The rectangular cows of Art UK (2018)

And the beef cattle industry ideal shape has evolved over time as well. In the past that rectangle with short stubby legs was what they wanted.

https://onpasture.com/2016/07/04/from-big-to-small-to-big-to...

All 3 parts of this are fascinating.

Now in certain regions cattle are bred for being hardy and general overall health in extreme climates, quantity of beef production vs resources that are put into a herd financially... Such as:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droughtmaster

There is also the aptly named SQUARE MEATER which maintains the rectangular cow aesthetic

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_Meater

“Ideal” is a nice word for arbitrary fashion, literally a herd mentality.

This mirrors what happens with muscle cars, women’s handbags, JavaScript frameworks, and so many other things. The purpose remains ostensibly functional but the real driver is peer group status, to the point that function is totally compromised but the peer group loves it.

Isn’t any philosophy about cows a herd mentality?

So an arbitrary ideal, then? As in, not conforming to 'the' ideal in the sense of some platonic, eternal idea of a cow, but some ideal in the mind of farmers of what they would prefer cows to be.

Ideal with livestock is usually for A reason, not arbitrary.

You don't want stubby legs because they don't breed as easily.

Breeding animals isn't like technology.