View source for Cow (The Legend of Zelda franchise)

{{italic title|Cow (''The Legend of Zelda'' franchise)}}
{{rewrite}}
{{split|Hateno Cow|Water Buffalo}}
{{species infobox
|name=Cow
|image=[[File:Cow OoT artwork.jpg|200px]]<br>''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' artwork
|first_appearance=''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' ([[1998]])
|latest_appearance=''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild]]'' ([[2017]])
|variants=[[Hateno Cow]]<br>[[Water Buffalo]]
|notable=[[Elsie]]<br>[[Link's Cow]]
|comparable=[[Cow]] ([[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' franchise]])
}}
'''Cows''' are a recurring species in the [[The Legend of Zelda (series)|''The Legend of Zelda'' series]], and are largely similar to {{wp|cattle|real-world counterparts}}. Cows are generally docile and often domesticated to be kept as livestock in farms such as [[Lon Lon Ranch]], and are the source of [[Lon Lon Milk]], let alone [[Milk]]. Cows make their first appearance in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]''.

== History ==
===''The Legend of Zelda'' series===
====''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time''====
[[File:Cow OOT MM model.png|thumb|left|A model of a cow for ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' and ''Majora's Mask'']]
In ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'', Cows (also named '''Lon Lon Cows''') if Link beats the 50-second record in a hurdle race with [[Epona]], [[Malon]] rewards him by sending a [[Link's Cow|cow]] to his house. Cows are also found in [[Hidden Hole]]s throughout Hyrule. Cows are the source of [[Lon Lon Milk|milk]], which contain nutritious healing properties. If [[Epona's Song]] is played within earshot of a cow, it thanks Link for playing song and, if he has an [[Empty Bottle]], provides him with Lon Lon Milk.

In [[Master Quest]], cows can be seen [[Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly]], protruding from the walls and ceiling, without explanation, though possibly eaten as food. When hit with the [[Fairy Slingshot]] or [[Boomerang (The Legend of Zelda franchise)|Boomerang]] they can sometimes trigger events similar to a switch. These cows can still give Link milk when he plays Epona's Song near them. This does not work with the cow located in the water.

====''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask''====
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask]]'', Cows can be found at [[Romani Ranch]]. If Link goes to Romani Ranch during the [[First Day]], [[Romani]] will tell him a story of how [[Them|mysterious creatures]], possibly aliens, come to Romani Ranch once a year to steal their cows. Link can aid her by fighting off the creatures during nighttime. If he successfully manages to stop the creatures from reaching the barn, he is given a bottle of Milk. Additionally [[Romani's Mask]] is based on a cows head and the Milk Bar has a cow theme (such as its cow print bar). 

There are also ten cow bobbleheads that can be found throughout [[Clock Town]]. Their heads will bobble more as the ground starts to shake on the [[Final Day]] or as Link performs a somersault and hits a wall near them. They serve no purpose to the story, but the [[Keaton (Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask)|Keaton]] asks Link how many there are in Clock Town during the [[Keaton Quiz]].

There are five more cows in the game. Two are located in a [[Hidden Hole]] underneath the hollow log south of Clock Town. Two more are hidden in a hole on the [[Great Bay Coast]] cliff. The other is located [[Beneath the Well]].

In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D]]'', Cows are revealed to be the favorite prey of the [[Mooranha]] a brutal species of piranha native to Termina that lives in the [[Swamp Fishing Hole]]. Due to their reputation for attacking Cows they have been dubbed the ''Swampland Cow Killer'' and they cannot resist the sight of a cow as it drives them into a feeding frenzy. Link is able to use its trait of targeting cows to his advantage by wearing [[Romani's Mask]] (which is based on a cow) allowing Link to catch one using the [[Fishing Rod]].

Like in ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'', Link can receive a helping of [[Milk]] if he plays Epona's Song near a cow and has an empty bottle.

====''The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap''====
[[File:Cow TMC sprite.png|left|A Cow from The Minish Cap]] 
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap]]'', Cows can once again be found at Lon Lon Ranch. The game hints that cows are also used for food, as [[Ezlo]] states they look delicious. Link can fuse [[Kinstone]]s with a cow named [[Elsie]].

====''The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild''====
[[File:BotW Hateno Cows (Hateno Village).png|thumb|Hateno Cows in ''Breath of the Wild'']]
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild]]'', cows are featured in the form of two variants: the wild Water Buffalo and the tamed Hateno Cow, which Link can add to [[Hyrule Compendium]] by taking a respective photograph of them with the [[Camera Rune]].

===== Hateno Cow =====
{{quote|Originating in Hateno Village, these cows are kept as livestock primarily for their milk. Their horns are smaller than a water buffalo's, and they're much more docile and therefore easier to raise. Their horns are decorated with bright colors when taken out to pasture.|Hyrule Compendium}}
A breed of cow called Hateno Cows appear in villages such as [[Hateno Village]] and [[Lurelin Village]]. [[Highland Stable]] also raises them. Unlike cows seen in past games, Hateno Cows cannot speak and Link cannot obtain milk from them directly. The description for [[Fresh Milk]] explains that it comes from Hateno Cows and white goats raised in Hateno Village, although the milk bottles only depict a cow. Link can feed cows with [[Hyrule Herb]]s and [[Cool Safflina|Cool]], [[Warm Safflina|Warm]] or [[Electric Safflina|Electric Safflina]] but it serves no purpose. If Link attacks them, they will run away and not attack him.

===== Water Buffalo =====
{{quote|These wild cows come equipped with big, strong horns. They live off grass that grows near the waterfront. Their meat is considered to be high quality, so they're a common target among hunters. Fun fact: the domestic Hateno cows, often raised in villages, was bred through selective breeding using these.|Hyrule Compendium}}
Link can encounter wild breed of cow known as Water Buffalo. The Hateno Cow is descended from Water Buffalo, as it was created through selective breeding of Water Buffalos in Hateno Village to a more docile cow. Water Buffalo tend to live near waterfronts, jungles, and in wetlands. According to the Hyrule Compendium, they are commonly found in [[Lanayru Wetlands]] and [[Akkala Highlands]], though can also be found in the jungles of [[Faron (Breath of the Wild)|Faron]] province and certain areas of [[East Necluda]] and areas of [[Necluda Sea]] such as [[Eventide Island]]. Their meat is considerably high quality and drop [[Raw Prime Meat]] and [[Raw Gourmet Meat]], though they tend to drop Prime Meat more commonly and Gourmet Meat more rarely. The meat they drop makes them a common target for hunters and thus they are the first breed of cow known to be hunted and slaughtered for their meat by Hyrulean hunters. However like Boars, Mountain Bucks, and Mountain Goats, they will try to charge at Link if they sense his presence, though usually prefer to flee rather than fight like most herbivores.

=== ''Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland'' ===
Cows appear as enemies in ''[[Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland]]''.
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==General information==
===Speech===
A cow's most frequent vocalization is a sound similar to "moo." In ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' and ''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'' cows have the ability to speak in a language [[Link]] can understand. In ''The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap'' Link can only understand a Cow's language while in his [[Minish]] form. In ''The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'', cows are incapable of speech and are depicted more realistically, with both domesticated and wild breeds of cow being introduced.

==Profiles==
;'''''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' [[Nintendo Player's Guide]]''' (page 39)
"'''''Lon Lon Cows:'''<br>Cows from the Lon Lon Ranch had a reputation in Hyrule for providing the best tasting milk. In addition to quenching thirst, the milk was rumored to possess special powers.''"

{{OOT}}
{{TMC}}
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time species]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask species]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap species]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild species]]
[[Category:Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland enemies]]