Remoovals

There Stood a Cow has mooved to http://therestoodacow.wordpress.com due to technical difficulties here which I have been unable to resolve.

Cows in Butter

The Iowa State Fair (held in August) has a cow sculptured out of butter!

The Butter Cow starts with a wood, metal, wire and steel mesh frame and about 600 lbs. of low moisture, pure cream Iowa butter. Once inside the 40-degree cooler, layers of butter are applied until a life-size butter cow emerges - measuring about 5-1/2-ft high and 8-ft long.

While a real dairy cow weighs more than 1,000 pounds, a 600-lb. butter cow would butter 19,200 slices of toast and take an average person two lifetimes to consume. Much of the butter is recycled and reused for up to 10 years.

Udderly Hands On - cows as a visitor attraction

Don't know what my grandmother would've made of it as she worked as a dairy maid but I think it's good idea that cows can be seen as visitor attractions.

Park Hall Countryside Experience, near Oswestry in England allow visitors to have a go at hand milking a cow. They also have a  high-tech milking parlour which demonstrates new farming practices and shows the origins of the milk which most of us see only on the supermarket shelf. 

And Stockley Farm Park, Arley, Northwich, Cheshire allow visitors to watch the cows being milked from the viewing gallery every afternoon from 3.30pm onwards.

Farmland Fun in Paradise, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. offer to let visitors milk a cow, feed a calf, collect eggs, take a guided tour of the farm and interact with rabbits, goats, chickens, ducks, cows, and sheep; learn how cows turn feed into milk, why their cows wear earrings, and tour their large barn.

It's Party Time in Bavaria!

Bavarian villagers are celebrating the return of their cows from the mountains with folk dancing and other customs including dressing the lead cow with a garland of flowers, if all the animals survived the summer.

The cattle herders have to float the stock across the Koenigsee Lake because it is the only way to bring the cattle home to their owners a tradition known in German as Viehscheid.

From time immemorial, at about the middle of June every year as soon as the Allgäu Alpine pastures are snow free, the young cattle have been driven up to the mountain meadows.

The tradition of driving cattle up to the mountain pastures is carried out for several very good reasons. Firstly, there are just not enough meadows down in the valley to provide for all the cattle especially as hay also has to be harvested for the long winter months to come. But that’s not the only reason. Spending the summer months higher up the mountains makes the animals more hardy as well as the fact that the sweet grass and mountain herbs taste good and are very healthy. No wonder that the Allgäu milk products are renowned for their quality.

You can head over to http://www.allgaeu-viehscheid.de/ where you can buy a Kuh Kalendar

A-Z Cow breeds.- Aberdeen Angus

Aberdeen Angus - Flora

The Aberdeen-Angus breed was developed in the early part of the 19th century from the polled and predominantly black cattle of North east Scotland known locally as “doddies” and “hummlies”.
The earliest families trace back to the middle of the eighteenth century but it was much later that the Herd Book (1862) and the Society (1879) were founded. The breed’s establishment was entirely due to the efforts of three very progressive lairds and farmers of that time.

Calving ease and vigourous, live calves - the Angus cow consistently delivers a calf that hits the ground running, with little assistance required. The Angus mothering instinct is very strong, as is the calf’s instinct to get up and suck within the first few moments after birth.

Superb mothers with superior milking ability - The Angus cow is renowned for her maternal traits, calving ease and ability to milk producing a calf each year that more than exceeds half her body weight. An Angus mother puts her all into her calf, producing an abundance of milk right up to weaning.

Photo courtesy of Glympton Aberdeen angus, www.glymptonaberdeenangus.co.uk

Early maturity, fertility and stayability - The Angus cow does her job well, whether it’s her first or her fourteenth calf. Stayability (a cow’s continuing ability to bear calves) is more than just a word with Angus – it’s not unusual for 12- and 13-year-old Angus cows to be productive.

Naturally polled - No dehorning is required with Angus cattle as they carry a highly heritable, natural polled gene. Horns can cause bruising and tearing and good animal care is another reason to choose Angus.

No cancer eye or sunburned udders - The dark skin and udders of red and black Angus cattle mean that sunburned udders are rarely a problem. Similarly, cancer eye is not prevalent in Angus cattle.

Adaptable to all weather conditions - Angus thrive under all conditions with a minimum of maintenance.

Superior feed conversion - A recent study of crossbred cow types demonstrated that Angus-cross were among the most efficient, providing higher net returns on investment.

Natural marbling for tasty, tender beef - The market is calling for carcasses with more marbling in order to satisfy consumer demand. The heritability of marbling is moderately high. The correlation between marbling and tenderness is also moderately high so when cattle producers select for marbling, tenderness improves. Using Angus cattle with their superior marbling ability opens the door to improved beef tenderness and increased consumer acceptance of beef

Preferred carcass size and quality - Research demonstrates that Angus sires can be selected to produce progeny that have an increased ability to grade AAA without compromising feed efficiency or animal growth – and without increasing yield grade at the expense of carcass quality.

- See more at: http://www.thecattlesite.com/breeds/beef/7/aberdeen-angus/overview#sthash.kIVtSnzD.dpuf

Although Angus cattle can be red or black, black was the more sought-after colour during the breed's early development.. But the recessive red colour remained in the gene pool and has now developed its own strong enthusiasts.

Typical Angus cows weigh between 1,000 and 1,300 pounds at maturity.

Where to spot them

http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/breeders-links/

Calving ease and vigourous, live calves - the Angus cow consistently delivers a calf that hits the ground running, with little assistance required. The Angus mothering instinct is very strong, as is the calf’s instinct to get up and suck within the first few moments after birth.

Superb mothers with superior milking ability - The Angus cow is renowned for her maternal traits, calving ease and ability to milk producing a calf each year that more than exceeds half her body weight. An Angus mother puts her all into her calf, producing an abundance of milk right up to weaning.

Photo courtesy of Glympton Aberdeen angus, www.glymptonaberdeenangus.co.uk

Early maturity, fertility and stayability - The Angus cow does her job well, whether it’s her first or her fourteenth calf. Stayability (a cow’s continuing ability to bear calves) is more than just a word with Angus – it’s not unusual for 12- and 13-year-old Angus cows to be productive.

Naturally polled - No dehorning is required with Angus cattle as they carry a highly heritable, natural polled gene. Horns can cause bruising and tearing and good animal care is another reason to choose Angus.

No cancer eye or sunburned udders - The dark skin and udders of red and black Angus cattle mean that sunburned udders are rarely a problem. Similarly, cancer eye is not prevalent in Angus cattle.

Adaptable to all weather conditions - Angus thrive under all conditions with a minimum of maintenance.

Superior feed conversion - A recent study of crossbred cow types demonstrated that Angus-cross were among the most efficient, providing higher net returns on investment.

Natural marbling for tasty, tender beef - The market is calling for carcasses with more marbling in order to satisfy consumer demand. The heritability of marbling is moderately high. The correlation between marbling and tenderness is also moderately high so when cattle producers select for marbling, tenderness improves. Using Angus cattle with their superior marbling ability opens the door to improved beef tenderness and increased consumer acceptance of beef

Preferred carcass size and quality - Research demonstrates that Angus sires can be selected to produce progeny that have an increased ability to grade AAA without compromising feed efficiency or animal growth – and without increasing yield grade at the expense of carcass quality.

- See more at: http://www.thecattlesite.com/breeds/beef/7/aberdeen-angus/overview#sthash.kIVtSnzD.dpuf

Calving ease and vigourous, live calves - the Angus cow consistently delivers a calf that hits the ground running, with little assistance required. The Angus mothering instinct is very strong, as is the calf’s instinct to get up and suck within the first few moments after birth.

Superb mothers with superior milking ability - The Angus cow is renowned for her maternal traits, calving ease and ability to milk producing a calf each year that more than exceeds half her body weight. An Angus mother puts her all into her calf, producing an abundance of milk right up to weaning.

Photo courtesy of Glympton Aberdeen angus, www.glymptonaberdeenangus.co.uk

Early maturity, fertility and stayability - The Angus cow does her job well, whether it’s her first or her fourteenth calf. Stayability (a cow’s continuing ability to bear calves) is more than just a word with Angus – it’s not unusual for 12- and 13-year-old Angus cows to be productive.

Naturally polled - No dehorning is required with Angus cattle as they carry a highly heritable, natural polled gene. Horns can cause bruising and tearing and good animal care is another reason to choose Angus.

No cancer eye or sunburned udders - The dark skin and udders of red and black Angus cattle mean that sunburned udders are rarely a problem. Similarly, cancer eye is not prevalent in Angus cattle.

Adaptable to all weather conditions - Angus thrive under all conditions with a minimum of maintenance.

Superior feed conversion - A recent study of crossbred cow types demonstrated that Angus-cross were among the most efficient, providing higher net returns on investment.

Natural marbling for tasty, tender beef - The market is calling for carcasses with more marbling in order to satisfy consumer demand. The heritability of marbling is moderately high. The correlation between marbling and tenderness is also moderately high so when cattle producers select for marbling, tenderness improves. Using Angus cattle with their superior marbling ability opens the door to improved beef tenderness and increased consumer acceptance of beef

Preferred carcass size and quality - Research demonstrates that Angus sires can be selected to produce progeny that have an increased ability to grade AAA without compromising feed efficiency or animal growth – and without increasing yield grade at the expense of carcass quality.

- See more at: http://www.thecattlesite.com/breeds/beef/7/aberdeen-angus/overview#sthash.kIVtSnzD.dpuf

Calving ease and vigourous, live calves - the Angus cow consistently delivers a calf that hits the ground running, with little assistance required. The Angus mothering instinct is very strong, as is the calf’s instinct to get up and suck within the first few moments after birth.

Superb mothers with superior milking ability - The Angus cow is renowned for her maternal traits, calving ease and ability to milk producing a calf each year that more than exceeds half her body weight. An Angus mother puts her all into her calf, producing an abundance of milk right up to weaning.

Photo courtesy of Glympton Aberdeen angus, www.glymptonaberdeenangus.co.uk

Early maturity, fertility and stayability - The Angus cow does her job well, whether it’s her first or her fourteenth calf. Stayability (a cow’s continuing ability to bear calves) is more than just a word with Angus – it’s not unusual for 12- and 13-year-old Angus cows to be productive.

Naturally polled - No dehorning is required with Angus cattle as they carry a highly heritable, natural polled gene. Horns can cause bruising and tearing and good animal care is another reason to choose Angus.

No cancer eye or sunburned udders - The dark skin and udders of red and black Angus cattle mean that sunburned udders are rarely a problem. Similarly, cancer eye is not prevalent in Angus cattle.

Adaptable to all weather conditions - Angus thrive under all conditions with a minimum of maintenance.

Superior feed conversion - A recent study of crossbred cow types demonstrated that Angus-cross were among the most efficient, providing higher net returns on investment.

Natural marbling for tasty, tender beef - The market is calling for carcasses with more marbling in order to satisfy consumer demand. The heritability of marbling is moderately high. The correlation between marbling and tenderness is also moderately high so when cattle producers select for marbling, tenderness improves. Using Angus cattle with their superior marbling ability opens the door to improved beef tenderness and increased consumer acceptance of beef

Preferred carcass size and quality - Research demonstrates that Angus sires can be selected to produce progeny that have an increased ability to grade AAA without compromising feed efficiency or animal growth – and without increasing yield grade at the expense of carcass quality.

- See more at: http://www.thecattlesite.com/breeds/beef/7/aberdeen-angus/overview#sthash.kIVtSnzD.dpuf

Advertising cows

 

I Like the way you Moo - Coleman's Gravy dancing bull

Butter made by cows since 1886 and some time before

British Beef

Cow & Gate are makers of baby milk formula and they have a free soft toy cow (see picture below) to give away to all members (UK) click here

What's your beef?

cuts of beef

Traditional Sirloin steak
Sirloin comes from the centre of the back, which has the most tender meat that doesn’t need much cooking so it makes the perfect steak.

Traditional Rump steak
The rump is a very lean cut of meat which makes it ideal for steaks and kebabs.

Traditional Rib-eye steak
This steak is very popular and has lots of flavour. Plus, it needs very little preparation, so it can be ready to eat in no time at all.

Traditional Fillet steak
The less work a muscle does, the more tender it'll be. Fillet steak is the most highly prized cut of beef taken from a strip of meat called the tenderloin. 

Burgers, mince and meatballs
We use our Traditional British beef from the clod, neck and shin as it's full of flavour.

Topside and Silverside
Our topside joints come from the top of the leg. They're lean, boneless cuts of meat and make great roasting joints. Or for frying there are sandwich steaks from the back of the leg.

Thanks to Morrisons for this information

Game cows - bury the bones please

Minecraft cow

Cows take part in online games and some are prettier than others (as in real life)  Above is the fugly Minecraft cow.  Minecraft allow players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D world. Other activities in the game include exploration, gathering resources, crafting, and combat.

The poor Minecraft cow is exploited for it's resources.  When killed, a cow drops 0-2 pieces of leather, as well as 0 - 3 raw beef. If the cow dies by fire, steak will be dropped instead of beef. Leather is used to craft the first tier of armour. Cows are necessary to make cake!!. A cow can be milked by right clicking the cow with an empty bucket Due to the fact that cows can be bred an unlimited number of times using renewable wheat , all of the cow's products are renewable. 

Next the Runescape cow - a far friendlier looking beast

Runescape cow

A Runescape cow is a monster new players may find useful to train on. They are one of the first monsters new players can encounter around the  town of Lumbridge. Cows will grant 7 experience points when killed in combat.

When a cow dies, it drops raw beef  a cowhide (which players can sell for profit) and bones (which players can bury for Prayer experience).

I now have to shamefully admit that I have played Runescape and that I have kicked a cow to death (in the game), but I did bury the bones and say a prayer for it's soul (and my own too)

Upcycling a feeding trough into a dining table - trendy cows

Upcycling - (c) 2013 Yellow Dexter Ltd

The Cornell Chronicle reports that cows and other ruminants are the ultimate recyclers, and they deserve some credit for helping the environment. 

The herd of cows above are discussing how to upcycle their feeding trough into a swanky dining table.

Michael Van Amburgh, professor of animal science. was addressing a Sept. 12 food policy symposium hosted by International Programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Van Amburgh explained that cows are often fed byproducts from human food and biofuel production processes that would be costly to dispose of otherwise.

In fact, the alternative – incineration – directly contributes to environmental degradation, so cows actually help reduce the impact of the human food supply and make that food supply affordable.

An example, he said, is the California almond industry that relies on cattle to consume four billion pounds of shelled almond hulls each year.

In addition, cows make use of land not suitable for food crops. And thanks to complex modeling – some of which was developed at Cornell – dairy farmers can precisely calculate the carbon output of their cows and adjust their diets accordingly.

“We can’t change the cow’s methane production by much, but we can change efficiencies, milk per unit of gas,” Van Amburgh said.

Animal products provide an important source of nutrients, especially for children and older adults, that should not be discounted, he said. Even if we switch to a more plant-based diet, we would need an environmentally sound system of disposal for matter not consumed.

Van Amburgh pointed out that every food has an environmental impact, and that we should consider how many nutrients we get in return for the greenhouse gas emissions generated in its production.

For example, a 2010 Swedish study calculated the nutrient density – the nutrient content and number of nutrients per serving – of several beverages in relation to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their production, manufacturing, packaging and transportation. Milk rated very highly, with a high nutrient density index per equivalent carbon emission of 53.8 per 99 grams greenhouse gas emission. Soy drinks and red wine, by comparison, have a nutrient density index of 7.6 per 30 grams and 1.2 per 204 grams of emissions, respectively.

Van Amburgh has also found in a study (not yet published) that carbon dioxide and methane emissions from byproducts included in animal feed are considerably lower when fed to dairy cattle than when incinerated.
Byproducts most often used in the American dairy industry include distillers’ grains from ethanol production, citrus pulp from juice production, almond and soybean hulls, soybean meal, cottonseed, extracted canola meal and even baked goods and candy.

Their inclusion in animal feed not only helps the environment, but can boost nutrients and enhance yield and provide an economic opportunity for the byproducts that in many cases greatly reduces the cost of food to the consumer, Van Amburgh said.

“Because of the microbial fermentation digestion process that occurs in the cow’s rumen, the byproducts are digested in a manner that can positively enhance the nutrient supply,” he said. “For example, candy byproduct provides sugar and the end product of the fermentation produces the substrate necessary for milk sugar production, so fed in moderation, candy can enhance milk yield with no ill effects on the milk composition or quality.”