Inheritance Generic Invariance C#4 - c#-4.0

Question

I've been searching why this generic contruction doesn't compile
I get:
Cannot implicitly convert type 'WpfApplication1.CowDao' to 'WpfApplication1.Dao'
public abstract class Animal { }
public class Dog : Animal { }
public class Cow : Animal { }
public abstract class Dao<T> where T : Animal
{
public void Insert(T t);
}
public class DogDao : Dao<Dog> { }
public class CowDao : Dao<Cow> { }
public class Main
{
public Main()
{
Dao<Animal> dao = null;
if (true) dao = new DogDao();
else dao = new CowDao();
}
}
I just want to get to my goal --> making a 'neutral' instance
I think that my construction has to change, but i don't know how
I'm using .NET Framework 4
Thanks

Answer 1

Generics from a derived does not inherit from Generic from a base class so you may not cast one to another. Instead, write an extension method ToGenericParent that converts like that:
public static Generic<Parent> ToGenericParent(this Generic<Derived> derived)
{
return new Generic<Parent>() { Value = derived.Value };
}

Answer 2

Change your Inheritance for your Dao layers as
public class DogDao : Dao<Animal> { }
public class CowDao : Dao<Animal> { }
Edit:
public abstract class Dao<T> where T : Animal
{
public virtual void Insert(T t)
{
}
protected void ExecuteQuery(string quer)
{
}
}
public class DogDao : Dao<Dog>
{
public override void Insert(Dog t)
{
string insert = "INSERT INTO DOG ...";
base.ExecuteQuery(insert);
}
}
public class CowDao : Dao<Cow>
{
public override void Insert(Cow t)
{
string insert = "INSERT INTO COW ...";
base.ExecuteQuery(insert);
}
}