Name Your Cows
I know a dog named Steven.
I think the fact that his name is Steven, and not Rover or Cuddles or Pancake or Mr. SnoopyPants, makes me treat him differently. A little more like a human. You can't help but do that with a dog named Steven.
In 2009 the Ig Nobels Veterinary Medicine prize went to the team that proved cows with names produced more milk than cows without names. It wasn't the name itself that made the cows super-productive, it was the extra attention and affection that went along with having a name.
And yes, those more productive cows were probably all raised on smaller farms and would have gotten more individual care and love than a much larger dairy operation even if they hadn't been given a name. But, I think the power of of a name works the other way around as well.
It's the reason why your parents wouldn't let you name the kitten that followed you home until after they decided you could keep him. We all know that naming something means giving it a personality, a certain amount of importance, and a permanent place in your memory.
I think that naming things is a bit of secret weapon in life. I know that when I name my car it inspires me to take better care of it. Now I think I'm going to start naming big projects that I'm working on. I'll name them things like "Jake" and "Matilda." And I just named my video camera Bess. Bess works well as a name for both a camera and a cow, in my opinion.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend, and please be safe, especially if you're traveling!
Here's a little homework assignment for you: This weekend, name something in your life that you'd like to pay more attention to or be more involved with. And please tell us what it is, and what you named it!
-Brigitte
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Comments
romeo Friday, April 02, 2010
i just named one of my flutes goetia
Joe436 Saturday, April 03, 2010
I name my plants. Jasper and Agamemnon. Sadly it hasn't helped with keeping them from slowly dying. I water them, play music for them, but nothing helps. Tips of leaves are turning brown. Any chance you can post a blog about how to take care of a plant of bring one back to life?
DogsMom Saturday, April 03, 2010
I will have to give this serious thought. The first names that come to mind when I contemplate my largest looming projects do not impell me to want to spend more time with them and give attention to detail.
I guess I can call the walls I need to scrub Sally and Sully and Shirl. That way when I feel I have given enough attention to one, I can switch my attention to another and be refreshed?
Frederico Saturday, April 03, 2010
My dogs always had people names. The first one was Elizabeth, the other Vitória, and her daughter is Catarina. My friends usually say that it is weird to talk to a dog with this kind of name, or that it is offensive (if their name is the same of a dog's). I find it a compliment. If I named a dog that name it is because I really like the name, and the dog for that matter.
Eric Jaffa Sunday, April 04, 2010
Re "more productive cows"
Cows aren't supposed to be productive.
It's like if you drank monkey milk and then referred to monkeys who make less milk as less productive.
Esther Sunday, April 04, 2010
Inspired by your homework assignment I'm going to name my camera. He has been a bit neglected recently so maybe giving him a name will make me take him with me more often.
There's no doubt he's male, so I'm going to call him Ralph.
Blargal Sunday, April 04, 2010
I almost thought naming a camera would be odd, as it is an inanimate object. Then I realized, I had named my Army tank 'Chaos" back in the 70's.
osumarko Monday, April 05, 2010
I want to name my guitars like B.B. King does but I don't know what name to pick. Maybe I should name one Brigitte.;)