A curious cattle beast has captured the attention of Christmas Day travellers, after poking its head and most of its body out the top of a truck making its way north on State Highway 1 near Auckland's Harbour Bridge.

The beast is now the star of a Tik Tok video posted by user kalseyjay with the caption "Vegans rise up" and hashtagged #freedom.

The footage, which also shows the beast seemingly just clearing the sign indicating the Onewa Rd exit, had 453,000 likes and more 5000 comments - although many of those commenting expressed sadness.

"He just wants to be free and all of y'all are making fun of him not wanting to die. So sad. Where has all the compassion gone?," wrote one.

But others pointed out the beast might not be doomed.

"For all the city girls, just because an animal is in a trailer that doesn't mean it's going to slaughter. The comment section is so laughable."

The footage is also set to Fleetwood Mac's Dreams, which recently had a renaissance after a US man posted a clip of himself sipping a cranberry juice and lip syncing to the 1970s hit as he skateboarded to work after his car broke down.

The video went viral and Dreams entered the Top 10 on Billboard's streaming songs chart, earning 16.1m US streams in the week ending October 15.