When the cows are lying down...

Posted by ESC on April 23, 2009 at 21:40

In Reply to: When the cows are lying down... posted by ESC on April 18, 2009 at 21:20:

: : : : Where did the expression "When the cows are lying down, it means it is going to rain" come from?

: : : From the belief (widespread in Britain) that cows lie down if they sense rain on the way. (VSD)

: : Widespread, but wrong.

: : DFG

: People say it in the United States too, according to this:

: When cattle lie down as they are put to pasture, rain is on its way. (False)

: A cow with its tail to the west, makes weather the best; A cow with its tail to the east, makes weather the least. (True) This New England saying has much truth in it, for an animal grazes with its tail to the wind...Inasmuch as an east wind is a rain wind and a west wind is a fair wind, the grazing animal's tail becomes a weather sign.

: Folklore of American Weather by Eric Sloane, Duell, Sloan and Pearce, New York, 1963,Page 33-34

On Monday, driving through horse country in Kentucky -- I saw cows lying down in the rain. Just thought I'd mention it.