RWC: Richie, we have a bone to pick with you

Richie McCow is preparing for his RWC role. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Richie McCow picked the All Blacks for victory and got it wrong - but at least he was patriotic, his owner says.

Kyle Underwood still has faith in the young bull and said he would rather Richie was loyal than right.

"Imagine a black and white cow not going for the All Blacks and choosing Australia - that would not have gone down well," Mr Underwood said.

As a test-run for his World Cup predictions, Richie last week chose black to win the Tri-Nations game.

But while many of the All Blacks' fans lost heart - the calf did not.

A number of his supporters posted messages on the Support Richie McCow Facebook page, which now has more than 650 "likes".

"Oh Richie, you got the prediction wrong. I still love you, thank God you aren't going to end up at the meat works," Margriet Van Weersel said.

Arguably New Zealand's most famous cow, Richie was swamped at the Pet & Animal Expo in Auckland at the weekend by fans who milked the chance to get up close and personal with the cow.

He raised more than $250 for the SPCA with his fans giving gold coin donations to pat him or get their picture taken with Richie.

This week Richie is back on the farm before returning to World Cup predictions for the Herald.