T Is For Teeth and Trivia

Do cows bite?

I get this question often.
Have you ever seen a cow smile?

If so, it did not look like this.

Google image

Cows have 32 teeth, just like us, but cows do not have upper front teeth. Instead cows have a tough dental pad. They could "gum" you, but they can't bite you.

Why no front teeth?

Since cows are plant eaters, rather than meat eaters, they have no need for front incisors. Cows use their bottom teeth and their tongue to rip the grass or hay. They toss it in their mouths and swallow it whole, almost without chewing. When she has her fill, the cow then regurgitates it and chews it again using the top and bottom molars in the back of its mouth before swallowing it again. Once it is thoroughly chewed it is swallowed again and digested. Cows can spend about 8 hours a day eating, and another 8 hours per day chewing their cud. 

So what other interesting facts can I share today?

• Cows can smell odors up to 6 miles away.
• Cows can lick and pick their nose with their tongues.
• Cows drink about a bathtub full of water each day.
• Cow's spots are like snowflakes. No two cows are alike.

And did you know-

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See you tomorrow as our June Dairy Month A to Z journey continues.