When you go cow tipping is it true if they fall over they die?

Question

Im not saying i ever would do it, but my coworker told me that they could die if you tipped them over! Yeah, why would you want to piss off an animal 6 times your weight

ok...im not embarrassed to ask it, im just wondering!

Answer 1

No, they wont die. I grew up in Iowa, so I know all about cow tipping. Someone always helps them up too, so dont worry about them starving or getting dehydrated. I wouldn't suggest doing it though, because one if you upset them then you are screwed (they are alot faster than you think) and two, its not as easy to tip them as they show it in the movies!

Answer 2

The Science of Cow Tipping

It's a long-standing belief that if you sneak up on a cow while they're sleeping and push their big bodies on one side really hard, a cow will literally tip over. This is the drunken redneck game called "Cow Tipping." I have never seen anyone try it, but I've heard stories. Many guys have told me that they successfully tipped a cow by themselves. I'm a skeptic, and I've always had my doubts. These stories of such amazing achievement have always had one constant: the cow tipper in question is always drunk.

Is it really possible to push a 1400 pound cow over? If so, why the hell would anyone want to do such a thing?

Dr. Margo Lillie, zoologist for the University of British Columbia, and her student, Tracy Boechler, have decided to use real facts and good math to see if cow tipping is indeed possible.

Here are all the variables:

The Redneck: Take a 6 foot man, with the average horizontal push force of 656 newtons of force. He must be stealthy, and swift. I find this impossible, as the rednecks that partake in this activity are usually wasted.

The Cow: Average weight of a cow, 1400 pounds. Here's another misconception - cows don't sleep standing up, like horses do. If they're standing up, they're usually just taking a power nap. If the drunk redneck were to accidentally attempt to tip a bull...all hell would break loose and THAT would be fun to watch.

According to Dr. Lillie, to tip a cow that's 24.3 degrees relative to the ground, it would take 2910 newtons of force. That's too much force for one person, very possible with 4.3 people. Other calculations showed that's perhaps two strong people could do it, on a small cow, but only if the cow remained absolutely still and the drunk athletes exerted amazing force simultaneously. They did not allow for moonshine to enter their equation.

So for those rednecks and other morons out there wanting to try cow tipping, solid physics and math shows that while it's possible to do it...it will take a clear mind, a sharp push, and the ability to sneak up on a dozing cow. All these factors make it extremely tough to do. I highly recommend discontinuing the cow tipping efforts and focus on another more accessible sport.

However to answer your question more directly:

Cow-tipping can not only injure the cow, it can very well kill it. That's why many farm-oriented communities and states have laws against cow-tipping. When the cow is tipped over, all of its weight shifts, and sometimes the cow's head gets inadvertantly shoved into the ground, which will cause it to sufficate. Cow-tipping doesn't always wake the cow up, which is why it could suffocate after the fact. Other times, the tip over will result in broken ribs, which can fracture and pierce vital organs, making it bleed out from the inside. Sometimes when the cow is tipped over it will land right on its neck and break it. Other times the tipping will result in a broken leg or two, at which point the very irrate owner will have to put it down. Cow tipping is a cruel thing to do...while not all cows die from it, many have complications and life-threatening injuries as a result. You should think twice about doing such a thing...not only will the animal's life potentially be snuffed out unexpectedly, but then the owner will lose money, as cows are a vital source of income for some farmers, not to mention the owner will have to probably buy another one.

Answer 3

No it is not true. and cow tipping is a bit of a myth.
1. It is very hard to sneak up on a sleeping cow.
2. It takes more than one person to push a cow over. They do weigh a bit.
3. A lot of cows sleep lying down.
4. If you do manage to tip said cow over, They go Moooo! at the top of their voices and then get up and run away.

Answer 4

OK, first when I'm done beating my head against the desk... please don't ask that out loud in front of people.

Second - I knew a couple guys who were idiots in high school (they admit to it). I lived in the country - they lived in the city. Sure enough, after a late night they were driving home past the nearby farm and saw all the cows... They decided to see if it was true. In their own words "Yes, you can tip a cow over.. but what no one tells you is that it wakes up and is MAD!" Apparantly they broke the olympic record for running across a pasture and hurtling over a barbed wire fence.

My pals the Idiots. Please go to snopes.com before asking anything else. It'll save you embarassment.

Answer 5

No, they don't die. But, it actually doesn't work the way everyone says that it does. Not all cows are sleeping standing up and not all of them will fall over. I'm happy that you're not planning to do it:)

Answer 6

As an animal activist I don't find that funny. And yes, they will die if you tip them over. They have a hard time getting off their sides cause of their weight.

Answer 7

They could ... they can break a rib or similar.

Most of the time, you just piss them off. Do you really want to piss off an animal that is 6 times your weight?

Answer 8

The cows' digestive system is made to function when the cow is standing up. If the cow falls over and doesn't get back up, it can cause digestive complications that could eventually lead to death, I understand.

Answer 9

Cow tipping is a myth. Cows do not sleep standing up.

Answer 10

If they fall on you, YOU die.