Holy Cow this is Udderly Ridiculous

Do you know what’s making me crazy?

Cartoons that depict all cows, male and female, as having udders.

First is was just Back to the Barnyard on Nick. Then this morning an episode of Martha Speaks on PBS was about a cattle drive. And all the cattle on the drive had horns and udders.

Now, let’s this get this straight. I’m not worried about gender confusion. I do not think it’s part of a vast liberal conspiracy to blur the lines between male and female. It is not an attempt to promote an agenda of androgyny.

On Barnyard it’s because the writers think udders are funny. So they thought, “Why not put udders on everyone?”

What?

I think signs that say “Kick Me” are funny, but I don’t go around putting them on the backs of everyone I know.

Does Mattel put breasts on Ken, because Barbie has them and they look nice?

(That’s the second time in three days I’ve used the B word on my blog. The Google search engine creeps are going to come out of the woodwork.)

As for Martha Speaks, I’m chalking that one up to ignorance. I’m guessing the illustrators aren’t down-on-the-farm type folks. Because in addition to not having udders, most cattle raised for beef have their horns removed. Or are bred so they don’t have horns. For safety reasons as I am sure you can imagine.

There. Now you’ve had your agricultural lesson for today. Free of charge.

They say good bloggers give to their readers. Well, you just never know what you’ll get from me.

I’ve gone around in circles trying to explain to David that not all cows have udders. Only girl cows have udders. But he can’t get it through his head, and because of TV he thinks all cows produce milk.

Here’s some more knowledge you weren’t expecting. Technically speaking only female bovine who have given birth are called cows.

I’m in a very giving mood today.

Why does all of this annoy me so much?

Because it’s spreading ignorance among our children.

Most kids today don’t ever go anywhere near a real farm. They’ve never seen a real cow. They have no idea that not all cows have udders. And when they see it on TV, they just assume it is so.

Good grief. We will have have a milk crisis someday when today’s children become tomorrow’s dairy farmers, and can’t figure out why they can’t get milk from a bull.

I hope you like soy milk.

Photo from freefoto.com used with permission under CCL.