Cows Eating Less, but Gaining Weight (IMAGE) University of Missouri-Columbia Caption Cows eat at a special bunk, or trough, that records how much they eat and how long they stand at the bunk. MU Researcher Monty Kerley says that if farmers can selectively breed cattle, they could cut their feed costs by as much as 40 percent. Credit University of Missouri Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.