‘The big cow is a lie,’ the Washington Post declared. But fans of Knickers can rest easy: I’m here to tell you the steer really is large
Knickers the very large Holstein Friesian cow has taken the world by storm after a photo of the steer standing among smaller cattle went viral.
Knickers’ fame prompted a “fact check” from the Washington Post and an associated tweet in which they declared “the big cow is a lie”.
First, let’s get the nomenclature out of the way. The Washington Post headline declares: “Meet Knickers, the giant cow that is neither a cow nor a giant,” taking issue with people referring to a male steer as a cow.
Like it or not, referring to bovines of all sexes as “cow” is widely accepted, and this usage is cited in multiple dictionaries.
And now on to the size. Comparing Knickers to other animals shows that he is, indeed, a very large lad:
How large is Knickers, the Holstein Friesian steer?
Here is a height comparison of Knickers and other large bovines, with the average Australian man and woman for context
Knickers is a mere 8.7cm shorter than the world record holding steer, Bellino, and is 4cm taller than the tallest (female) cow, Blosom.
According to Cattle Network, Holstein Friesian males are typically 170-180cm in height. Needless to say, Knickers’ 194cm is quite a bit above the top of this range.
So, Knickers is indeed a very big cow. Which, strangely, even the Washington Post admits in the article text itself.
(Source: The Guardian)
Knickers the very large Holstein Friesian cow has taken the world by storm after a photo of the steer standing among smaller cattle went viral.
Knickers’ fame prompted a “fact check” from the Washington Post and an associated tweet in which they declared “the big cow is a lie”.
However, fans of Knickers can rest easy – I’m here to tell you that the cow is actually quite large.The big cow is a lie. https://t.co/CMkhUGw1nY— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 28, 2018
First, let’s get the nomenclature out of the way. The Washington Post headline declares: “Meet Knickers, the giant cow that is neither a cow nor a giant,” taking issue with people referring to a male steer as a cow.
Like it or not, referring to bovines of all sexes as “cow” is widely accepted, and this usage is cited in multiple dictionaries.
And now on to the size. Comparing Knickers to other animals shows that he is, indeed, a very large lad:
How large is Knickers, the Holstein Friesian steer?
Here is a height comparison of Knickers and other large bovines, with the average Australian man and woman for context
 |
| Fact: Knickers is a very large cow. Photograph: Nick Evershed for the Guardian |
According to Cattle Network, Holstein Friesian males are typically 170-180cm in height. Needless to say, Knickers’ 194cm is quite a bit above the top of this range.
So, Knickers is indeed a very big cow. Which, strangely, even the Washington Post admits in the article text itself.
DON'T YOU MILKSHAKE DUCK KNICKERS YOU MONSTERS— Katharine Clark Gray (@KatieGonzo) November 28, 2018
(Source: The Guardian)
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