http://barnyardvet.com Reflections of veterinary history and New England farms by Larry Buggia, DVM. Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:48:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 http://barnyardvet.com/articles/cow-tipping-the-myth-finally-proven/16#comment-27 Philip Henderson Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:48:28 +0000 http://heritree.com/?p=16#comment-27 I drive a team of oxen at the Orange County Fairgrounds. The oxen are half-brothers, seven years old. They are from a rare breed called Lineback cattle. Each animal weighs about 3,000 pounds. I verify their weight annually on a scale certified by the Orange County, California weights and measures. These guys stand almost six feet tall at the withers. They feel safe with me and have a flight zone of zero with me. However, if a stranger approached them they would keep their distance. In a field, even if they were sleeping, they would rise and walk away. They would smell you coming when you are a half mile away; they can walk as fast as a man can run. They run almost as fast as a horse. If they were standing and allowed you to approach them, they still would not allow a stranger to touch them. If you cornered them, they would turn their horns toward you. Do not attempt to "tip" my cows, you will never succeed and the closer you get to them, the more danger you will face. If you are lucky, they will just run away. Visitors often ask me about cow tipping, I tell them it is certainly an urban ledgend. Cows are not stupid. They will not permit mere humans to tip them. Of course, maybe they tipped a six month old calf, and thought it was a cow. Try tipping a 3,000 ox. You would have more success tipping a Volkswagon. I drive a team of oxen at the Orange County Fairgrounds. The oxen are half-brothers, seven years old. They are from a rare breed called Lineback cattle. Each animal weighs about 3,000 pounds. I verify their weight annually on a scale certified by the Orange County, California weights and measures. These guys stand almost six feet tall at the withers. They feel safe with me and have a flight zone of zero with me. However, if a stranger approached them they would keep their distance. In a field, even if they were sleeping, they would rise and walk away. They would smell you coming when you are a half mile away; they can walk as fast as a man can run. They run almost as fast as a horse. If they were standing and allowed you to approach them, they still would not allow a stranger to touch them. If you cornered them, they would turn their horns toward you. Do not attempt to “tip” my cows, you will never succeed and the closer you get to them, the more danger you will face. If you are lucky, they will just run away. Visitors often ask me about cow tipping, I tell them it is certainly an urban ledgend. Cows are not stupid. They will not permit mere humans to tip them. Of course, maybe they tipped a six month old calf, and thought it was a cow. Try tipping a 3,000 ox. You would have more success tipping a Volkswagon.

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