Livestock Trivia

Brush up on your livestock knowledge with some handy agriculture trivia. Did you know that more than 100 medicines used by humans come from cattle? You will be amazed and intrigued by these interesting facts about farm livestock.

Bees

There are 20,000 species of bees. Bees are found on every continent except Antarctica. Bees are social creatures and live in a hive with a queen bee. In one year, a colony of bees eats between 120 and 200 pounds of honey. Honeybees use nectar to make honey. Honeybees are the only insects that produce food (honey) for humans. The average bee hive contains 50,000 bees.

Goats

Both male and female goats grow beards. Goats have two toes per hoof. Goat milk can be used for cheese, butter, ice cream, candy, and soap. Goats are from the deer family. Goats can jump up to five feet and can stand on their hind legs. The smallest goat breed is the Nigerian dwarf-it weighs about 20 pounds. Goats carry their tails straight up.

Sheep

A sheep's body is covered with wool. Sheep hate to be alone, so they live in flocks. Sheep are valuable because they often graze land that other livestock can not. There are 150 yards of wool/yarn in a baseball. President Wilson kept sheep on the lawn of the White House in 1918.

Farmers

Texas has 230,000 farms & ranches. The average size is 567 acres. One farmer produces enough food and fiber for 143 people. 98% of all U.S. farms are owned by individuals, family partnerships, or family corporations.

Turkeys

June is National Turkey Lovers Month. Gobbling turkeys can be heard a mile away on a quiet day. About 45 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving. The largest turkey on record weighs 86 pounds. Turkey are the only species of poultry native to the Western hemisphere. Turkeys' heads change color when they are excited. Turkey skin can be tanned and used to make cowboy boots and belts.

Rabbits

Rabbit's whiskers are used to sense touch. Rabbits run faster than cats - up to 35 mph. They have eyes on the side of their heads that allow almost 180 degree vision. Rabbits can weigh between 2 and 11 pounds. A rabbits' foot is considered a lucky charm. There are more than 45 breeds of rabbit.

Horses

Horses can walk, trot, canter, and gallop. There are 350 different breeds of horses. Horses are related to rhinocerous. The height of a horse is measured in hands. Each hand is 4 inches. The oldest horse on record lived to be 62 years old. Horses are the only farm animals that are not used for food.

Pigs

Pigs live for 9-15 years. Pigs have 4 toes on each hoof but only walk on two toes per hoof. Pigs don't sweat because they have no sweat glands. Pigs were domesticated as early as 9,000 years ago. The domestic pig has more than 15,000 taste buds. A pig's squeal can be louder than an airplane engine. Pigs in Italy and France are trained to find truffles. The largest recorded number of piglets born in one litter is 32.

Cattle

Texas has more beef cattle than any other state in the U.S. One cowhide can yield enough leather to make 20 footballs. Cattle are closely related to buffalo and bison. Beef cattle produce meat products, leather, & suede.

Cows

Milk helps to cool your mouth after eating spicy food. Cows provide cheese, butter, & ice cream. Cows eat for about 6 hours daily and spend 8 hours chewing their cud. There are about 350 "squirts" in a gallon of milk. Cows are considered sacred in India. Cows lie down and get up about 14 days a day. There are more than 920 breeds of cattle in the world.

Chickens

Chickens are omnivores-they eat both plants and insects. Cockscombs and wattles (the fleshy parts on the head) help keep chickens cool. Hens will turn their eggs several times during incubation to be sure that the chick inside develops correctly. A nest full of eggs is called a clutch