YOU SAID:
the cow and its mother was sitting in the barnyard
INTO JAPANESE
牛とその母親は納屋に座っていました
BACK INTO ENGLISH
The cow and his mother were sitting in the barn
INTO JAPANESE
牛と母親は納屋に座っていました
BACK INTO ENGLISH
The cow and mother were sitting in the barn
INTO JAPANESE
牛と母親は納屋に座っていました
BACK INTO ENGLISH
The cow and mother were sitting in the barn
That didn't even make that much sense in English.