Cows And Rain

[plowter]

We all knew the bad weather was coming.

Have any observant ABers noticed whether cows lie down when they think it's going to rain or when the wet stuff starts to drip drop?

[baza]

the only 4 legged animals in fields round here are hornless cows otherwise known as horses. I seem to remember seeing cows laying down with their backs to the wind or maybe thet's a false memory.

[Mamyalynne]

I can only see Ducks and Geese from my window at the moment, nothing much bothers them.

[cupid04]

Only in Milton Keynes...

[aelmpvw]

i'm convinced that cows know when it's about to rain and lie down to keep their 'beds' dry

[kvalidir]

Yeah cows lie down before it rains:)

[Gizmonster]

Yea I think I heard the same aelmpvw, that cows lie down when they know it's going to rain, to keep their beds dry.

[woofgang]

Not in the New Forest they don't.

[Tilly2]

My Dad told me that you can tell it's going to rain if the cows are lying down. I have no reason not to believe him. Was he lying?

[woofgang]

maybe mistaken Tilly, Like red sky at night....

[plowter]

But that doesn't make sense.

If they laid down before the rain started then they'd keep their legs and belly dry.

If they laid down after the the rain started then they'd still keep their legs and belly dry.

Do cows make beds?
Do they have jimjams?

Truly, the countryside is a different world.

[Prudie]

Yep the cows lie down, the cats sleep on the back of their heads and ruddy spiders come in the house.

[boxtops]

It was always the country lore that cows sitting down predict rain, but I believe it's been proven otherwise (by someone who looked into it...)

[Chipchopper]

I've often heard people say this but I don't think its true.
I believe the confusion started from a line in an old country saying "The Cattle Are Lowing It Will Bring Rain".
Lowing is another name for the sound that a cow makes when it moo's

[heathfield]

Well it happened round my way yesterday. Drove to town around 3:00 pm and passed a field with cows in it. They were all lying down. Met office had forecast heavy rain from 4:00 pm, and this time they were spot on - almost to the minute! I've also noted that when cows lie down before rain, they tend to chose a corner of the field. At other times, they just lie down anywhere.

[RATTER15]

Sorry, I'm in Wales, they wouldn't know a cow if they saw one I don't think.

Weather looking undecided, could go either way!

[woofgang]

heath field, the cows round us aren't in fields!!!

[wildwood]

I've never seen a cow lie down with the legs under it, they always sort of lie half on the sides, prettu much like most herbivores. That rules the keeping legs dry reason out.