With all the awful news that is being reported these days, we think it’s important to offset the tragedy with a sprinkle of awe-inspiring stories. And, what’s more awe-inspiring than a REALLY big cow?

(The answer is “nothing,” in case you were wondering.)

Today, we present you with Knickers, a world-famous bovine whose massive size is getting him a lot of attention. In fact, he’s gotten so much attention, that the cattle farmers that own him refuse to send him to the slaughterhouse. And, it’s not just because he’s a celebrity, it’s because he’s just too dang BIG to eat!

But–and, this is a big but–it seems that the fabled tale of this gargantuan cow has been taken a smidge out of context. In an article written by The Washington Post, we learn quite a few important things about Knickers true size.

For one, although Knickers has been referred to by thousands of publications (including us!) as a “giant Australian cow,” he is really a steer. Now, in case you’re not well-versed in bovine speak, cows are actually female–something that Knickers decidely is NOT. So, to call him a “giant Austrailian cow” is not quite accurate; he’s actually a “giant Australian steer.”

Onto the next point–Knickers’ size. What originally gave Knickers his title of “giant Australian cow” is his very impressive stats. Believe it or not, this steer stands at 6’4” and weighs in at a whopping 2,800 pounds. As The Washington Post gleefully points out, Knickers is “two inches taller than Arnold Schwarzenegger” and weighs as much as “14-and-a-half Danny DeVitos.”

That being said, the famous photo of Knickers towering above his other bovine friends doesn’t exactly serve as an accurate indicator of his true size. You see, Knickers is a Holstein, a breed which can easily grow to just under 6 feet tall. Apparently, all of Knickers’ friends are part of the Wagyu breed, which typically only grow to about 4.5 feet.

To explain his size even further, Knickers is a 7-year-old steer, a ripe old age that, unfortunately, most steers never get to experience. As it turns out, cattle farmers tend to slaughter these animals around the time they hit their third birthdays, which means that the animals rarely get the chance to put on all of the extra weight that Knickers has. Sad, but true!

But, all of these technicalities aside, we readily admit that Knickers’ size is an extraordinarily impressive sight to behold. As a matter of fact, it’s really something that you have to see for yourself to believe. Lucky for you, we have footage of this gargantuan steer that, we think, is pretty awe-inspiring.

To see Knickers in action, be sure to watch the video below. Now, that’s a big cow. Er, we mean, steer!

We’d love to hear your take on Knickers the giant steer. Do you think his size is impressive? Are you surprised that his big build saved him from the slaughter house? Have you ever seen a larger steer?