Carrie Underwood went vegetarian after discovering cows had feelings.

The country singer grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and seeing the cows mooing forlornly when they were separated from their herd upset her so much she gave up meat.

She told The Guardian newspaper: ''The worst part of the year for me was when we took some off to sell, because they would cry for each other for a couple of days. That's why I don't eat meat.

''Growing up where I grew up it was hard to cut out meat altogether. It was really when I move away and I was doing my own shopping that I could be vegetarian.''

The 'Before He Cheats' singer enjoyed her rural upbringing, but confesses it wasn't quite as physical as it sounds.

Asked whether she ever did any manual labour, she told the Guardian newspaper: ''When I was needed, but I wasn't waking up at 4am. We only had cows.

''There were many times when the fence would be down and the cows always got out when dad was gone. Mum and I would have to go and get them back in.''