Do cows lie down when it is going to rain?

Answer 1

No. Cows are tough creatures, and can withstand pretty well anything that's thrown at them (except hurricanes, floods and tornadoes of course...) There is no evidence suggesting that cows have porous skin in their legs when make their bones soft which makes them "lie down" when it rains, nor about the gas in the rumen being subject and sensitive to changes to atmospheric pressure, nor that the rain hurts the cow's udders, or any other claims that attempt to support that cows lie down when it is going to rain or when it does rain. Because that's all they are: claims with no proven scientific evidence supporting them. And a lot of the "evidence" that people try to put out there to support this "claim" are so far-fetched they're simply laughable among the cattle-producer and veterinary-medical-animal-health community!!

Any rancher, farmer, ranch manager, farm kid, trail boss, cowboy/cowgirl, etc., will tell you you are full it when you say: "Did you know that cows lie down when it's going to rain?" And they will go to lengths to prove it to you that that old wives-tale is false. Go ahead, if you don't believe this answer, go to a farm or ranch that has cattle living outside 24/7 and see for yourself if they lie down when/before it rains!!

As far as I'm aware, and throughout the years I've been on the farm, I've never seen our cattle lay down when it rains or when it is about to rain. Often they're up at the bale feeder, at the feed bunk, or busy grazing in the pasture before or when it starts to rain. Some cattle are more sensitive to getting wet than others, and will head for the sheds or a grove of trees if it gets too much for them. Others simply either don't give a darn getting wet or love it when it rains, and will stay out in it (standing up, mind you!) throughout the rain shower! If it's a cold rain, or a rain that is really heavy, they will head for shelter, but never lay down in the middle of it.

The only time, as mentioned in the Farmer's Almanac article (see related link below), a cow, steer, bull, heifer, etc. will lay down is a) they're tired and need a nap, b) they are chewing their cud, or c) are too sick or have some sort of injury that disables them to get up on their feet. But never simply because it's about to rain!

In the context of "you know it's going to rain when the cows lay down" is simply ludicrous in itself. If this is true, we'd be getting rain non-stop, every single day (or twice to three times a day, which is the average number of times cattle do lay down to chew their cud and loiter around) of the month and the year! This obviously does not happen in the real world, as many a cattle producer and meteorologist will tell you.

So no, this is a myth and an old wives tail that has no scientific merit to it whatsoever.

Answer 2

They don't, this is a myth. If cows were to sit/lay down before it rains it'd be raining every single day of the year, which never happens in most areas of the world. See the related questions below.

Answer 3

No not necessarily, if they are out on pasture when it rains they usually go Into the Woods for shelter, or into the barn if they are in the barnyard. However, if cattle are kept outside in continuous rain with no shelter then they can become ill. They may catch a common cold, pneumonia, or foot rot.

Answer 4

It is said that horses lie down when it is going to rain. Cows lie down when it is going to rain too.

Answer 5

Nope. The only time a cow will sit down is if she's chewing her cud.

Answer 6

They don't. This is an old wives tale that has no truth to it. The only time cows will lie down is when they're resting, chewing their cud or giving birth.

Answer 7

It is a myth. See the related question below for more.