Country Lifestyle

Fluffy Cows Are the Cutest Animals on the Internet

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Adorable animals have brought us joy since the beginning of time. No matter what's happening in my life, a picture of a fluffy kitten cuddling a duck will make everything okay. One of the cutest animals ever is the Highland Cow, colloquially called the fluffy cows, a Scottish breed that took the internet by storm in 2013.

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The Adorable Fluffy Cow

If the name "fluffy cow" didn't tell you enough to immediately google these ridiculously adorable farm animals, the Highland Cows have long shaggy coats that make them look like big teddy bears. These huggable creatures are sometimes called mini cows, but they're not technically considered miniature cows. The males can grow up to 1,800 pounds, while heifers will reach 1,100 pounds when full grown.

The Scottish highland cattle are sometimes bred with another breed, the Irish Dexter, which makes them tiny compared to the cows we're used to seeing grazing. However, these "mini cows" can still weigh up to 1,000 pounds and reach 42 inches in height.  Many people are most familiar with the reddish-ginger color of this breed, but they can also be black, dun, yellow, white, grey, silver, tan, or multicolored.

This breed of cow is fluffy for more than just our enjoyment- its long hair is meant to protect it against extremely cold conditions. Fluffy cows originated in the Scottish Highlands and the Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland, an area known for its rainy and windy conditions. Along with being fluffy, these cuties have long horns, which they use to regulate body temperature, protect themselves, and scratch their backs. I don't know about you, but the image of a little fluffy cow scratching its back with its horn makes me extremely happy.

These fluffy cows are popular as pets, and animal lovers are especially fond of the highland cattle calves, who are some of the most lovable baby animals to have graced the internet with their fluffy presence. Along with having an abundance of fluff, this breed is popular for its sunny disposition. The Scottish highland cows are very friendly and good-natured, making them the perfect house cows. They're social creatures who do best with at least one bovine companion.

When Fluffy Cows Went Viral

Cattle breeders and those in the beef industry have known about these funny animals for a long time, ever since they were imported to a range of countries, from Australia to Finland to the U.S. However, the public became enamored with these cute animals back in 2013, when Iowa's fluffy cows went viral on social media with the 'emo cow' meme. The original fluffy cows that went viral are from Lautner Farms, based in Adel. Owner Matt Lautner is an expert on genetics for club calves, which are shown at livestock fairs and shows.

The original photo of these show cattle was a cross-bred bull named Texas Tornado, taken at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO. Texas Tornado took the hearts of the internet and the cattle industry with his cuteness and long, luscious coat. Since his appearance, there have been many fluffy cows on the internet, from Twitter to Instagram to meme pages.

If these pictures have made you as happy as the rest of the internet, there are places where you can actually meet and hug a real-life fluffy cow, TC Highlands Farm in Kentucky being one of them. However, if Kentucky isn't a destination in your near future, there are plenty of pictures and videos of these adorable animals to peruse at your heart's content!

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