Cattle represent one of the most important parts of livestock at global level. They are raised both for dairy products made from their milk and for their meat. Except for India (where cows are a sacred animal), beef is a part of all cuisines, including kosher and halal.
Here are a few interesting facts about cattle:
1. Cows Originate from Turkey
The domestic cow is a descendent of the aurochs – a species of large, wild oxen, now extinct. The ancient population of Turkey first domesticated this animal, around 10 thousand years ago. In time, the domestic cow became smaller in size and with a milder temperament.
2. Cows Do Not Sleep a Lot
If you wonder why cows appear to be awake all the time in farm photos and videos, it is because they are not big sleepers. The average cow needs only 4 hours of sleep per day. Most of the time when they are lying down, they are actually regurgitating and digesting their food.
3. Cows Do Not Have Four Stomachs
You may have heard this everywhere – from grade school to various articles and videos. But it is not actually true: cows do not have four stomachs. Instead, they have a single stomach with four compartments: the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum and the abomasum.
They are necessary to allow
cattle to process between 35 and 50 pounds of grass per day. You can find more cattle news with Western Livestock Journal to keep up with all the latest in the industry.
