Cows (also called cattle) are large animals that are raised for meat (beef and veal) and dairy products (milk and cheese). But what do cows eat? This post will answer that very question, and also look at some interesting facts about cows.
What Do Cows Eat?
Dairy cows mainly eat grass, hay (which is just dried grass and alfalfa) and silage (fermented grass, alfalfa or corn). Cows also eat a lot of the waste left over from what people eat! This includes soybean meal, beet pulp, cottonseeds, citrus pulp, candy waste (what is left over from making chocolate and lollies) and bakery waste (what is left over after making breads and pastries). Cows also drinks heaps of water- between 30 to 50 gallons a day! Cows are very unique as they regurgitate (throw up) the food they eat and then eat it again! This helps cows digest the food they eat. Now you know what cows eat! Let’s have a look at some facts about cows.
Interesting Facts About Cows
- Cattle farming is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. It is listed as one of the top three environmental problems in the world.
- It is estimated that there are 1.3 billion cows worldwide.
- Cows have one stomach with four different compartments- the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum and the abomasum.
- Newborn calves (baby cows) weigh between 55 to 100 pounds (25 to 45kg).
- Cows are red-green color blind. That means that they cannot distinguish between red and green.
- Cows are used to pull carts in some countries, such as India.
- India has the largest population of cows, followed by Brazil, China and the United States.
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