My young daughter has a questions how do cows scratch and itch on their back?

our cows and bulls have what we call oilers, it is two posts with a rope or cable in between from post to post and it is wrapped with rag material soaked in oil or diesel and they go under it to scratch and get rid of flies, the oil gets on the back and keeps flies off, in the winter it used just for scratching....there is also a manufactured one that you can buy that is on a stand that does the same thing for scratching and you fill it with oil..........they also will rub on a tree or building or anything they can get to, that is why the oilers work best, then they dont tear up fences and etc......

If you go real close to a cow, you will see tiny insects on the animals, these insects eat fleas/mites and keeps the animal itch/scratch free. Also, some cows have long tails and can swing it on the itchy spot

They love to find trees with low branches or big bushes where they can scratch their backs. Some farmers also hang a low rope with a heavy canvas bag full of fly repellant attached to it. The cows soon learn to walk under this to scratch their back and rub on the fly powder. It works.

Usually, in the wild, they will find a tree limb or bush to rub against. Some ranchers provide rubbing posts that are basically two posts set in the ground with another board or post across them. In areas with only low brush, you will find 'wallows' or areas where the ground is not so rocky that are literally wallowed out from cows and horses laying down and rolling similar to what your dog will on do the lawn.

I've seen some cows throw their heads close to the tops of their backs. It's crazy how limber they are. They tend to get the 'itch' with their tails, but if it is really bad they throw that head of their's up and take care of it. But if they have a post, tree, bush, or even good ole ground they may go that route.

They use their tails to get rid or flies and annoying insects, they scratch their backs on trees or low hanging branches.

They can actually use their back hooves to scratch the tops of their necks, with great difficulty.

Full grown cows cant roll over, they are too fat and boney, i think its horses your thinking of.

They rolll on the ground, the grass, they rub up again branches & trees & they rub up against other cows & they scratch each others itches.

Do cows actually itch on their backs?

I have seen them flip their tails onto their backs but I thought they were swishing flys away.

Most likely they would rub aganst a tree/fence/another cow because they cannot scratch themselves.

They sometime use branches on tree's to scratch there back. That is what there tail are for to chase flies