To date, more than 8.7 million species have been found, and it is believed that the vast majority are still unknown and thus counting or discovery continues. Each species has a distinct shape, size, and characteristics, which makes them different from others and easy to classify and identify. Some such species are classified as sociable, while others can be recognized as naturally wild. The cow is one such species or animal that is domestic and generally does not cause harm to mankind.
In this article, we are learning an essay on cow. The article discusses the introduction of cows, their importance, characteristics, breeds, and other details in a neat and clean presentation covering the essay in more than 1500 words. Apart from this, it also summarizes 10 lines essay for kids and students looking for a short essay on cow.
Introduction
The cow is one of the loyal, domestic, and innocent pets. Cows do not harm humans if treated with love. Due to this people keep cows in their homes and get many benefits. They are useful to humans in various ways. The many purposes of keeping cows as pets are the same to people, whether common people, farmers, or others. However, cows have various specific benefits, depending on the kind of work they are doing to help the human race.
When giving a physical description of a cow, it is an animal with two lovely eyes, two ears, four legs, a mouth, a large nose (also called a snout), four limbs, and a long tail on its back. It may also have two horns on its head based on age and breed. Cows generally have a large body size, while their head is relatively small in comparison to their body size.
The cow is a female herbivorous mammal. The male is known as a ‘bull‘. Likewise, the female child of the cow is called the ‘heifer’, while the male child of the cow is called the ‘calf’. Once the child has been born, the heifer is called a cow. When several cows are seen together, the whole group is called a ‘herd’.
Characteristics of Cow
Some essential characteristics of cows are as follows:
ā¢ Colour: The most common colors seen in cows are black, orange, and white. Cows can be single solid colored or multicolored. The colors are mixed in form of patches on the body. In most cases, multicolored cows are either black and white or orange and white. Other common colors are tan, brownish-gray, golden brown, reddish-brown, etc.Ā
ā¢ Size & Weight: Cows are heavy in size/shape. Cows usually weigh between 900 and 1600 pounds, depending on their breed and genetics. However, some specific breeds can weigh over 3000 pounds. While pregnant, the weight can increase by an additional 75 to 100 pounds. Generally, the height of grown cows is around 4′ to 4’11”.
ā¢ Food: As herbivores and ruminants, cows prefer to eat the freshest and finest sprouted grains such as grass and hay. They also like to eat fruits, vegetables, and other vegetarian food.
ā¢ Habits: Cows are mostly social, so prefer to live in groups. They like open places to roam where they have lots of grass to eat. They roam the plains and eat grass as additional hay to supplement their diet and to produce milk for their newborns.
ā¢ Usefulness: Cows are very useful for mankind. They produce milk and also help humans in farming. They keep people busy and divert the negative atmosphere in many ways. Cows’ kids or calves are very innocent, beautiful and entertain people with their playful antics.
Importance of Cow
The cow is a domestic animal and is very useful to mankind in many ways. The most important thing about cows is that they are one of the primary sources of milk. Cow’s milk is one of the most commonly consumed dairy products and is considered to have a good amount of protein. Additionally, milk can also be used to produce many other dairy products such as cheese, butter, curd, ghee, etc.Ā
Cow comes in that category of cattle that can be domesticated in homes or farms for the purpose of milking. Certain specialized cows, especially males called bulls, help humans in labor such as livestock, plowing, pulling carts, etc. In medicine, especially in Ayurvedic, cow urine is used for various specific treatments because of its medicinal properties. In addition, cow dung is useful as fuel and fertilizer.
After cows die, their skin helps produce leather. Leather is one of the useful products in our daily life which can be used to make shoes, belts, purses, jackets, etc. Cow meat, also known as beef, is consumed by people in many countries including the USA, China, Brazil, etc. The importance of cows in India is far more than in other countries. They are considered sacred animals here. However, beef is consumed in some areas in India as well.
Cows in India
In India, cows are highly respected, especially by Hindus. They are considered the most sacred animal in Hinduism. People worship the cow as a goddess to fulfill their wishes. Cows are called ‘Gau Mata‘, which means mother in Hinduism.
Cows are of great importance in India and many organizations and even the government are continuously working towards the protection of cows. In India, the government has already banned cow slaughter in most cities as cows are sacred animals to Hinduism. People believe that killing a cow is a sin. Also, India has strict laws with penalties for people who kill cows.
Breeds of Cow
There are more than 1000 breeds of cows worldwide. However, not all cows have an important role in society. Some of the common breeds worldwide are Angus, Belted Galloway, Brahman, Charolais, Dexter, Gelbvieh, Hereford, Holstein, Limousin, Red Angus, and Piedmontese. Holstein-Friesian is believed to have the highest milking characteristic of all cow breeds worldwide.
In India, there are about 37 identified cow breeds. However, only a few of them are known for their best milking properties. This includes breeds of cows like Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar, and Rathi. Moreover, about 12 breeds are multipurpose or dual breeds (used for both dairy and beef) and others are mostly draught breeds.
Life Span of Cow
The average life span of a cow is about 15 to 20 years. However, cows in dairies and farms rarely live four to six years because of the extreme abuse they suffer to produce enough milk or do labor. Once milk production subsides or stops, most cows are sold to slaughterhouses for meat and leather or left to roam the streets, leading to accidents and deaths.
It is a bitter truth but most cows feel themselves in captivity and struggle throughout their lives. Furthermore, these days male calves are often killed or abandoned.
10 Lines Essay on Cow
The following points discuss the short essay or 10 lines essay on cows:
ā¢ The cow is one of the useful domestic animals and is found almost all over the world.
ā¢ There are more than 1000 breeds of cows around the world.
ā¢ The cow is a four-legged animal with a large nose and two ears, eyes, sharp horns, and a long tail on the back.
ā¢ Cows are calm and gentle and are found in many colors and long rectangular shapes.
ā¢ The cow is herbivorous and depends on fresh grass, leaves, and vegetables for food.
ā¢ In India, cows are considered sacred and have been worshiped by Hindus since ancient times.
ā¢ The cow is mainly used as livestock to provide various dairy products like milk, butter, and cheese.
ā¢ Farmers often use cows, especially male cows, for labor tasks such as plowing fields and pulling carts.
ā¢ Cow urine is used for medical benefits, especially in Ayurveda, for the treatment of specific diseases. Also, cow dung is useful as a fuel, fertilizer for plants, and for repelling pests.
ā¢ Cow’s skin (called hide) is one of the good sources of leather. Also, cow meat or beef is consumed all over the world due to its taste and presence of many nutritious.
Wrapping Up
When we write an essay on a cow, we should not be limited to paragraphs only. It’s always a better idea to mix up paragraphs with a few specific headings that break down the various features of the cow. It will help us to stand apart from others.Ā
This article discusses all the essential information about cows and makes a structure of a professional essay. Also, it contains 10 lines of cow essay for kids studying in class 1, class 2, class 3, etc., or for those looking for a short essay on cows.Ā
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a cow female?
Yes, the cow is a female. The male one is called a bull (or OX). A cow is referred to as a grown female which has given birth to a calf (male baby cow) or heifer (female baby cow).
What is the need for cows in society?
Cows are domestic animals often raised to produce dairy products and do labor. The dairy products like milk, cream, butter, ghee, cheese, curd, etc. constitute a large proportion of a vegetarian diet. Cow’s milk is rich in protein and calcium, which help strengthen bones and keep the body healthy. Infants can easily digest it. Besides, cows can also help with the riding carts, pull plows, etc. Cows are of great use for human beings in society.
What is the importance of cows in the Hindu religion?
Cows are considered the most sacred animal in Hinduism. They are respected by Hindus and worshiped as a goddess. Everyone should respect the religions and traditions of others. At the same time, it is our duty to help these innocent, useful, animals and to be the voice of voiceless animals.
What is the use of cow dung?
Cow dung is also useful for mankind as it contains methane, nitrogen, phosphorous, etc. These elements help in the production of fuel or biogas. Cow dung is often used as a fertilizer in farming because it is actually a naturally rich fertilizer. Additionally, it is also used as an insect repellent after it has been burnt. In rural India, the use of cow dung is very common as biogas in the kitchen and as fertilizer in the fields.
How is a cow useful in farming?
In farming, cows are mainly useful for two major purposes, namely labor and soil enrichment. They help in pulling the loaded cart and plowing the field, sowing, etc. Cow waste (or cow dung) helps to make the soil fertile due to the presence of many nutrients that are needed for plants to grow.