Beautiful animals never get out of mode. The internet seems to accept been built on cat pictures, and despite the fact that it's been years since the popularity of Caturday, our curiosity about animals hasn't changed.

When I ran across pictures of fluffy cows on Twitter (#fluffycows), I wanted to discover out all I could about these cows. Who wouldn't, after seeing pictures of them looking like big, huggable teddy bears?

Subsequently a little online sleuthing, I traced the fluffy cows back to Iowa. Lautner Farms, based in Adel, is home to the original fluffy moo-cow that started the social media sensation. Possessor Matt Lautner specializes in genetics for lodge calves (baby fluffy cows), which iv-H kids raise to show at their county fairs and livestock shows.

The original "fluffy cow" photo was of a cross-bred balderdash named "Texas Tornado" taken at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. But why was Texas Tornado so fluffy?

Stephanie Steck, advertising specialist for Lautner Farms, explains that these furry cows don't always look this fashion. Behind each i is a family working together year-round to make these animals look their best.

"This requires the youth showman to wash, rummage and accident dry out their animals' long pilus daily – sometimes twice a mean solar day. Before the show, these animals are treated to a day at the 'salon,' where they employ hair sprays, oils and clippers to cut, way and fluff up the hair. This is all in an endeavour to earn the attending of a judge, who evaluates the animals – not just for presentation of hair, but for other claim like carcass quality (for market animals) or breeding traits (for heifers and bulls)," Steck said.

On top of all the care from families, "Those pictures were taken this wintertime, when it's the coldest time of the twelvemonth, and then he was really hairy," Steck said.

You might see extra fuzzy cows in the winter, but it takes more than stylish hair to keep animals warm. Farmers brave the elements to make sure their animals are healthy and happy, from keeping them cool in the rut of summer to keeping them warm in the bitter common cold of winter. Rest bodacious, both accident-dried cows and more "regular" cows are raised with care.

farmer feeding a calf

While we go to look at fluffy cow pictures under a coating from inside our warm homes, farmers are exterior in the common cold keeping their animals warm and happy. From plowing miles of roads to proceed livestock fed to building windbreaks out of bales (not to mention checking on their animals hourly), you tin exist sure that cows of all shapes, sizes, and breeds (even the less fluffy ones) are the stars of the show on cattle farms.

Want proof? Look no farther than dairy farmer Megan, who used this TikTok video to evidence how she keeps the cattle warm on her subcontract.

But what is the deal with these insanely fluffy cows? Can all cows be fluffy? It's a combination of hard work from farm families every day, the right time of year, and the correct genetics. And so if you meet Texas Tornado or another fluffy moo-cow, you can be sure that he (or she) is getting treated similar a model, with hair treatments, special diets, and all sorts of special preparation.

The proper noun "fluffy cows" didn't come from Lautner Farms. In fact, bulls are males, and cows are females, so Texas Tornado isn't even a cow at all, technically speaking.

"I think we would be a little bit more responsible if we were going to proper name it," Steck said. "But for those who don't know, information technology's a expert entryway into real conversations about show cattle and beefiness production in general. Nosotros are hoping to encompass that part of it."

Steck said Lautner Farms is using the "fluffy cows" trend to start a conversation with consumers about modern-mean solar day cattle farming and how cattle provide and then much for our lifestyles, from steaks to beef byproducts similar insulin for diabetics.

Iowans who are interested in taking part in that conversation can contact the Iowa Farm Animal Care (IFAC) Coalition, if they have any questions about animal care. IFAC's goal is ensuring that every Iowa farm animal receives proper, humane animate being care – whether that's a fluffy show cow or a more normal (but withal adorable) cow you see on the pasture.

To follow the latest fluffy cow photos and news from Lautner Farms, visit world wide web.twitter.com/@fluffycowzz.

And while you (and I) might want to, please don't pet or hug the fluffy cows.