Standing several feet above the rest of the herd, Knickers the cow, who is actually a male steer, is hard to miss.According to theAssociated Press, the 1.4-ton, 6-ft., 4-in.-tall farm animal is believed to be the most massive steer in his home country of Australia.Knickers is so big (How big is he?) that his owner Geoff Pearson was unable to sell the steer to a slaughterhouse because the animal was too large for the facility’s machinery,according to the BBC. So the newly minted Internet star will instead spend his days on Pearson’s farm near Perth, where he is currently receiving media attention from around the world.Shockingly, Knickers, a member of the dairy breed Holstein-Friesian, is not the biggest steer in the world. That title belongs to Bellino, an Italian steer who stands about 2 in. taller than Knickers, reportsThe Guardian.Pearson toldThe Guardianhe is unsure what contributed to Knickers’ massive size; it’s just some “freaky thing.” Though Knickers’ owner did mention that, unlike other steers, 7-year-old Knickers was given the “opportunity to grow to their full potential.” Many cows and steers are slaughtered when they are 2 or 3 years old, before the animals have reached their full size.As part of his retirement package, theNew York Timesreports, Knickers will serve as a coach for other cows and steers, helping to direct Pearson’s herds.
Standing several feet above the rest of the herd, Knickers the cow, who is actually a male steer, is hard to miss.
According to theAssociated Press, the 1.4-ton, 6-ft., 4-in.-tall farm animal is believed to be the most massive steer in his home country of Australia.
Knickers is so big (How big is he?) that his owner Geoff Pearson was unable to sell the steer to a slaughterhouse because the animal was too large for the facility’s machinery,according to the BBC. So the newly minted Internet star will instead spend his days on Pearson’s farm near Perth, where he is currently receiving media attention from around the world.
Shockingly, Knickers, a member of the dairy breed Holstein-Friesian, is not the biggest steer in the world. That title belongs to Bellino, an Italian steer who stands about 2 in. taller than Knickers, reportsThe Guardian.
Pearson toldThe Guardianhe is unsure what contributed to Knickers’ massive size; it’s just some “freaky thing.” Though Knickers’ owner did mention that, unlike other steers, 7-year-old Knickers was given the “opportunity to grow to their full potential.” Many cows and steers are slaughtered when they are 2 or 3 years old, before the animals have reached their full size.
As part of his retirement package, theNew York Timesreports, Knickers will serve as a coach for other cows and steers, helping to direct Pearson’s herds.
source: people.com
