# What were these cows doing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492 "2011-06-22T22:14:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/1 "2011-06-22T22:14:24Z")
On my way to town I drive a large pasture where a smallish herd of cows graze. As far as I can tell, they’re there all the time; it’s not a farm, just grazing land, and I never really see anyone attending them, nor do I see haybales or the like. Just a lot of cows, munching contentedly. Usually they’re scattered hither and yon around the field, but today as I drove past I noticed they were beginning to gather around a point. They were close enough that I couldn’t tell if they were interested in something, or if it was just one of those, “Hey, what’s _she_ looking at over there?” I made a mental note and went on. Coming home an hour or so later…now they’re REALLY gathered together–shoulder to shoulder, heads all toward the center. A couple of them were lying down, but mostly on their feet and apparently interested in something that I couldn’t see for all the bovine backsides. I recently read about someone who would go into the cow field and lie down, just to watch all the cows gather around her too look at her, but this was a LOT of cows. Perhaps they’re holding a meeting? Observing a birth? Planning an overthrow? I can’t stand the suspense! Thanks, karol ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/2 "2011-06-22T22:25:33Z")
Absolutely no clue, but, > [@papergirl](#): > > … I recently read about someone who would go into the cow field and lie down, just to watch all the cows gather around her too look at her … [Temple](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin) [Grandin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin_%28film%29)? CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/3 "2011-06-22T22:27:00Z")
> [@papergirl](#): > > Perhaps they’re holding a meeting? Observing a birth? Planning an overthrow? I can’t stand the suspense! > Thanks, > karol Cows With Guns [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FQMbXvn2RNI/hqdefault.jpg "Cows With Guns - The Original Animation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQMbXvn2RNI) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/4 "2011-06-22T22:32:10Z")
Giving you some fresh derriere. dairy air ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/5 "2011-06-22T22:33:31Z")
I’d guess someone just dropped off some goodies. It could be a fresh salt lick or maybe some [silage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silage), which is sometimes used as supplemental nutrition to pasture-fed cattle and which the cows find quite tasty. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/6 "2011-06-22T23:17:54Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Absolutely no clue, but,[Temple](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin) [Grandin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin_%28film%29)? > > CMC fnord! It wasn’t her, although she may have originated the idea…it was some celebrity, I think. One of those factoids that I read and then dismissed, and now I can’t remember who it was. ---
**Author:** ![dam0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@dam0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dam0)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/7 "2011-06-22T23:23:13Z")
It was either newly placed food stuffs or ‘something’ of interest that was new to them. Cows are inquisitive and will crowd round new things and observe. If you enter a field of cows, expect to be closed in on for closer inspection. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/8 "2011-06-23T00:02:50Z")
I so want to go lay in that field now. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/9 "2011-06-23T00:04:37Z")
We were talking about you. Sorry you noticed. **Knead** Secretly a cow ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/10 "2011-06-23T00:22:08Z")
If it was someone lying down, probably someone from where you work. You know, a cow orker. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/11 "2011-06-23T00:24:28Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > We were talking about you. Sorry you noticed. > > **Knead** > Secretly a cow Moodoo adult? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/12 "2011-06-23T01:16:37Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > I’d guess someone just dropped off some goodies. It could be a fresh salt lick or maybe some [silage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silage), which is sometimes used as supplemental nutrition to pasture-fed cattle and which the cows find quite tasty. This is most likely it. Even if you don’t notice the food, it’s likely somebody drops off some chow for them from time to time. Cattle swiftly learn where and when the food will arrive. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/13 "2011-06-23T01:38:14Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > We were talking about you. Sorry you noticed. > > **Knead** > Secretly a cow I _thought_ it looked like they were comparing the size of their butts. Now it allllll makes sense… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/14 "2011-06-23T01:45:08Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Moodoo adult? Just so. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/15 "2011-06-23T02:45:58Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Cows With Guns > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQMbXvn2RNI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQMbXvn2RNI) Speaking as someone with a good deal of experience with cows due to growing up on a farm, I can confirm that this is in fact the correct answer. Be afraid. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/16 "2011-06-23T03:06:48Z")
> [@dam0](#): > > It was either newly placed food stuffs or ‘something’ of interest that was new to them. Cows are inquisitive and will crowd round new things and observe. If you enter a field of cows, expect to be closed in on for closer inspection. Those of us that raise puppies for service dog schools are required to meet monthly. One of our meeting was at a place adjacent to a cow pasture. I was surprised to find the cows gathering at the fence to inspect us or something. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/17 "2011-06-23T15:15:05Z")
I’ve always had a fear of diabolical[bovines](http://www.slugmen.com/guild/diablo/cow.htm)weilding medevial weapons ---
**Author:** ![markm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@markm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/18 "2011-06-23T15:26:10Z")
If you really want to notice something freaky that you can’t un-notice, pay attention to cows grazing freely in pasture, not at a feeder/hay/silage. They will almost all be standing north to south. There may be a few oddballs, but the vast majority will be north to south. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/19 "2011-06-23T15:35:13Z")
Maybe they are catching the rays. With the sun moving rought east to west aligning themselves north south would expose the most skin area. Anybody know how cows align on mid-summer day near the equator? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492/20 "2011-06-23T15:55:19Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > We were talking about you. Sorry you noticed. > > **Knead** > Secretly a cow ftw! I lolled [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-these-cows-doing/586492.md?page=2)