>>Someone told me that the skin of some black and white cows change to brown and white in warmer weather. Is this true, or is somebody pulling my leg? If it is true, why does it happen?

>>

>>Thanks in advance.





Hmmm...depends on what exactly they are saying. If they mean that the hair coat itself turns brown, that can indeed be true. The sun "bleaches" the hair so that its actually just a dull black/brown instead of a bright glossy black. This happens in all animals, including humans. The sun damages to hair shaft. When they shed out that coat and grow a new one - either winter or summer, it will be black again until the sun repeats the cycle and bleaches it out again.



If they mean that the skin itself changes color, then no, that does not happen. You can get sunburn on exposed skin or skin that is under thin, white hair but that's about it.
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PH Cody

HorseHobbyist Site Coordinator

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