Cow Appreciation Day 2020: History, Significance of This Day And How it is Celebrated

The cow is a sturdy animal with many uses, and in some parts of the world, like India and Nepal it is considered sacred. While some raise cattle for their meat, milk and hide, which is used for making leather, others keep them as pets. Even in this day and age, they are still considered to be an important asset of man, so it is only fair that they have a Cow Appreciation Day that is marked on every second Tuesday of July. This year, Cow Appreciation Day 2020, which is usually celebrated in the US, falls on July 14.

The cattle have been playing a unique role in human history and are said to have been domesticated as early as the neolithic age. They became one of the first livestock animals to have a fully mapped genome in 2009. A team of researchers led by the National Institutes of Health and the US Department of Agriculture found that cattle have about 22,000 genes, and 80 per cent of their genes are shared with humans.

History of Cow Appreciation Day:

The first time the day was marked was in 2004 and it was created by Chick-Fil-A, one of the largest American fast food restaurant chains whose specialty is chicken sandwiches. It came about after its humorous ‘Eat Mor Chikin’ marketing campaign, which began in 1995. The idea behind the ad campaign was that cows want people to eat more chicken than beef. Also Read – Not Only Cow Urine, World is Falling Prey to Methanol, Volcanic Ash to Fight Coronavirus.

Significance of Cow Appreciation Day:

The day highlights the importance of cows in our lives, not only for the milk and meat that they provide, but for the work they do on farms like pulling carts and ploughs. They are also helpful when it comes to growing things, as their dung can be used as manure or as fuel. This day is important because it brings about awareness about all the good things we can get from a cow and how we need to take care of it.

How Cow Appreciation Day is Celebrated:

Usually in the US, people dress up in cow attire and visit a Chick-Fil-A where they are given free food. But this year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the usual celebration has been postponed keeping in mind the safety of the customers and restaurant workers.

Source: The article is extracted from India.com, July 13, 2020.