Ever wonder what types of weird things dairy farmers and cattle ranchers buy to help them do their job?

Cow magnets.

And, no, these aren’t cute little magnets in the shape of a cow that say “Bessie” on them. These phallic devices are used to help prevent “Hardware Disease,” a common ailment that occurs when the cows ingest metal while feeding (from staples, bits of bailing wire, etc.). When Hardware Disease hits, the cows lose their appetite and stop making milk or gaining weight. So what do these cow magnets do?

“Cow magnets help prevent this disease by attracting stray metal from the folds and crevices of the rumen and reticulum.”

Yes, but how do they work?

According to one commenter: “[T]he magnets are administered orally… the magnet stays in the cow’s stomach, keeping the hardware in a (relatively) safe clump.”

Well, there you go, then.

(via)