Cows:
Cows are known as the human race’s foster moms since they provide the majority of the milk consumed.
90% of the world’s milk is produced by dairy cows. Every day, the finest cows produce more than 25 gallons of milk. That’s a whopping 400 quarts of milk! Each year, cows in the United States produce an average of 2,000 gallons of milk. That’s more than 30,000 milk cups!
India has over 300 million cows, that is a lot of cows. In many Indian states, cow slaughter is forbidden.
A cow’s pregnancy lasts exactly nine months, much like a human’s.
Cows produce as much as 120 pounds of saliva every day.
Cows have 32 teeth in all. but they don’t have top front teeth, instead they have a thick pad of skin in the area.
A cow’s day consists of 8 hours of feeding, 8 hours of chewing cud, and eight hours of sleep.
A cow’s knee structure does not allow it to walk downstairs, yet it can go upstairs.
Young cattle are called calves, adult females are called cows, and adult males are called bulls.
Cows are typically milked for three to four years. For a cow to give milk, she must have a calf. Until they’re 8 to 10 weeks old, calves are given milk.
A cow’s body temperature is 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit on average.
Cows have a special stomach with four different compartments.
They eat grasses and plants.
Cows graze by wrapping their mouths around the grass rather than biting it.
Cows have amazing panoramic vision which allows them to see everything except right behind them. Cool right !?
Cows keep chewing their cud (partially digested and regurgitated food) for as many as 8 to 10 hours per day.
Cows need a lot of food and water. They consume 30 to 40 pounds of food and 1o to 20 gallons of fresh water everyday.
Cows have a variety of uses including meat, dairy, leather, and entertainment.
Whether you have your own farm with cows, or only enjoy their delicious dairy products, cows are an important part of our community and world.
Veal is the meat of a young calf, while beef is the meat of an adult cow.
From the days of being used for money, to the days of showing off at state fairs, cows have played a huge role in how people interact with each other. These amazing animals are udder-ly fantastic.
10 Most Popular Types of Cows
Charolais
The Charolais became popular in the United States cattle business around the time when people were looking for cattle that can provide more beef, which meant cattle like Charolais with bigger frame and more weight were preferred.
Black Angus
With over 300,000 registered animals, Black Angus is the most popular cow breed in the United States. The breed’s carcass is known for its supple texture and delicious meat.
Simmental
The Simmental cattle breed is one of the world’s oldest and most extensively distributed cattle breeds
Herefords
Herefords, which originated in England, are highly popular in the United States due to their early maturity and fattening abilities. Herefords live longer than many other breeds. They have very good temperament, are very fertile, and produce lot of milk. They are dark red to red yellow in color with a white face.
Texas Longhorn
Texas Longhorn, like their name suggests have long horns that can extend up to 2 meters from the tip of one horn to the other. They are mainly dark red and white, but can also come in different mixed colors.
