Cows Communicate with Unique Moos | Hacker News Reader

Cows Communicate with Unique Moos

smithsonianmag.com

41 pointsweare13814 comments

It is interesting that Kiwis call them Holstein-Friesian cattle. In 1994, USA breeders dropped the second part of the name. http://www.holsteinusa.com/holstein_breed/breedhistory.html

You never want to be the second (or the third) surname when naming equations, companies, and I guess, cow breeds. Just look at Black-Scholes, PwC, among countless others.

Any pet owner understands this at a fundamental level.

It's nice that there are folks out there working to quantify this.

I wonder if this will lean towards a bunch of cow-specific moos or towards some more or less universal cow expressions.

I also wonder if all of the moos are meant to communicate something or if some of them are just for fun.

> I also wonder if all of the moos are meant to communicate something or if some of them are just for fun.

You mean, some of their calls might be for amoosement?

... I'll get my coat.

I assume we'll be calling this moos code?

Pets are playful and have a sense of humor.

My favorite Knock Knock joke is finally appropriate on HN.

Stop me if you've heard this one.

Me : Knock Knock. Child: Who's there? Me : The Impatient Cow. Child: The Impatien... Me : MOO!

Didn't get it.

It is the best. I do “interrupting cow” for the same effect.

Coming soon: machine learning system to analyze vocalizations in dairy herds to increase total herd production over time.

Or even using AI to moo at them to reduce their stress levels.

Nah, targeted advertising for cows will work better.

Gary Larson decoded their language long ago:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sictransitdiesoccident/2224082...

https://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lslwwxU0jC1r3693eo1_500.j...

And even considered what they might think of our language:

https://i.pinimg.com/236x/cd/1b/89/cd1b89605b700f30ea0cc2a6f...

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