When they reach a sufficient “market weight” (usually before 3 years of age), cows in the beef industry are trucked to slaughter. In the U.S., the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act requires that livestock be rendered insensible to pain before shackling and slaughter. “Captive bolt stunning”—the explosive driving of a metal rod into the cow’s forehead and, often, into the animal’s brain—is commonly used to render cows unconscious. However, investigations have found that some animals are still conscious when their throats are cut.
Social, Contemplative Cows
Farm Sanctuary’s most contemplative residents, cows (Bos taurus) are deeply social and interact with one another in complex ways—fostering collaborative relationships (they form “grooming partnerships,” just like chimpanzees), learning from one another, and making decisions that benefit other members of the group.
When not contending with fearful captivity, cows spend most of their time wandering, foraging, socializing, and chewing things over, as did their ancient ancestors the aurochs—creatures whose stature and strength were depicted in the earliest cave paintings and human mythologies. Over time, humans’ breeding and treatment of cows as commercial goods (“cattle,” “chattel,” and “capitalism” all derive the same Latin word) has led to abuse of these animals on an enormous industrial scale.
After spending time ambling the pastures with our cow herds at Farm Sanctuary, visitors are often struck by the meditative temperament, placid nature, and sheer size of these gentle giants.
A Brief History of Cows
The Someone Project: Cows
The Someone Project is a Farm Sanctuary-sponsored research-based initiative documenting farm animal sentience through science. Download our white paper on cows titled Thinking Cows: A Review of Cognition, Emotion, and the Social Lives of Domestic Cows at the link below.
Cow Facts
Suffering for their Meat, Milk, and Skins
These typically playful, nurturing animals endure immense suffering on factory farms.
-
United States
33,703,400 cows were slaughtered in the United States in 2018.
-
Global
302,128,109 cows were slaughtered worldwide in 2018.
These typically playful, nurturing animals endure immense suffering on factory farms.
United States
33,703,400 cows were slaughtered in the United States in 2018.
Global
302,128,109 cows were slaughtered worldwide in 2018.
factory farming
Cows Used for Dairy
Factory Farming
Cows Used for Meat
Featured Cow Rescues
Transcript
Everyone's tagging me and saying, Mayor, there's a cow on the loose in town. Mayor, what are you going to do? There's a cow walking down my street?
I heard through social media that there was a cow wandering around, what appeared to be my neighbor.
Mayor Stewart says it's somewhere on the New Britain Water Department property.
He'd been on the run for weeks-- for several weeks-- successfully evading people that wanted to get him.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I would love to get it up there and figure out where we're going to set up. Because there's no room for error on that ridge, and if this thing slides out, we're done.
His name came about, I should say, when we realized this was real.
We figured if we named him, he couldn't be eaten.
So I thought of Finn. He's this little adventurous boy in the woods.
He's been successful, for a month, hiding from people that want to find him, so.
Wow. OK.
I did see him walk in the ridge and there was tracks going that way.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Seeing everybody come together to help Finn, has been really one of the most special things about this whole experience.
I wonder what Finn is thinking right now.
Am I good?
Yeah, you're still coming to the right.
OK. So it stays here.
OK.
OK, cool.
You did it, man!
My knuckles are white.
[LAUGHING]
Now we've got to finish.
Mario, you know, kind of rallied the team, as darkness fell, to put up all the gates, and bring out the feed, and set the whole thing up. And right as we were wrapping up, we look down this path where Finn had been sighted before. And Mario says, there's Finn.
It's like he wants to be here.
You can do it, Finn. Please, come on. Come on, baby.
Maybe we'll get lucky tonight. That'd be awesome.
I hope so.
He was in my backyard. I don't think when you're that close, you can overlook it. And I've read so many stories where animals were spared from slaughter because they escaped. I wanted his story to be that.
Awww.
You have no idea what this means-- I have no idea what this means to me.
What it means to him, that's the important part.
His best life started last night. So, I'm just so grateful to all of you.
Finn did save himself. If the billions of animals who aren't so lucky could, they would.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
I will probably transition to no meat at all. It will take me some time. But I think, based on this, I couldn't look into his face today and think that there could be anything else but a sanctuary for him.
I would like to think he feels super safe right now. You know, shouldn't be anybody chasing him anymore. So he should have a happy life.
For Farm Sanctuary to volunteer to come out here and do this and pick up on Finn's story, we're eternally grateful to you. I know Finn will be as well.
[MOOING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
-
Featured Rescue Stories
Featured Rescue Stories
Pippi: Healing a Broken Heart
It was around Valentine’s Day when we got the call to help a calf with a broken heart.
read more
-
January 31, 2020
Rita: Tiny Calf who Lost so Much Finds Her Way Home
Rita was just a few months old when an accident claimed part of her foot—and very nearly, her life.
Read more -
December 17, 2018
Meet Leo, a Rescued Calf with a Remarkable Will to Live
Within days of his birth on a California dairy farm, Leo was discovered by animal control officers, closed inside a trailer along with three other newborn calves, all of whom were on the brink of death.
Read more -
October 18, 2019
Forrest: How One Orphaned Calf’s Rescue Changed Two Lives
We couldn’t have asked for a better time to welcome Forrest into the Farm Sanctuary family.
Read more