Major League Eating -- the competitive eating org that brought you food-guzzling superstars like Joey Chestnut, Matt Stonie and Takeru Kobayashi -- wants to eat him.

"Knickers" has become a viral sensation after reports pegged his height and weight at 6'4" and 2,800 pounds. He's a beast.

The MLE says it believes the animal could be too large to handle at a normal meat processing facility ... so they'd like to help out -- but butchering him and serving him themselves at an outdoor BBQ.

"Knickers is an extraordinary Holstein and we hope to pay honor by eating him in historic fashion," MLE Chair George Shea said.

"As a point of clarification, we would not consume the stomach because none of our eaters care for tripe."

So ... how many of the MLE's best eaters would it take to finish off good ole, Knickers??

The org estimates it'll take 20(!!!!) of it's best food fighters -- plus donut eating world champion Badlands Booker.