Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals

Cows are social animals, but they are not as social as dogs. Like horses, cows are prey animals that are hyper-sensitive to rapid movement, but unlike horses, they do not have a strong flight mechanism. Instead, they band together when they feel threatened. Researchers do not know as much about the exact nature of cows’ social organization, but they do know that cows develop dominance hierarchies within their herds.

Most cows are not tame. Dairy cows become habituated to humans because they are milked several times a day, but beef cattle retain their natural fear of humans. Because of this, fear is the greatest animal welfare concern for cows. The author has observed serious mistreatment of cows during her work in the agricultural sector and strongly advises against hurting or scaring cows in any way. Cattle are also fearful of anger, sudden movements, and yelling, all of which are “high-intensity stimuli” (143). Grandin feels a particular kinship with cows, relating some of their experiences to her own life experiences as a person with autism. She too is sensitive to high-intensity stimuli like yelling, and much of her work with cattle has been based upon her understanding of her own stress and fear responses.