Agreed! I feel like now, while we’re thinking about these very charismatic creatures, might be a good time to remind folks about cattle, who form strong social and familial bonds
Cattle are naturally social animals and form small herds, the composition of which varies according to the species
The entire herd not only feeds and moves around as a colossal single unit, but individual animals will also gather around an injured or sick animal if it is threatened by predators
To keep the milk flowing, farmers artificially inseminate her about once per year.
A strong bond forms between the mother and her baby immediately after birth. Within a day or two, the mother cow will be separated from her calf. She will cry for her missing baby for days.
A male calf is considered useless to the dairy industry because he cannot produce milk. If he isn’t raised and sold for beef, this baby will likely be sold to the veal industry.