Yes the cows were in the road, that actually happens sometimes in cow country. It also might be a horse or a tractor, that’s why you keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone.
Yeah. I’ve had to follow a lot of farm equipment on my commute (central KY - lots of farming). But every cow I’ve seen in the road was one that got out of the pasture. People transport them in trailers.
For me, hitting a cow is like hitting a deer.