Holy cow! Check out the size of Australia's biggest steer, Knickers

Knickers the steer is a bit on the shy side, but the bovine behemoth tends to stick out from the herd.

As you might have guessed, that is Knickers at the back of the photo — the black and white one with a couple of normal-sized cows sheltering under its belly.

Standing 194cm tall and weighing 1.4 tonnes, the seven-year-old Holstein Friesian is unofficially Australia's biggest steer.

While all that bulk makes it hard for Knickers to blend in, being heavier than a family sedan does have its advantages.

Third generation Myalup cattle farmer Geoff Pearson said Knickers' startling size had saved him a trip to the abattoir.

"It was too heavy. I wouldn't be able to put it through a processing facility," he said.

"So I think it will just live happily ever after."

Knickers cost his owners $400. They bought him as a "coach" — an animal that could take charge of the herd and show them the ropes of life on the farm.

According to Guinness World Records, the tallest steer on the planet can be found in Italy — a 202cm Chianina ox named Bellino.