The Hereford

This bovine sweetie lives just down the road from me and I pass by he and his mates nearly every day when I am out walking. 
On this particular day, the three of them happened to be hanging out by the fence next to the road. Cows generally seem to be very curious about my dog, so getting them to look my way and "pose" for a few pics was really quite easy. This one, in particular, was sort of engaging in a staring contest with me, so that was fun...until King started barking at some unseen foe and spooked them a little.
Now, I am no expert but I did do a little bit of cow research so I could identify the breed, which I believe to be Hereford. Interestingly enough, there are over 800 breeds of cattle recognized worldwide; and that isn't even counting interspecies hybrids like the Dwarf Lulu cattle of the mountains of Nepal with Yak blood, and the North American Beefalo, who boast bison genes. 
One more quick fact - Taurus is actually the name of one of two subspecies of cattle...and here I thought it was just a random name for the second sign of the zodiac. Just goes to show, ya really do learn something new every day. :)

The friendly cow all red and white, 
I love with all my heart: 
She gives me cream with all her might, 
To eat with apple-tart. 

She wanders lowing here and there, 
And yet she cannot stray, 
All in the pleasant open air, 
The pleasant light of day; 

And blown by all the winds that pass 
And wet with all the showers, 
She walks among the meadow grass 
And eats the meadow flowers. 



~ Robert Louis Stevenson, The Cow