The Moo Factor

[gstafleu]

There are great threads about just about everything on this forum. But is it just me, or is something essential just missing here: a thread about cows? I'll start things off with the picture below, but there must be more bovinophiles? Come on folks, have a cow.

Pentax *ist DS, kit lens.
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/cow1.jpg

[Geoff Chandler]

That's a great photo - I think it may be a Bull judging by the tiny horns sprouting on it's head.

[kornhauser]

Love it! Surrounded by cows here! Never seen one licking his nose before!

[gstafleu]

What's up folks, can't find the cows for the meadows? Here are two more.

First, a Contemplative Cow:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/contemplativeCow.jpg

And an uppity, in-your-face type of cow:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/uppityCow.jpg

Both taken with my Canon A75.

[gstafleu]

This thread seems to be turning into a bos clamantis in deserto. So maybe I should post the following in the food thread, as we are looking at the most foodsome parts of the beasties here:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/cowrow1.jpg
Bald Eagle would probably call this a PCBS (Panoramic Cow Bum Shot.


Just in case you are wondering what the cows are doing all so neatly lined up:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/cowrow2.jpg

[D70FAN]

This thread seems to be turning into a bos clamantis in deserto. So maybe I should post the following in the food thread, as we are looking at the most foodsome parts of the beasties here:
Bald Eagle would probably call this a PCBS (Panoramic Cow Bum Shot.

Just in case you are wondering what the cows are doing all so neatly lined up:


Checkin' out the yellow cow-bling on those ears. Paris Hilton...eat your heart out. Are those the EGIA registration numbers?

[gstafleu]

Are those the EGIA registration numbers?
I'm not sure what they are called. They are Dutch cows, they all have these ear numbers. I notice Canadian cows have number tags too, but they look different, and they ar mono-aural:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/cow2.jpg
Notice the very Canadian maple leaf? A nice decorative touch. But I she (I think) definitly deserves another ear ring so she can impress the boys.

[gstafleu]

When it comes to cheap tricks to increase attention for a subject, one can either take the low road, by bringing out salacious details, or the middle road, by upping the cuteness factor. After tossing a coin, it turns out I'll use the salacious approach first. So here is a salacious cow:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/salaciousCow.jpg

BTW, does anyone remember the League for Animal Decency?

Unless I flunked Stereotypes 101, this should appeal to the male members of this forum. Tomorrow I'll restore the balance of the universe by appealing to the female members with increased cutenessosity.

[AllanC]

aaarrggg bright light!!!! :D

[gstafleu]

Good one Allen. If it is not the bright light then they must be playing hide-and-seek and she is "it", counting to 100 :).

[AllanC]

yeah, don't think the others quite had the right idea though.... :p

[gstafleu]

Clearly a bunch of beginners :o. And they are all blocking the road as well. In which part of the world was this taken?

[EAP]

This thread is hysterical! Who woulda thought cows would make such interesting photo subjects? :)

[gstafleu]

Yesterday I promised to up the cuteness factor of this thread, and if nothing else I am a cow of my moo:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/snoozingCalf.jpg
This is calf 8358 snoozing in a dry ditch on the side of the road.

The following is not a cow pic per se, but it is related. It is a farm close to where the calf was snoozing, just to give you an impression of the idyllic, bucolic and generally picturesque landscape in the east of the Netherlands where the 8358 was snoozing:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/ommenFarm.jpg

Both pictures were taken with a Fuji Zoom Date, a 35mm P&S, which explains why the image quality is a bit less. But I hope everyone will agree on the sheer cuteness of it all.

[AllanC]

"seriously guys next time we play this stupid game, try putting a slight bit more effort in"... :p .... :D ....


these pics were taken in South Glamorgan, Wales, UK..

[gstafleu]

Enough with the cuteness, let's move on to some more of the salacious stuff: cows taking a bath.

Here is one cow who has discovered a nice quiet pool, and is quite impressed with herself:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/cowPool1.jpg

Of course the quiet can't last, and before you know it fellow cows are joining in the fun:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/cowPool2.jpg

And in the end everybody has jumped in:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/cowPool3.jpg

The cows are Scottish Highlanders, but the pics were taken in Drenthe, Netherlands. The Highlanders have been imported to keep the fields from turning into forest, which they accomplish by grazing. About 10 years ago they started with something like 25, and now there are some 250 of the beasties, so they must be enjoying themselves.

[EAP]

They don't look like cows, they look like yaks! Almost. Nice shots.

[gstafleu]

So far we have seen Dutch, Welsh and Canadian cows. It is time to broaden our horizons with a Swiss cow:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/swissCow.jpg
There are two things noticeable about Swiss cows. First they graze in the Alps, which, as you can see, have lots of flowers. The flowers flavour the milk and the milk flavours the Swiss milk chocolate, which explains why it tastes so nice.

The second thing about Swiss cows is of course their cow bell, which they wear so you can find them in the hilly pastures. But as we will see tomorrow, it is not just Swiss cows that wear bells...

[gstafleu]

This posting is not really about cows, but it is about barn yard animals, and they are black and white, so let's not be too picky here.

The pictures form a little story. It all started when we took the train to the tiny Swiss station of Alpiglen. To set the context, here is the train pulling into Alpiglen station:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/SwissGoats0.jpg

And what is the first thing we see when getting out of the train?
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/SwissGoats1.jpg
This here goat, who is clearly very impressed with himself for having occupied the entrance to the waiting room. As you can see, cows are not the only Swiss animals with bells. Goats, and sheep, have them too.

Hardly had I taken the picture of this goat, or I heat this tinkling and bleating sound coming from behind:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/SwissGoats2.jpg
There was this whole group of goats who all had decided that this was the time to move from the field on one side of the station to the field on the other side of the station.

(continued in next posting)

[gstafleu]

I walked on a little, but pretty soon they had overtaken me:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/SwissGoats3.jpg
It should be noted that as I was taking this picture, one of the goats was nibbling on my shorts. I hope you will admire the steely determination I showed in continuing to take pictures, nibbling not withstanding.

It didn't take long for the whole bunch to pass me:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/SwissGoats4.jpg
I'm sure they were all going to be very happy in their new field.

You may be wondering: what is it that makes it worth getting goated? Well, we were on our way to the restaurant next to the station, and this is the view from its patio:
http://publish.uwo.ca/~gerard/photos/SwissGoats5.jpg
I think that is worth getting goated.