Cow, a term that derives from the Latin vacca, is the female of the species Bos primigenius taurus, whose male is the bull. It is a mammalian animal that belongs to the bovid family.
The cow, which is part of the artiodactyls (because its extremities culminate in an even number of fingers), is herbivorous. Therefore, this animal feeds mainly on plants. The cows weigh more than half a ton and can be up to a meter and a half tall. Their domestication is believed to have started in the Middle East around 10,000 years ago.
The raising and use of cows is part of livestock. The human being uses the cow to obtain milk (which, in turn, allows to generate numerous products) and meat. The carcass of the cow is also used for leather. Beef is one of the most important foods in different cultures. In fact, most of the cow’s body is consumed by man, from the cerebrum (brain) to the tail. In Argentina, for example, the preparation and consumption of grilled meat is a characteristic of national identity. There are several customs associated with roasting, as this type of gastronomic preparation is known. In the world of cinema we also find the movie “La vaca”. It is a French comedy released in 2016 and directed by Mohamed Hamidi that tells the story of a very humble Algerian farmer named Fata, who finds his best friend in his cow, whom he really understands. Together with her, they will attend an important meeting, the Paris Agrifood Fair, which will take them on many adventures and vicissitudes since they arrive in Marseille by boat and decide to walk the rest of the trip. In addition to everything exposed so far, it is interesting to know that, in some countries, the cow is a totally sacred animal. This is the case, for example, in India, where by law it is absolutely forbidden to harass, mistreat and even kill to obtain their meat. And it is this living being that symbolizes fertility and motherhood. It is considered that this custom of protecting it dates back more than 2,000 years, when Buddhism arrived in these lands and that the religion is committed to caring for and respecting the aforementioned ruminants. Likewise, the term sacred cow is also popularly known to refer to the figure of a person who is especially considered and who is established as a superior authority. But not only that, with that name it was the name of the Venezuelan presidential plane during the 1950s, when Marcos Pérez Jiménez was in charge of the government.
In some countries, finally, it is known as “make a cow” or “make a little cow” to the action of raising money among several subjects to pay, together, a certain expense.
