Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus./US) crowded together.

1857		Illawarra Mercury (NSW) 23 Nov. 2/6: [W]ith the blessing of God, we'll send for the auld father and mother, an we’ll all live together, like Brown's cows, and be as happy as Larry.
1860		Sth Aus. Advertiser (Adelaide) 6 Jan. 3/2: Still the horse kept his pace, and in a short time the horses were ‘like Brown’s cows,’ all together.
1870		Sydney Mail 26 Mar. 9/7: They seem pretty well tied up together do them there new chaps in the corner, and when tbey go they’ll go all in a lump, like Brown's cows.
1880		Sydney Mail 7 Feb. 268/2: [L]ike Brown's cows, they were bent on getting home together; and [...] tion in regard to the second.
1896		F. Hutcheson Barkeep Stories 163: [A] lot o’ de Dutch all in a bunch togedder like Brown’s cows.

(N.Z.) in chaos; out of order.

1879		Launceston Examiner 28 Oct. 3/4: [P]assengers like to travel indiscriminately like ‘Brown's cows’.
1914		Trans. of Devonshire Assoc. 46 91: ‘They’m all of a heap, like Brown’s cows’.
1922		Truth (Wellington) 21 Oct. 7: Nothing is more annoying to racecourse crowds than to see a field go off like Browns cows, as is always the case when snap-starting is the method used.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 21/2: Brown’s cows in phr. all over the road like Brown’s cows disorderly, disorganised or making a dreadful mess.
1998		R.G. Barrett Mud Crab Boogie (2013) [ebook] By the time Jamieson arrived, with the others spread out and spun out behind him, Les and Billy were [...] fully recuperated. ‘What’s that old expression Billy?’ said Les. ‘Coming in like Brown’s cows?’.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].
2011		J. Clifton Address Book [ebook] Meanwhile, pedestrians wander all over the road like Brown's cows, oblivious to the perilous conditions.

(Aus.) one after another, in a file.

1875		Owen & Murray Advertiser (Vic.) 13 Feb. 4/6: The others came in like Brown's cows, one after another, about a length dividing them all.
1913		Sport (Adelaide) 6 Dec. 9/3: West P. and family left together in a motor [on a pleasure trip last Sunday week, but they all came home like Brown’s cows.