Poll: Does this Cow Look Healthy?

[lungs]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/5083990414_a32f6c36f7_z.jpg

I'm attempting to perform an unscientific study on public perception. Does this cow look healthy?

I'll have more of an explanation after you all do my poll :)

[Alan T]

Not knowing anything about Cows, I would think seeing so many bones would indicate not being fed enough.

Since I assume that is likely the popular opinion, my assumption is that you're going to explain how that is wrong next :)

[PackerFanatic]

Much for the same reason Alan said, I voted no.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Since it appears to be undergoing competition judging of some sort, I'm going to guess that's a yes.

At first glance the ribs say no, but with further examination (and another one looking similar right next to it) I suspect that it's some aesthetic quirk of the breed.

[QuikSand]

I'll play along

[Mustang]

What Jon said.

[lungs]

http://www.holsteinworld.com/harvue/photos/newfrosty.jpg

Here is another image of her.

[DaddyTorgo]

I voted yes so that I could be right, because I'm sure that's how cows are supposed to look or something, and we humans over-fatten them.

Be interested to hear more though.

[Alan T]

In that second picture, her tail looks like a bunch of cotton. Never seen a tail like that either.

[Kodos]

Ever try to milk a cow for half an hour, only to be told that it's not a girl cow?

[spleen1015]

I think dairy cows are supposed to be skinny like that.

[Izulde]

Skinny and with that kinda tail makes me think it's a French cow.

[jbergey22]

Cows are great.

I voted "No" as I kind of agreed with a lot of the above posters as it seemed skinny.

[Noop]

My general rule of thumb is if you have to ask then the answer is what you think it is...

[Marc Vaughan]

I've voted NO because she doesn't look healthy, but from the photo she's in a competition or similar so I'd expect its something to do with the breed or such ..

(there are hairless cats and dogs who look darn unhealthy also imho ;) )

[johnnyshaka]

I'm going to say yes because I'm guessing a "healthy" milking cow is one that is as lean as possible to produce the least fatty milk.

[Passacaglia]

I voted yes so that I could be right, because I'm sure that's how cows are supposed to look or something, and we humans over-fatten them.

Be interested to hear more though.

Probably something like that. You should have posted 100 pictures of cows, and compared the result for the cow that you're interested in to some sort of baseline.

[lungs]

The cow's name is Frosty and she was the World Dairy Expo Supreme Champion a few weeks ago.

She is perfectly healthy because she is one of the most pampered cows in the world. But I'm taking some heat on another message board because I'm making the point the only reason she is so skinny is because of an arbitrary tradition that says skinny cows are more desirable. I have hundreds of cows that are the same breed as Frosty (in fact I could have Frosty's sons and father sire as many cows of mine that I could imagine) but they don't have to be this skinny! Tall and skinny is desirable for show cattle but for a commercial dairyman like myself they are a nightmare because they are so high maintenance.

Anyway people are sort of up in arms about a comment I made saying that if I showed Frosty's picture to a group of people not knowledgable in dairy cattle they'd say she looks unhealthy and it looks like I'm right.

These are the types of cows paraded in front of the public but they don't represent what's actually going on out there. I liken it to these heroin addicted catwalk models.

[Alan T]

These are the types of cows paraded in front of the public but they don't represent what's actually going on out there. I liken it to these heroin addicted catwalk models.


To be fair, that probably is a good analogy since most catwalk models are unhealthily skinny too but still deemed desirable for the people trying to have their products modeled.

[lungs]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4844277510_7f97fe6d2f_z.jpg

An example of one of my own that is about the same age/production level (very high). There is still some rib definition but she is also much shorter.

[MIJB#19]

So the super model theory for skinny being better also works for cows. Interesting.

[Sun Tzu]

I donno...all I see is lunch.

[lordscarlet]

Wait.. the people on the other forum didn't think the general public would think the cow is skinny and unhealthy?

you would have probably gotten near 100% "unhealthy" if it weren't for a) the obvious show environment and b) the way it was phrased. It was obviously a trick question so a few people will vote the opposite just to be "right."

This seems to be a clear example that people are unable to step outside of a subject matter. I presume this forum is for dairy farmers? I run into it a lot in web development as well -- people have a hard time realizing how those not in the know perceive things.

[DaddyTorgo]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4844277510_7f97fe6d2f_z.jpg

An example of one of my own that is about the same age/production level (very high). There is still some rib definition but she is also much shorter.

Now that cow looks healthy/happy.

And really nice too.

[SackAttack]

I liken it to these heroin addicted catwalk models.

That was exactly what I thought of when I looked at the picture (and I voted no as well).

[RainMaker]

Thought this was going to be a thread about fat chicks.

[Subby]

Cows don't have souls so it doesn't really matter.

[thesloppy]

I am not digging the show cow's udder.




...which is rare for me.

[Mustang]

I am not digging the show cow's udder.


Probably because it looks like elephantitis of the nuts.

[thesloppy]

http://michaelmay.us/09blog/05/0502_johnbender394.jpg

[DanGarion]

Someone give her a sammich!

[DanGarion]

Now that cow looks healthy/happy.

And really nice too.

Happy cows come from California!

[Drake]

Two odd things I've learned reading this thread:

1. There are bulletin boards where dairy farmers talk about cows.

2. Ever since the "lungs making his own pizza" thread, I find that I get a deep thrill of interest ever time lungs starts a thread that is clearly going to be about cows.

Why is this? I live in Indiana, for God's sake. I grew up in rural Illinois. I know a ton of farmers. This isn't new territory for me..but for some reason, when lungs talks cows, I find it deeply interesting.

[lungs]

Wait.. the people on the other forum didn't think the general public would think the cow is skinny and unhealthy?

you would have probably gotten near 100% "unhealthy" if it weren't for a) the obvious show environment and b) the way it was phrased. It was obviously a trick question so a few people will vote the opposite just to be "right."

This seems to be a clear example that people are unable to step outside of a subject matter. I presume this forum is for dairy farmers? I run into it a lot in web development as well -- people have a hard time realizing how those not in the know perceive things.

Don't get me wrong, I've got plenty of others supporting my argument on that forum but there are a few others that simply won't address the fact that the cows look like they came out of Auschwitz. Any criticism is just jealousy because my cows aren't paraded in front of thousands of people like that. Yeah, right.

Two odd things I've learned reading this thread:

1. There are bulletin boards where dairy farmers talk about cows.

2. Ever since the "lungs making his own pizza" thread, I find that I get a deep thrill of interest ever time lungs starts a thread that is clearly going to be about cows.


Not only are there message boards where we talk cows, some of the arguments can get quite heated! Good example is my comments on this cow being too skinny. I think the general public would agree with me that we shouldn't make our cows look like concentration camp survivors. But the showring people are very conservative (not in a political way, but in general) and are deeply offended when somebody suggests their practices are stupid and doing harm to all dairymen's image.

Thanks for the kind words.

[Lathum]

I have to echo Drakes sentiments.

The day Lungs posted the pizza thread the first thing I did when I saw my wife that night was show her that thread.

[GrantDawg]

I have to echo Drakes sentiments.

The day Lungs posted the pizza thread the first thing I did when I saw my wife that night was show her that thread.


Me, too. Lungs has a much larger following than he might think.