From: Jacques Du Pasquier (jacques@dtext.com)
Date: Wed Feb 06 2002 - 11:59:56 MST
Barbara Lamar wrote (6.2.2002/10:18) :
> Individualism vs. herdism. Acting as a member of a herd, an individual cow
> might seem to have no mind of her own, might blindly follow the rest of the
> mob (sortta like humans). But when acting apart from the herd, an individual
> cow seems at least as smart as a horse. I once raised a Beefmaster/Jersey
> mix calf on a bottle. She would come running from far across a pasture when
> she saw me coming; but she'd shy away from strangers. She knew her name, of
> course, and could understand simple commands. When she grew up, I sold her
> to my neighbor and she went to live among his herd of cows. But she would
> often leave the herd and come back to my house to visit me (I lived on the
> adjacent land). When she got sick, she came back to her original home to
> die.
>
> The Texas Longhorn seems to be an especially smart breed. These cattle are
> able to survive under extremely harsh conditions, mainly because of their
> intelligence and ability to modify their habits when necessary. I say this
> based on personal observation and from reading accounts of men (cowboys,
> actually) who worked the cattle when they were a popular breed for beef in
> the 1800's.
I can like them even if they are not very intelligent.
Jacques
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