References

Facts about Holstein Cattle. (n.d.).

The average cow drinks 30 to 50
gallons of water each day
A Holstein’s spots are like a
fingerprint. No two cows have
the same pattern of black and
white spots. They are all
different.
Cow gestation lasts the same
amount of time as human
pregnancy, nine months.
The first cows in the Americas
arrived with Christopher
Columbus on his second voyage
in 1493.
Retrieved 4 1, 2019, from Holstein
Association USA Inc.:
http://www.holsteinusa.com/pdf/f
act_sheet_cattle.pdf
How do ruminants digest? (n.d.).
Retrieved 4 1, 2019, from The Open
University:
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/
science-maths-
technology/science/biology/how-
do-ruminants-digest
Rumen Physiology and Rumination. (n.d.).
Retrieved 4 1, 2019, from
http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hb
ooks/pathphys/digestion/herbivor
es/rumination.html

A cow’s average body

temperature is 102° Fahrenheit.

An average dairy cow weighs

Cattle
about 1,200 pounds.

Cows can almost see 360°

around them which assists in
predator detection. Brandon Johnson
with topic suggestion by Jaylynn Johnson
Speaking of the behind, a single (her favorite animal)
cow can produce 65 lbs. (29.5
kg) of feces or manure daily -
that's 12 tons (908 kg) a year!
Cows, or cattle, have a unique
digestive system. They have
FOUR stomachs! Hope that
doesn’t give you a stomach
ache! Here is what they are
and how they work:
The Rumen: Home to billions of
microorganisms, the rumen is the
largest (40-50 gallons) and serves
as the cows most important
stomach. When conditions are
right many forms of bacteria grow
and begin to help the cow digest
its feed. This is key as cows
naturally cannot digest feed due
to the cellulose content. The
bacteria convert the cellulosic The Omasum: The omasum acts
Although there are other animals
fiber into energy. as a giant sponge that utilizes considered to be ruminants, the
millions of small “leaves” to cow (or proper, but plural saying
This process is called fermentation.
absorb the water ingested and “Cattle”) is the most common and
With fermentation comes A LOT of
nutrients such as potassium and talked about. The word “ruminant”
gases. Most of these gases (95%)
sodium. It is also used to filter out comes from the Latin “ruminare”,
are actually emitted as “burps”
any larger food items from going which means "to chew over again".
and not “farts”.
downstream in the digestive
This is because of the cows’ unique
tract.
The Reticulum: While the reticulum digestive system.
and rumen are considered to be Biological Classification:
one (combined) chamber, it The Abomasum: The main service Kingdom: Animalia
serves a slightly different role in the that the abomasum delivers is Phylum: Chordata
process of digestion in ruminants. that of protein digestion and Class: Mammalia
Its main role is to contract and mix absorption. It produces large Order: Artiodactyl
the slurry that is in it. It also helps amounts of gastric juices that Family: Bovidae
with the eructation (fancy word for break down proteins for use. The Subfamily: Bovinae
burp) of gasses so that the cow juices are very acidic with a PH of Genus: Bos
does not bloat. 2-3. Species: B. taurus