Dairy Cow Comfort: Do They Like Dirt and Mud?
As humans, it’s easy to assume what cows should or shouldn’t like based on our personal comfort preferences and impose our believes on them. I, personally, don’t like sleeping in the dirt or in mud, and if I’d never stepped foot on a dairy farm it would be easy for me to assume that cows wouldn’t like that either.
But I’m not a cow.
I have observed dairy cows my entire life and work with them every day so when cows choose to lay down to chew their cud in dirt instead of in lush, green pastures I am zero percent shocked.
Our cows are out in pasture late spring through fall, depending on the weather, and if they’re not laying in a stall in the barn, they’re strong-willed in their choice to choose dirt. To them, it’s the most comfortable.
Instead of imposing what we believe they should be doing, what if we just let them be cows.