Why did this cow’s hip make history?

Grace, a Brown Swiss cow, was in tremendous pain. She was just shy of five months old when she fell off the back of a truck. Immediately after, another stroke of bad luck hit her – a car collision. Her injuries, which included a dislocated hip, were critical. Fortunately, Grace received a second chance at life. In the process, she made history.

At the site of the accident, Grace was extremely vocal. It was obvious that she needed medical help. Grace was transported to Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, where she became the very first cow to receive a hip transplant. After surgery, Grace arrived at Asher’s Farm Sanctuary with a new skip in her step, moo’ing profusely as if to thank her helpers. “Go meet a cow, go see for yourself, they all have personalities,” Mikayla Karayiannis, a caretaker at Asher’s, says.

If the accident didn’t happen, it’s likely that Grace would have been auctioned. Her breed of cow is the second largest used for dairy farming. Once they stop producing milk, they’re sold to become meat at the young age of four, only a fifth of their average lifespan. Cows never forget this suffering. “All have feelings of fear, of love,” Karayiannis says. Now, Grace can live a long and loving life under the care of those who value her welfare. Animals are sentient beings. They deserve our respect.