If you’ve ever lived near a cow pasture, you may have been startled awake by the sound of cows loudly mooing or even screaming in the middle of the night. As an unsettling sound that seems out of place when all other animals have settled down to sleep, it leaves many wondering why on earth cows make so much noise after dark.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Cows tend to be more vocal at night because their sleep cycles are different from humans. They sleep lightly and get up more often to eat, which leads to noise from moving around and bellowing to communicate with the herd.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore all the reasons you may hear cows causing a commotion in the wee hours, from their unique sleep habits to how the dark inspires bovine chatter. Read on for the full explanation.
Cows Have Different Sleep Cycles Than Humans
Cows Sleep Lightly in Short Bouts
Unlike humans who tend to sleep deeply for 6-8 hours straight, cows actually sleep very lightly and only in short spurts. On average, cows sleep for about 4 hours per day total, usually broken up into 30 minute bouts spread throughout the 24-hour cycle.
They often doze while standing up, and settle into deep sleep while lying down for their short napping sessions. Cows have unique sleeping behaviors due to their grazing lifestyle and rumination digestive processes.
Cows are polyphasic sleepers, meaning they sleep in multiple short periods around the clock rather than one long continuous sleep session. This allows them to continually graze, while taking micro-naps during their downtime.
Since cows are prey animals, sleeping deeply for long uninterrupted periods would make them vulnerable to predators. Their light sleeping habits allow them to remain partially alert to potential dangers in their surroundings.
Herd animals like cows also tend to nap in close proximity to each other for added protection.
Cows Graze Intensively at Night
Although cows do spend some time sleeping at night, they actually do a significant portion of their grazing after dark. Cows typically graze for about 8 hours during the day, then graze heavily again at night when temperatures are cooler.
This nighttime feeding behavior is likely an evolutionary adaptation to avoid overheating and to reduce water loss during the hot daylight hours.
Some research indicates cows produce up to 30% of their daily milk during nighttime milking sessions. The increased night feeding provides the nutrition needed to support higher milk production. Night grazing also allows the cows to rest and chew their cud during the hotter parts of the day when grazing would cause more heat stress.
After a cow has spent a period intensively grazing, she needs time to lie down and thoroughly re-chew and digest the ingested grass as cud. The daylight hours provide a good opportunity for rumination while staying cooler in the shade.
Darkness Encourages Cow Communication
Cows become more vocal and communicative with each other during nighttime hours. According to research by agricultural scientists, the darkness causes cows’ hormones to shift, making them more active and stimulated. This leads cows to “talk” more amongst themselves in the fields.
Specifically, cows produce more melatonin after sundown. This floods their brains and bodies, energizing them to stay awake longer into the night. With this alertness comes an increased desire for cows to interact with their herd.
As a result, farmers report hearing frequent mooing, bellowing, and even screaming from their bovine friends during the later hours. The fascinating hormonal changes brought on by darkness seem to fundamentally transform cows’ behavior at bedtime.
Their nighttime voices can range from deep bellows to high-pitched screams depending on the individual cow and type of communication they wish to express in the dark.
Changes in Weather Can Disturb Cows
Sudden changes in the weather can cause stress for cows. When the temperature or precipitation shifts quickly, it disrupts their regular patterns and environments. This disturbance can lead to behavioral changes as the animals attempt to adapt.
Temperature Fluctuations
If the temperature rises or drops rapidly, cows may become more vocal and active as they feel discomfort. For example, during heat waves cows tend to moo more as they become overheated. Their movements may seem more erratic as they seek shade or sources of cooler air.
Likewise, a sudden cold snap can make them bunch together or rub up against structures in an effort to shelter from wind and changing conditions.
Precipitation Variance
Dramatic shifts in rain, snow, or moisture levels can also impact cows. If rainstorms follow an extended dry period, the cows may have trouble navigating slick mud as they return to grazing areas. Downpours at night when cows are resting can frighten them and spur loud calls as they awake to pounding precipitation.
Alternatively, rapid snow accumulation can make it challenging for them to access food sources blanketed under deep snow drifts.
In essence, any extreme swing in traditional weather patterns has the potential to make cows vocally express their stress. Since they thrive on consistency in their environments, meteorological instability disorients them, alters their regular behaviors, and incites louder mooing as they convey anxiety over changing and unpredictable conditions around them.
Management Practices Disrupt Cow Sleep Patterns
Moving or Working Cattle at Night
It’s common practice on dairy and beef cattle farms to move or work the herd at night when it’s cooler. However, this disrupts the cows’ natural sleep patterns. Cows tend to be most active from dusk to midnight, then sleep in 2-3 hour increments over the course of the night (MSU).
When farmers shuffle or transport cattle at night, it interferes with this schedule.
Cows follow rigid sleep-wake cycles just like humans. Disrupting their ability to get uninterrupted rest at night causes stress. According to the dairy experts at Penn State University, when cattle experience stressors like being kept awake, they are more likely to vocalize and make noises like screaming and bellowing.
Feeding Schedules
Another common dairy farm practice is to feed the lactating cows right before each milking session. So they receive their main meal either very late at night or very early in the morning while most of the herd is sleeping.
The noise and activity of the feeding time coupled with cows jostling for position can cause lots of mooing, bellowing, and overall cow chaos.
Cattle nutritionists actually recommend spacing feedings at least 4 hours from milking times. This allows the cows to eat and then go back to resting. It also results in higher milk production. So modifying the feeding schedule is better for both cows and farmers!
Beef cattle also bellow more on nights with inclement weather like thunderstorms. The loud noises startle them, so they call out in distress. Making sure their shelter is well-covered and draft-free can help mitigate this storm anxiety.
In the famous words of Temple Grandin, renowned animal science professor, “When animals get really scared, that screaming is alarm or panic. “ It’s a clear sign things are not right in their environment.
By understanding common disruptions to bovine slumber and tweaking ranch practices accordingly, farmers can help reduce night vocalizations.
Signs of Sickness or Discomfort
Cows can exhibit various signs indicating they are unwell or in discomfort. Here are some of the main signs cattle owners should look out for:
Changes in Behavior
Healthy cows are generally active and exhibit normal patterns of behavior. Changes like decreased activity, isolation from the herd, lack of appetite, and disinterest in surroundings can suggest illness.
Other behavioral changes like head pressing, teeth grinding, or compulsive licking may also indicate health issues.
Physical Symptoms
Some physical symptoms that can signal sickness in cows include:
- Elevated body temperature – Normal range is 101-102°F. Consistent temperatures over 103°F may indicate infection.
- Increased heart and respiratory rate – Counting breaths per minute and heart rate can help detect abnormalities.
- Discharge from the eyes, nose, or mouth – Can point to respiratory infection.
- Lameness – Uneven gait, stiffness, or reluctance to move suggest injury or illness.
- Loss of body condition – Cows losing significant weight may have parasite issues or other problems.
- Visible wounds, swellings, or abnormalities – Need inspection to determine cause.
Changes in Milk Production
Monitoring dairy cows’ milk output and quality provides useful health information. Decreases in volume produced, changes in color or consistency, and thick clots or flakes in milk could indicate mastitis infection or another condition requiring veterinary attention.
Signs During Pregnancy
In pregnant cows, signs like vaginal discharge, udder development issues, or going off feed might suggest pregnancy complications or pending calving issues. Knowing typical gestation times helps identify when something may be wrong.
Vocalization Changes
Cows are quite vocal animals. Excessive mooing, bellowing or other unusual vocalization patterns can signal discomfort or distress. High-pitched, frequent mooing is especially associated with sickness, pain, fear, or anxiety in cattle.
In addition to observing cattle closely for any signs of poor health, it is advisable for ranchers to schedule regular veterinary check-ups. Catching issues early greatly improves chances of effective treatment and full recovery.
Keeping detailed records on each animal also aids in monitoring their well-being.
Conclusion
The next time you hear the distinctive sounds of cows mooing or bellowing in the night, you can rest assured knowing there are logical reasons behind their after-dark vocalizations. From staying lightly asleep to chatter more safely under the cover of darkness, cows have biological drives and sleep habits that don’t align with our own.
While disruptive for nearby humans, their nocturnal noisemaking ultimately serves natural bovine behaviors and needs.