Every now and again, stories in The Western Producer call for the use of Latin names for plants and animals. A relatively small percentage of farmers and ranchers are fluent in Latin, we assume, but there are certain situations where specifics are required. Brassica rapa and brassica napus, to distinguish between Polish and Argentine canola, for example.
It would hinder understanding if we referred to wheat as triticum vulgare, horses as equus caballus and cattle as bos taurus, so we limit their use in copy.
“Hickory dickory dock, the mus mus domesticus ran up the clock …”
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“Little boy blue, come blow your horn, the ovis ammon’s in the meadow, the bos taurus is in the zea mays … .”
On the other hand, among the beauties of Latin names are their specific nature. One can nail down an exact variety of species through kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species.
Let us take some poetic licence here to consider a few varieties of milk cows, as an example; those single beasties mostly of days gone by that were kept near the farmyard to supply daily milk for the family.
If memory serves, on our ranch she was known by turns as Bossy, Bessie, Buttercup and Beazlebub.
Bos donovan bailyus: Cow that runs speedily in the other direction when someone comes to fetch her from the pasture.
Bos daveridgewayus: Saskatchewan cow experienced in place-kicking the milkpail.
Bos buttercup stinkweedus: The cow that makes stinkweed a staple of the pasture diet, and such is apparent in the taste of her milk.
Bos natal aquarius: Cow born under astrological sign causing her to invariably deliver a calf into the nearest water body.
Bos hemperama: Dancing cow whose foot must be tied with sturdy twine to the nearest fence for the safety of the chore person.
Bos udderly carefree: Cow who likes the warm feeling of a freshie against her udder, requiring liberal cleaning at chore time.
Bos methusaleh: “young milk cow” bought from a neighbor that can probably recall the trip over on the ark with the other animals.
Bos fizzy burpus: The milk cow on the box of Cow Brand baking soda.
