NOBLE COW: MUNCHING GRASS LOOKING CURIOUS AND JUST HANGING AROUND
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Cow Name Registry Created In Estonia
Estonia’s centre for animal records has created an official registry for the names of cows in the country.
With more than half of the over 7,000 entries in the registry, “Black Cow” - “Mustik” in Estonian - was by far the most popular name. Common Estonian female names such as Ursula, Piret and Kadr were also near the top of the list.
Whats there in a name? But a person’s name is the sweetest sound in the world to him or her. So it is with the cows! Yes, cows, just like us, want to be called by their names.
According to researchers at Newcastle University, calling cows by personal names makes them happy and happy cows produce more milk.
A study by the university’s School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, involving 516 farmers across the UK, found that cows that are named and treated with a “more personal touch” can increase milk yields by up to 500 pints a year. The study, published in the journal Anthrozoos, found farmers who named their cows gained a higher yield than the 54% that did not give their cattle names. Dairy farmer Dennis Gibb, who co-owns Eachwick Red House Farm, says he believed treating every cow as an individual was “vitally important”.
Farmer Dennis Gibb says “They aren’t just our livelihood, they’re part of the family. We love our cows here at Eachwick and every one of them has a name. Collectively we refer to them as ‘our ladies’ but we know every one of them and each one has her own personality.” Dr Catherine Douglas, who led the research, says: “What our study shows is what many good, caring farmers have long since believed. Our data suggests that, on the whole, dairy farmers regard their cows as intelligent beings capable of experiencing a range of emotions. Placing more importance on knowing the individual animals and calling them by name can, at no extra cost to the farmer, also significantly increase milk production.”
I'm Sorry, What Was Your Again?
Cow Name Registry Created In Estonia
Estonia’s centre for animal records has created an official registry for the names of cows in the country.
With more than half of the over 7,000 entries in the registry, “Black Cow” - “Mustik” in Estonian - was by far the most popular name. Common Estonian female names such as Ursula, Piret and Kadr were also near the top of the list.
Whats there in a name? But a person’s name is the sweetest sound in the world to him or her. So it is with the cows! Yes, cows, just like us, want to be called by their names.
According to researchers at Newcastle University, calling cows by personal names makes them happy and happy cows produce more milk.
A study by the university’s School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, involving 516 farmers across the UK, found that cows that are named and treated with a “more personal touch” can increase milk yields by up to 500 pints a year. The study, published in the journal Anthrozoos, found farmers who named their cows gained a higher yield than the 54% that did not give their cattle names. Dairy farmer Dennis Gibb, who co-owns Eachwick Red House Farm, says he believed treating every cow as an individual was “vitally important”.
Farmer Dennis Gibb says “They aren’t just our livelihood, they’re part of the family. We love our cows here at Eachwick and every one of them has a name. Collectively we refer to them as ‘our ladies’ but we know every one of them and each one has her own personality.” Dr Catherine Douglas, who led the research, says: “What our study shows is what many good, caring farmers have long since believed. Our data suggests that, on the whole, dairy farmers regard their cows as intelligent beings capable of experiencing a range of emotions. Placing more importance on knowing the individual animals and calling them by name can, at no extra cost to the farmer, also significantly increase milk production.”
