So Many Cow Sounds

Cows make sounds to express themselves, like mooing and licking. Their moos do not always sound the same, depending on what they are trying to express. Their licks can express affection and are often lovingly loud. Sometimes, cows make sounds while fulfilling their bodily needs. Here are a few examples of cow sounds.

Loud Loving Cow Licks

Cows lick for many reasons, but the most interesting is expressing affection. Here is a short video of ox Baladev Dauji licking Balabhadra Das (ISCOWP president William E. Dove). Grandson Bhima came by on his bike, took the video, and got some licks, too. This video has 6,500 views on Facebook and 3,500 on YouTube.

Whenever we post a video about cows licking humans out of love, someone comments that the cow only wants salt. That can be true in some instances. However, a recent study concluded, “Social licking is widespread behavior among cows and is related to social affinity and bonding, in a way that is analogous with human friendships.” You can find out more details about this study here.

I Chew My Cud

When cows chew their cuds, they secrete saliva. This saliva contains a natural antacid that helps to buffer the rumen, the first compartment of the stomach. Proper rumen buffering allows a cow to digest forages better. Therefore, cud-chewing is a sign of a healthy and happy cow.

In this video, Anasuya and then Vegan Indira sit down and chew their cud. Cows chew their cud after they eat. They can survive by eating grass if it is available all year round and hay (dried grass) when there is insufficient grass in the winter.

Ah! The Yummy Nutritional Bucket!

We have reinstated the mineral bucket in the cows’ winter diets. The buckets are now quite expensive. They recently cost $1,200 for five buckets, which should last about two months. The winter here is approximately four to five months. If you would like to help purchase these buckets, use this link. Thank you so much!

Hay does not contain the exact amounts of nutrients as fresh grass, which the cows can eat most of the year. As cows age, which doesn’t happen in the meat and dairy industries, they need more supplements. The nutritional buckets are very popular with all the cows. In this video, Indraneela and the other cows wait in line to lick the minerals in the bucket. Indraneela gets his turn and doesn’t consider sharing his bucket with any of the other cows! Listen to them lick! This video has 2,600 views on Facebook.

Happy Ox Approves Hay with Loud Moos

Although hay is most important to cows for eating, they also play with it or caress it before eating it. Devakinandana plays with his hay and then expresses himself quite loudly. This video has 4,000 views on YouTube.

Of all the cows at the ISCOWP cow sanctuary, ox Devakinandana may be the most outspoken. He has an opinion on almost everything, which he expresses with loud moos. In this reel, he gives his prognosis on the new hay bale.

Cows are Amazingly Awesome

Now, you have witnessed how “human” a cow is. However, a cow takes less from the planet than a human, as cows only eat grass while humans eat the cow and other animals. Humans manipulate the cow to acquire its meat and milk. And all the cow consciously does is eat grass and produce milk, dung, and more cows.

So, how can we help the cow? We can consider decreasing or eliminating our intake of meat and dairy, adopting a Cow, or donating to the ongoing educational battle to expose the realities of how our consumption of dairy and meat destroys the cow’s naturally peaceful life. Thank you for your compassion and willingness to help make the planet we all share a better place.