1 Answer

They don't. This is a myth. Cattle will just keep on grazing or head for shelter when it rains. Most cattle don't give a hoot whether they get wet or not. If it's a light rain, they'll just keep grazing. If it's a heavy downpour or a cold rain that chills you right to the bone, then they will head for shelter (a grove of trees, a barn or a shed) and bunch up together to keep warm. An experienced cattle producer will tell you that it's not true that cattle will lay down when it's going to rain or even when it does rain. And even an animal scientist can tell you that cattle don't have this barometric-pressure sensing thing that makes them "have to" lay down right before it rains.

The only time cattle will lay down, even when it's all together, is when they're chewing the cud or need a time to rest. Cattle are herd animals, and do anything together, from eating to sleeping to even mating.

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