“I got a fever! And the only prescription is more cowbell!!”
This Bruce “The Cock of The Walk” Dickinson line from Saturday Night Live in 2000 could not be more fitting than it is on July 15th’s Cow Appreciation Day. Wearing these bells because their horns don’t work is a fitting thing for them to do. Honoring the cow can be done in many different ways.
Across the country of India, cows are considered sacred as a result of over 80% of the population being Hindu. While Asian Indians will utilize cow’s byproducts such as milk and cheese, they still consider the flesh to be sacred. This means across the nation you won’t find beef on menus or in the grocery store.
Here in the US, we participate in Cow Appreciation Day in multiple different ways. Restaurants and dairy producers will often offer steep discounts on goods and services or free samples to help draw attention to the day. This kind of grassroots-level awareness is something the cow needs in 2023.
As the liberals have been on a relentless attack on the beef industry, they seem to believe that cows are a large cause of global warming. This outdated and highly refutes belief fails to take into account numerous pieces of data, as well as the efforts farmers and ranchers have put into becoming more environmentally friendly.
Higher MPG engines, better barn air filtration, less use of fertilizers on grains, and cleaner water treatment have been helping farms to run more efficiently, and government grants make them financially viable. This results in happier, healthier, and safer cows being raised.
Across the Pacific, the Japanese take their beef very seriously. No area is more so than between the Rokko mountain range and Osaka Bay where Kobe is located. In this city with over 1 million people, these dedicated ranchers raise some of the finest and most expensive beef in the world.
To be classified as Kobe beef, the cows descend from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle and be raised in Hyogo. Anything else is Wagyu at best (regardless of location of raising) and in many instances, Wagyu (Japanese or otherwise) is fraudulently presented as Kobe. Those that are actual Kobe are then scored on their marbling and texture, only the best of the best earns a certification, and that certification grade changes the price drastically.
While eating beef or drinking milk is a great way to celebrate Cow Appreciation Day, it doesn’t have the lasting impact of visiting a working farm.
These farms come in all different sizes, shapes, and varieties. Dairy farms often make it easy to not only get up close and personal with the cows. You will not only likely get a taste of fresh, unpasteurized milk but a chance to milk a cow hands-on a see what pioneer life was like. Beef cattle are driven across pastures and seeing them move is a magical wonder.
Some farms offer tours year around, while other locations may require appointments before getting to see everything. No matter the requirements, it’s worth every moment. Especially when you see the wonder in the eyes of someone who has never experienced cows up close before. These big, majestic, tasty beasts are the result of decades of selective breeding, and the science that goes into their existence and growth is simply awe-inspiring.
Cow Appreciation Day is the one day a year to embrace and learn all about everything cows can do for us as humans. Their continued existence helps feed the American population as well as our pets. We need to keep these cows around and keep the vegetarians (and their 800 variations) as far away from them as possible.
