Facts About Cows

Definitions:

Cow - a mature female of a bovine family Cattle - the whole "cow" family Heifer - kind of like a cow, but not a true cow yet, and won't actually be a cow, won't begin to have her birthdays recorded or even be taken seriously as a cow, until she has given birth to her first calf. Bull - an adult male bovine animal Steer - young ox, especially one castrated before maturity and raised for beef Ox - an adult castrated bull

A Holsteins spots are like fingerprints. No two cows have the same spots.

A cow's heart weighs about 5lbs and pumps 400 pints of blood through the udder to produce 1 pint of milk. That means nearly 10,000 pints of blood are pumped through a cow's udder daily to produce 3 gallons of milk.

A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.

A cow weighs about 1400lbs.

Cows drink 30 gallons of water a day.

The pilgrims brought cows to America.

A cow has about 207 bones in its body.

Cows have cloven hooves. In galloping through boggy places or in deep mud, cattle can distance a horse. Their toes spread, and therefore their wide feet do not sink as deep as do those of the solid-hoofed horse. Furthermore, the cleft between the toes permits the air to enter the hole in the mud as the foot is raised; whereas the horse must overcome a partial vacuum when it withdraw its hoof, and so wastes considerable muscular effort beside having its speed retarded and its self-confidence shaken.

Cows produce up to 64 qts of milk a day, 14 lbs of cheese, 5 gallons of ice cream or 6lbs of butter.

Top producing Holsteins, milking twice a day; have been known to produce up to 67,914 lbs of milk in 365 days.

It takes 340 squirts of milk to fill a milk pail.

A cow doesn't bite the grass that feeds her; she curls her tongue around it.

It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs, because a cow's knees cannot bend properly to walk back down.

Cattle can perceive higher and fainter noises than humans can, and they can smell scents that are up to six miles away (if the wind is right).

The age of a cow is always based on her age when she calves. This varies with different breeds. In other words, your record doesn't begin until you've had a calf, if you're a cow.

Old wives' tales claim cows can forecast the weather. "When a cow tries to scratch her ear, it means a shower is very near. When she thumps her ribs with her tail, look out for thunder, lightning and hail." But when a cow sticks her tongue up her nose, who knows?

Names: Cows are often called cattle. The adult female is called a cow. The adult male is called a bull. A baby is called a calf.

Cattle are farm animals with thick skin and hoofed feet. Cattle were domesticated (tamed from wild animals) thousands of years ago. They are farmed for their milk, meat, hides (leather), and many other products, like cheese, cream, gelatin, glue, soap, and many other products. In some parts of the world, cattle are still used to pull plows and carts. There are still some wild cattle (like the gaur and banteng) living in Asia.

Anatomy: Cattle vary in color from white, black, brown to tan. Milk is produced in the female's udders. Cattle use their long tail to keep insects off their back. Some cattle have horns, others do not.

Diet: Cattle are herbivores (plant-eater) that graze on grass and leaves. They are ruminants, animals that have a four-part stomach. Cattle swallow their food without chewing it very much. They later regurgitate a cud and chew it well, later swallowing it.

 

Cows

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Udders (on female only)

Stocky body and thick skin

Long tail

Hoofed feet

Cow

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Fun Cow Facts

Bulletin Board Idea

Print up cow sheet on white card stock. Talk with children about fun cow facts, and

name the parts of the cow's body. Have children color the cow picture. Print up the Fun Cow Facts onto card stock -

trim. Hang cow pictures and fun cow facts on a

bulletin board.

  Fun Cow Facts A Cow has about 207

bones in its body. Cows produce up to 64 quarts of milk a day, 14 lbs of cheese, 5

gallons of ice cream or

6 lbs of butter.

 

A Cow weights about 1400 lbs. A cow drinks 30 gallons of

water a day. A Cow gives nearly 200,000

glasses of milk in her lifetime. The pilgrims brought

cows to America.

Facts About Horses Horses are fast-running, long-legged, hoofed, mammals. They were first domesticated by people in Asia 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. There are about 200 domesticated (not wild) breeds of horses. The earliest-known horse is the tiny Eohippus (Hyracotherium). Horses are large, fast-running mammals that live in family groups on grasslands. They eat grasses; they are nomadic herbivores. Racehorses can gallop at up to about 42 mph (68 kph) in short bursts in order to escape from predators. The horse's life span is about 20-35 years. Horses were first domesticated by people in Asia 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. There are about 200 domesticated (not wild) breeds of horses. The earliest-known horse is the tiny Eohippus (Hyracotherium). Names: An adult female horse is called a mare; the adult male is called a stallion. A foal is a horse not yet one year old; a colt is a young male and a filly is a young female. A gelding is a sterilized male horse. A pony is a small horse, less than 58 inches (146 cm) tall at the shoulder. Horses are closely related to the zebra and donkey. Mules and hinnies are the offspring of donkeys and horses. Anatomy: Horses have hoofed feet. The hooves and teeth continue to grow throughout the horse's life. Horses have a narrow, flowing mane. They have large nostrils that let them get lots of air quickly. Large eyes and ears help the horse detect predators early, allowing it to run away. The heaviest horse is the Belgian (up to 3,150 lb, 1400 kg), a draft (working) horse; the tallest is the Percheron (7 ft tall), another draft horse. The lightest and smallest is the Miniature Horse, a type of pony. Sleeping: Horses sleep standing up, but if they feel safe, they will sleep lying down.

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Flowing Mane

Tail

Back

Large eyes

Shank

Muzzle

Nostril

Knee

Belly

Hock

Hoofed feet

Withers

Dock

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Facts About Chickens A chicken is a bird. A chickens' heart beats 280-315 times a minute. A chickens' body temperature normally runs at 102-103 degrees F. A rooster takes 18-20 breaths a minute, a hen 30-35. There are over 150 varieties of domestic chickens. Chickens are not capable of sustained flight. The chicken can travel up to 9 miles per hour. It takes a hen 24-26 hours to lay an egg. Chickens come in an infinite variety of colors and patterns. Chickens lay different colored eggs, from white, to brown, to green, to pink, to blue.

Facts About Chickens A chicken takes 21 days to hatch. A chicken can have 4 or 5 toes on each foot. It takes 4 lbs.+ of feed to make 1 dozen eggs. Americans consume 8 billion chickens a year. Chickens were domesticated about 8000 years ago. The chicken was once considered a sacred animal symbolizing the sun. Breeds were developed to provide plumage for ceremonial costumes. A hen lives an average of 5-7 years, but can live up to 20 years. She'll lay eggs her entire life, with production decreasing every year from year one. An egg starts growing into a chick when it reaches a temperature of 86 degrees F.

Facts About Chickens

Chickens are domestic (farm) birds. The adult female chicken is called a hen, the adult male is called a rooster, and the young are called chicks. There are many different breeds of chicken that are different sizes and colors. Bantams are miniature chicken breeds. A group of chickens is called a flock. The scientific name of the chicken is Gallus domesticus (genus and species).

Anatomy: The rooster is larger and more brightly colored than the hen; he also has a larger comb. Roosters make a very loud crowing sound and can be quite aggressive. Chicken eggs range in color from white to pale brown and other pale colors.

Diet: Chickens have a varied diet. They eat insects, worms, fruit, seeds, acorns, grains, slugs, snails, and many other foods. They have a well-developed gizzard (a part of the stomach that contains tiny stones) that grinds up their food.

Predators: Many animals prey upon chickens. Predators include skunks, owls, raccoons, hawks, opossums, bobcats, and snakes.

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Feathers

Red Comb

Legs and feet

Bill

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Facts About Sheep

Sheep are found all over the world. Most of them are domesticated, but some of them live in the wild. They are very social animals and live in groups called flocks. Domesticated sheep may live on small farms or on large ranges. They like to graze and eat grass, but farmers may also give them hay and grain to eat. It is very important that they have lots of water to drink and shelter in very hot or very cold weather.

Facts About Sheep

Sheep are a very valuable source of food. Did you know that sheep can be milked just like cows? Sheeps' milk is often used to make gourmet cheeses. Mutton, or the meat of sheep, is another food product for which the animals may be raised.

Fat from sheep also known as tallow, can be used to make both candles and soap. The tallow is cooked to purify it, and then molded into candles or further prepared into

Female sheep are called ewes, male sheep are called rams, and baby sheep are called lambs. Lambs typically weigh about nine pounds when they are born. Did you know that sheep can have twins or even triplets? A lamb drinks its mother's milk for about 4 months and then it eats grass, hay and grain. A sheep usually lives to be about eight years old but can sometimes live to be as old as twenty Sheep make wonderful pets to many people all over the world. While they may require different care and housing than dogs and cats, they still need love and attention.

Sheep are born with long tails. For purpose of cleanliness, the tails are surgically shortened (docked) shortly after birth. In some parts of the world, tails are left undocked. The short tails are less likely to become soiled with manure and are therefore, less likely to promote local infections and fly strike.

Sheep have 2 digits on each foot. The hooves grow like fingernails, and need to be trimmed every few months to maintain normal conformation.

Sheep are ruminants. This means that they have four parts to their upper digestive tract (people only have one-the stomach) and they chew their cud. This means that they chew and swallow their food and then bring it back up into their months to chew and swallow again. Yuck! Chewing cud is important, however, because it allows them to digest grass and hay. Do you know what other kinds of animals are ruminants? Answer: Cows, goats, deer, buffalo and even reindeer.

Sheep are often set up on their rumps for restraint during procedures such as foot trimming and shearing

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Sheep

Short tail

Hoofed feet

Thick, woolly fur that is white, black

or brown

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Facts About Pigs Pigs are very adaptable animals that eat many different foods and live in a variety of environments. Pigs were domesticated (tamed from wild animals) thousands of years ago. They are farmed for their meat and hides (leather). There are still many wild pigs, like the wild boar, the warthog, and the bush pig. Pigs are found on every continent on Earth except Antarctica.

Names: Pigs are also called hogs or swine. The adult female is called a sow. The adult male is called a boar. A baby is called a piglet.

Anatomy: Pigs vary in color from brown, black, white, to pinkish. Some wild pigs have large tusks, overgrown teeth used for fighting and digging for food.

Diet: Pigs are omnivores (eating plants and meat). They eat a variety of plants and small animals (like worms and snakes).

Facts About Pigs A whole group of pigs is called a herd. A sow can give birth to 8 - 12 piglets in one litter, and can have 2 litters in one year. Some pigs have straight tails. Others have curly tails. Pigs have four toes on each hoof. Pigs walk on only two of their toes on each foot. They look like they are walking on tiptoe.

Market pigs weigh about 220 pound to 260 pounds.

It takes 114 days (3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days) from conception until a sow gives birth to the piglets.

Pigs' ears are notched so that farmers can identify what month they were born and which sow was their mother.

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Pig Short tail

Hoofed feet

Flat snout

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