If you have every driven past a field of cattle, or have some of your own, you have probably witnessed them laying down for long periods of the day. It can sometimes look funny seeing an animals of that mass simply just laying on the ground with no care in the world. There are many theories as to why cows lay down during the day. Some people even think that cows lay down when they think it is going to rain. While this has yet to be proven it does make you wonder the true reason why cows lay down during the day.
Why do cows lay down during the day?
The three main reasons cows lay down during the day are to stay warm, food digestion, and fatigue.
Stay Warm
In general, cow’s prefer the worm vs the cold. That is why if the weather starts to get cold all of a sudden they will sit on the warm grass. This is thought to help stimulate their stomach and help product more milk. Since it is common for the weather to get colder right before it rains, this is why some people think cows sit down because they know when it is about to rain
Food Digestion
On average, cows eat around 25 pounds of grass EVERY DAY. Since cows don’t have top teeth, their food isn’t always chopped all the way up. This means that their digestive system has a lot of work to do. Many scientists believe that cows digest food the best while they are sitting down. This is why you will commonly see cows laying down during the day right after they have eaten.
Fatigue
The average male cow weighs around 2,400 lbs. Imagine having to support all that weight on just four legs. Yeah, I’m sure you would struggle a little bit. Cow’s will lay down simply because they are tired and they want to give their legs a break. While cows love the warm weather, they don’t like it when it is extremely hot. They get anxious and sometimes aggressive. Therefore, laying down helps keep them cool, calm, and collective.
