Cows and their ancestors, like all mammals, produced milk for one reason: to nourish their offspring. While there are many important factors in a calf’s development, nothing is more vital than milk.
Valentine and Clarabelle, photo courtesy of Edgar’s Mission
In nature, the relatives of domesticated cows roam the grasslands,
deserts, scrublands, and forests of every continent except
Antarctica. The Bovidae family includes more than 140 species such
as bison, antelope, gazelles, goats, and sheep. From season to
season, these animals’ survival depends on their intelligence,
endurance, and keen senses.
Most domesticated cows can be traced back to a single common
ancestor: the aurochs. Now extinct, the aurochs was native to the
forests of Southwest Asia. Although domesticated cows have been
selectively bred for thousands of years, their basic anatomy,
physiology, and behavior are nearly identical to their ancient
ancestor.
As strict herbivores, they spend much of their time grazing in herds
never more than a few miles from water. They are crepuscular
feeders, eating primarily at sunrise and sunset. In cold weather
conditions, cows will huddle together to share their body heat. In
hot weather, they spend much of the day lying in the shade and
ruminating, a specialized digestive process that allows cows to eat
large quantities of food and digest it later while lying hidden in
the vegetation.
Cows and their ancestors, like all mammals, produced milk for one
reason: to nourish their offspring. While there are many important
factors in a calf’s development, nothing is more vital than milk. As
with all mammals, a cow’s milk contains a unique assortment and
proportion of nutrients customized specifically for her calf’s
initial survival and proper growth.
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