Journey through a cow

About this episode

The episode explores the intricate journey through a cow, highlighting the interactions between humans, cattle, and their environment.

A farmer, a cheesemaker, a philosopher and a scientist take us on a guided tour through a cow. Told in five acts, this programme weaves together the voices of our four guides - artist-philosopher Samar Nasrullah Khan, cheesemaker Peter Dixon, farmer Nikki Yoxall and Professor of Animal Science and Microbiology Sharon Huws. They take us on a journey from deep in the soil, through a plant, into a cow’s mouth, through her four stomach compartments – home to vast civilisations of bacteria, protozoa and fungi – and, of course, out the other end. Finally, the cow is milked and her dung is devoured by microorganisms, who turn it back into soil – starting the cycle again. Part documentary, part creative interpretation, the programme uses field recordings to immerse us in the multi-species communities we encounter along the way. These mingle with the voice of the cow herself, and those of our human guides, who explain and reflect on the interactions and transformations occurring at each stage. Humans and cattle have co-evolved. Over thousands of years, we have harnessed, exploited and relied on their ability to transform protein-poor plants into milk and dung, providing nourishment for…

People in this episode

Host: Katie Revell

Guests: Samar Nasrullah Khan, Peter Dixon, Nikki Yoxall, Sharon Huws

Topics covered

• agriculture
• philosophy
• microbiology
• sustainability
• animal science

Keywords

• cow
• cheesemaking
• bacteria
• soil
• milk

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC Radio 4

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