Don't forget 1.13/1.14 only accept one entity for the /data command, so you must use "execute as @e[type=cow, distance=..5] run data merge entity @s {Silent:1b}" instead of "data merge entity @e[type=cow, distance=..5] {Silent:1b}"
Also, you don't need "as @e[type=item...]", only putting "at" will do the job
0
/gamerule doMobSpawning false
0
Did you read the thread?
1.13/1.14:
execute as @e[type=item, name=Silence] at @s data merge entity @e[type=cow, distance=..5, limit=1] {Silent:1b}
1.12:
execute @e[type=item, name=Silence] ~ ~ ~ entitydata @e[type=cow,r=5,c=1] {Silent:1b}
0
1.13/1.14:
execute as @e[type=item, name=Silence] at @s data merge entity @e[type=cow, distance=..5] {Silent:1b}
1.12:
execute @e[type=item, name=Silence] ~ ~ ~ entitydata @e[type=cow,r=5] {Silent:1b}
0
execute as @e[type=armor_stand, name=Silence] at @s data merge entity @e[type=cow, distance=..5] {Silent:1b}
stuff it in a command block (repeating, always active)
and now, whenever you put a armor stand named 'Silence' in a 5 block radius of a cow, the cow will be silenced.
Bada-Bing, Bata-Boom