A 6ft 4in cow from Illinois has been named the tallest in the world.
Blosom, a 13-year-old Holstein Friesian cow, is owned by Patty Hanson and lives on her ranch in Orangeville.
Patty and Blosom posed for their official Guinness World Record photo this week.
Blosom reaches the shoulder of Hanson, who is actually taller than Bulls star Derrick Rose.
She’s so big that Blosom barely fits in the chute for the foot trimmer.
She said she knew Blosom was special when she was a calf.
After learning the cow could not give birth to a calf, she decided to keep her as a pet.
“Blosom is the pride of the farm,” said Hanson. ‘I love sharing her with my guests and she loves welcoming them.
‘Many of my guests are from the city, and having an official cow welcome them adds to the ambiance of the farm.
Blosom is so popular that she even has her own Facebook page.
Hanson said she sought the record after veterinarians and cow trimmers repeatedly noted the massive size of the 2,000lb animal.
At the end of May, family and friends began documenting Blosom’s mass through photos and video.
Her official measurements were taken by a veterinarian from the Orangeville Department of Animal Health.
Hanson received an email in mid-August saying Blosom had been awarded the honor.
Blosom turns 13 in July.
Hanson said she wants to turn Blosom’s story into a children’s book one day.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the shortest cow is Blaze, measuring 69.07 cm (2 ft 3.19 in) from hoof to shoulder, verified in Sanford, Florida.
Blaze is an eight-year-old miniature Zebu, born on September 12, 2005 and owned by Steven DeMoor and Christian Agnew.
In 2008, a black and white Friesian bullock weighing more than a ton and about the same height as a small elephant vie for the crown in the United Kingdom.
Its owner contacted the Guinness Book of Records saying it was 6ft 6in tall.
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