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Why do cows moo?
By: The Moo News Network
Interviewer: Why do cows moo?
CowboyBenWade: Cows moo when they are upset, feeling distressed, or anxious. Sometime they moo when they are sad. Other times they moo when they are happy or looking for their mates.
Interviewer: I supposed cows cows only have one way to express themselves.
CowboyBenWade: That's right - they can only make one sound. How would you like it if you could only use one sound to say everything you ever wanted to say in your life.
Interviewer: That would be very frustrating.
CowboyBenWade: Yes, cows get around this problem by changing the pitch and emotion in their mooing. A distressed moo sound very different from a curious moo. The I'm-stuck-in-the-fence moo is easily recognized. The most common reason a cow moos is because it's hungry, and it's a request for the farmer to come feed me.
Interviewer: Do cows really know what they are saying when they moo?
CowboyBenWade: Yes, here are some of the main reasons why cows moo. And if you listen long enough, you can pick the emotion just by listening to the moo.
CowboyBenWade: Cows moo when they are upset, feeling distressed, or anxious. Sometime they moo when they are sad. Other times they moo when they are happy or looking for their mates.
Interviewer: I supposed cows cows only have one way to express themselves.
CowboyBenWade: That's right - they can only make one sound. How would you like it if you could only use one sound to say everything you ever wanted to say in your life.
Interviewer: That would be very frustrating.
CowboyBenWade: Yes, cows get around this problem by changing the pitch and emotion in their mooing. A distressed moo sound very different from a curious moo. The I'm-stuck-in-the-fence moo is easily recognized. The most common reason a cow moos is because it's hungry, and it's a request for the farmer to come feed me.
Interviewer: Do cows really know what they are saying when they moo?
CowboyBenWade: Yes, here are some of the main reasons why cows moo. And if you listen long enough, you can pick the emotion just by listening to the moo.
- I want a mate: This means the cows are ready to breed. For example, a bull with let out a specific moo that let's the females know that he's coming for them. They had better be ready.
- I'm stuck in the fence: This moo is full of fear, dread, and panic. Sometime the eyes can be unusually wide open in a look of horror. They are easy prey for wolves and lions at this moment. Though such threats of violence against the hard by nefarious actors may only be imaginary, the cow doesn't know that.
- I'm hungry: Perhaps this is the most common moo because cows get hungry everyday. You will hear the I'm hungry moo more in the winter when the farmer needs to bring hay bales for the cows to eat. When the grass is growing, cows don't get so agitated with hunger that they start mooing.
- Where is my mom? Baby cows have a specific moo that they use when looking for their mothers. The mother knows its own calf's moo, and can come find it.
- I'm lost: If a cow gets separated form the heard, it may start mooing in search of its companions. Cows are heard animals, and they do not like being alone.
- I'm having a baby: Cows also moo during childbirth. Having a calf is a painful event, and sometime cows cry out in agony.
- Danger: Wild animals don't normally bother full grown cows, but coyotes and wolves will go after the younger ones. If a calf is in danger, it will will start mooing a distress signal to the heard. A heard of cows stampeding at you is enough to make any predator run the other way.
Interviewer: That is impressive, cows have quite an expansive vocabulary.
CowboyBenWade: An experienced cowboy will know all the different moos by heart should he need to take any action.
About the Author
CowboyBenWade does interviews and lectures on a huge variety of topics, and he is an expert in a multitude of fields. His knowledge includes but is not limited to: engineering, chemistry, aviation, cooking, and farming.
Much of the world is clamboring to interview him at any given time. This is a transcript of one such interview.