When cows rise from a laying position, do they stand on their front or back legs first?

The back legs on a cow take all of it's weight, it will sit on it's back haunches, bend the front legs to kneel, then straighten itself up first the back legs then the front. That is why it is usually fatal for them, or for a horse, if it breaks a leg, they have to be put down. They won't be able to use crutches or a plaster cast.

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Originally Posted by padua

When cows rise from a laying position

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Cows don't lay. Hens lay.

Well it's well documented that a cow in the lying position will avoid eye contact. Most of my cows prefer the hand over your hay bales and nobody gets hurt position, or is that a philosophy?

Back of the cow takes all the wait rom the cow and help it sits down

Back first. Horses get up on their front legs first. Sixty percent of a bovine's weight is in the front because of the rumen. So when a cow lays down she gets down on her knees, shuffles forward a little before resting her back end down. When she gets up, she uses momentum in a rocking motion to get her back feet up from under her, then rises with her front feet.

George Leigh, no idea what you're describing there...