Why do dairy cows mount each other when they are in heat?

Question

I worked as a hired hand on a dairy farm not too long ago and noticed that when the cows went into heat they mounted the other cows in the stable. In fact it was how the farmer knew it was time to inseminate them. To me it seemed like some kind of prison behavior. Does anyone know the reason for this?

Answer 1

sorry it is a little complicated!

http://www.globalclassroom.org/hshoe.htm...

Answer 2

trying to find a bull that would respond to their overtures of wanting to be bred. Believe it or not they used to let the bulls take care of the breeding.