The herd mentality can be contagious. One member of the herd freaking out can set off a chain reaction that casts the entire herd into mayhem, even when something minor incites it. That was the case ...

The cows seem to know when to get out at the most inopportune times, Jenny Schlecht says. At those times, she remembers her childhood veterinarian's mantra: "They're just cows." It's easy to get ...