Cows can talk, cry, and even travel

People are always amazed when they find out that animals are intelligent. They are especially amazed when they hear that cows are even smarter than dogs, but sadly, these insights do not prevent them from eating these intelligent beings. They are stunned to hear that cows can talk, cry, and even travel, but that doesn’t seem to make these animals any less of a delicious lunch. Human intelligence is truly surprising!

Cows can talk

Can you imagine a conversation between two cows? Perhaps they are talking about the weather, food, annoying flies, a torturous life, or even planning an escape. In any case, it has been scientifically proven that cows talk to each other just like humans do. Their language is not as monotonous as it seems to us when we hear mooing. Cows actually have an accent! Researchers compared sounds produced by cows from various herds and discovered that cows that live in different parts of the world actually moo differently. Cows have individual vocal characteristics and change the pitch of the voice depending on their feelings. Although they can talk, they don’t need to prove that to humans, or do they? As humans, sometimes cows are not in the mood to talk. If a cow just shakes her head, it’s better to leave her alone and try to talk to another cow.

Why does a cow have a tail?

Perhaps a cow could have a tail for no reason, but when she already has one, it serves her well. The main purpose of a tail is for repelling flies and other insects in which the tail is very successful at. There are several ways a cow can communicate through wagging its tail. A cow wags her tails as a threat that she is about to kick, which is not often the case, but perhaps is done so to protect her calf because she’s used to people taking her offspring away from her. After all, there must be some good reason for a cow to become mad and irritated. She also wags her tail as a reaction to pain. Sometimes her tail is even lifted upright like a flag. That could mean only two things: she is running and playing, or she is ready to become a mother.

Cows can travel

No cases of a cow traveling the world alone had been reported until that of a cow from India. Have in mind that Hindus in India consider the cow a special and sacred animal that they respect and protect. In some parts of India, people who kill a cow can go to jail. Regardless of this status, one Indian cow decided to travel to Europe. She quickly realized that westerners treated her much differently than Hindus in India. People were not so kind to her, and in one restaurant, they looked at her as food rather than a guest. She experienced many adventures on her journey, barely survived, realized that freedom is the most important thing in life and that the grass is not always greener on the other side. You can meet this unique cow in the children’s book “The Not-So Crazy Cow” (recommended by PETA!).

Are cows dangerous?

People are full of different prejudices and fears in their lives. They think that if something is large and weighs 500 pounds, they are potentially dangerous. Don’t be fooled by their exterior, however, because cows are incredibly attentive and sensitive animals. Although they might look huge, they are really gentle giants that won’t hurt anyone. Anyone who has visited a cow farm can tell you that cows are extremely affectionate and cuddly creatures. Cows that have been abused and neglected in the past (just like other animals that have gone through similar abuse) may need some time to heal such wounds and learn how to trust people again, but they really have a fantastic capacity for forgiveness and an understanding of good intentions. Cows like to lie in the sun, be petted and scratched, and are very happy to follow people around who they know will give them attention.

Cows are really smart

When people think of the most intelligent animals in the world, surely they don’t have a cow in their minds. The truth is that cows learn faster than dogs and even three-year-olds. Cows are critical thinkers and are able to solve quite complex problems. Researchers who conducted experiments in which they studied the problem-solving abilities of cows noticed a specific jump in their heart rate when they were successful in overcoming the set challenges. They are not much different from humans in this respect. Cows are especially good at solving problems that involve logic. Research has also shown that they can follow sound through a maze to find food, suggesting enhanced executive function and decision-making abilities. In fact, it is a problem for people who constantly marvel at animal intelligence. What is the point of all this research that confirms animal intelligence if people don’t stop eating them? It is like: “Ok, I know you are very smart, but I will eat you anyway!”

Cows can cry and smile

Cows can feel both happiness and sadness. Unfortunately in the modern world, happy cows are a rarity, although they are shown as such in chocolate and cheese commercials. A cow cannot be happy if someone tortures and exploits her. When cows are happy, they run around, jump high, and are visibly excited, especially when they are brought into large, green pastures after staying enclosed for long periods of time. The main reason for their pain and sorrow is when people take their calves away from them. They show very obvious signs of distress and grief for their loved ones when they are separated from them. When a calf is separated from its mother, it will bellow for hours and will not show its usual behavior for a long time after that. It is known that cows are even able to walk for miles and miles on pastures to try to find their calves and they show visible signs of stress, anger, and sadness. Unrelated cows also bond with each other when they spend more time together. Therefore, if cows that befriend each other are separated after a while, they suffer painful separation anxiety.

How long cows live?

Cows can naturally live up to 20 years. In the meat and dairy industry, however, cows do not live longer than five years. These five cruel years certainly must seem like an eternity to them. So why do cows live four times shorter than they could? The body of a cow in the dairy industry is exhausted and tortured by constant fertilization and milking, and her vital organs deteriorate rapidly. Farmers milk them 2-3 times a day for 7-10 months a year, even during pregnancy. Instead of producing 3 liters of milk a day for her newborn calves, she produces 30 liters for humans who are oddly the only beings on the planet who drink the milk of an unrelated mammal. When milk production is reduced, or the cows can barely stand up anymore from exhaustion, they are sent to slaughterhouses. Can you imagine a sadder story? Omnivores often say that cows that live in natural conditions and graze on green pastures can at least enjoy their lives. However, someone who lives well could certainly not be happy to be then killed against their will. Compared to them, factory-farmed cows would certainly vote for euthanasia.