Differences Between Cows Vs. Buffalos

Cows Vs Buffalo

Introduction

Animal fights are the most notable and exciting fights to watch. It is not about only the strong ones who win as there are no weapons used here. We are talking about cows and buffaloes; both are very similar, but comparing both will decide one winner. Thus, let us start by exploring some of the facts you might not know about these two animals. 

The difference between cows and buffalos becomes very interesting, taking the context of their uses. In reality, cow and buffalo can be considered two different species, and on the same side, people also use them as standard terms. But apart from this, there are some of the other most essential facts about cows and buffalos that we can discuss briefly. Let us first introduce both of these mammals with some interesting facts.

Cow
Cow

Buffaloes – Known As Large Mammals

Buffaloes are called large mammals and are members of the Bovidae family. They come in two types – 

  1. American Buffalo – called Cape buffalo
  2. Asian Buffalo – called Water buffalo

So, sometimes buffaloes are confused with other similar animals called Bison, which are related to buffalo. Bison are generally found in North America and are hairy also more extensively than buffalos.

When it comes to the size of a buffalo, it plays an important role when comparing animals. Water buffaloes usually are found more significantly than cape buffaloes having a length of around 8 to 9 feet from head to hind with a massive weight of about 1500 to 2650 lbs (700 to 1200 kg).

cape buffalo, calf, mother-2800389.jpg
Water Buffalo

And when you compare it with the average human body weight, which is 62 kg, you will appreciate how heavy this animal is. The African Buffalo is a bit smaller in size but still is quite impressive.

Some Interesting Facts About Buffaloes

Water buffalo is a tame animal as it has been a pet in some parts of Asia. When talking about African Buffalo, buffaloes have sharp horns to hit others animally when anyone disturbs them. They even hit each other with horns while fighting. 

Buffaloes are known as harmful animals as they hit about 200 people per year with their horns. They are known for attacking other animals even in larger crowds and sometimes kill them.

Buffaloes of all types typically are in black, having a cow-like appearance, and are more prominent in the physique when compared to other cattle animals.

  • Cape buffaloes have shaped thick horns along with particular down and upward curves.
  • Wild Asian Buffalo has slender horns having upward curves.
  • Their sweat glands are present on their skin, making them have more heat generation within their bodies. And so, they prefer to live around water areas during day time.
  • Buffalos also like to put mud on their body to keep their body cool.

So these were some brief information about buffaloes; let us introduce cows and some of their amazing facts.

Cow – Reproductive Cattle

Cows are mammalian females known as reproductive cand fertile cattle. Cows are from the same Bovidae family as Buffaloes. They are social animals hence making them easy to domesticate. They are essential animals as they provide us meat and milk. When spoken in terms of size, there are many sizes of different breeds of cows. Chianina is a giant breed of cow that is impressive at 2 meters and weighs more than 1700 kg. 

Some Amazing Facts About Cows

Cows are found in smaller sizes and express fewer aggressions when compared to other animals. Cows do not have any prominent horns, but sometimes they may get blunt or small horns. 

Cows do not have a hump, and their reproductive system makes them most important, comprising of two ovaries and uterus opening to external by Vulva.

Cows urinate to back, and when it comes to heat, you can find mucus secretion from Vulva that is a significant feature for detecting heat. One female cow gives birth to one calf in a year, and until the calf is ready to get weaned, lactation continues. 

So that was brief information about cows and buffaloes, but who will win – cow or buffalo in terms of comparison?

Cow Vs. Buffalo Fight

The cow is no match in reality with buffalo. Buffaloes can tackle harmful and dangerous animals or have even killed some of their predators. It can even attack a lion, or there need several lions together to kill one mature buffalo.

  • The Buffalo can fight the cow to death with its sharp and strong horns. At the same time, cows cannot hold power and aggressive like buffalo. It would make buffalo a winner if they were to go about one on one with a cow. 
  • Buffalo is separate bovine species, whereas a cow is a female cattle
  • The word ‘cow’ refers to females of any species, but the term ‘buffalo’ refers to water or domestic buffaloes.
  • Buffaloes are domestic as well as wild in their life, while cattle cows are primarily domestic.
  • Cows do not have horns, or if they have, they are smaller in size, whereas buffaloes have more robust and broad horns.
  • Buffaloes are robust and ashy black, while cows are not powerful and come in different colors or sometimes with patterns.

And with this, it is clear that buffaloes win the fight of Cow Vs. Buffalo. But still, several more questions are running through our minds.

Questions And Answers About Cows And Buffalos

Here are some of the exciting things to know about cows and buffaloes. We have answered some little-known questions about them below. 

How does buffalo help people?

As per research, water buffaloes were domesticated 5000+ years ago where humans use milk, horns, leather, and meat of buffaloes. Buffaloes are also helpful for pulling plows and for transportation. Wild buffaloes are endangered before, as per International Union for Conservation of Nature.

How high can buffalos jump?

Buffalo jumps up to 6 feet high. The shaggy behemoth of the great plains and Bison race up to 40mph and jumps high up to 6 feet vertically, where they can quickly attack predators for protecting themselves.

Do you know any fun facts about cows?

Cows chew her cud which means their partially digested food for around 8 hours every day. And dairy cows provide about 90% of the world’s milk supply, and the best ones give 25 gallons of milk per day which mean around 400 milk glasses.

What is the name of a female cow?

Heifer is the female usually referred to as immature females after the birth of her first calf. Thus, a heifer becomes a cow.

How many years a cow lives, and how many times can a cow give birth?

Cow lives between 18 to 22 years, and a single cow can give birth to eight to ten calves in their lifetime.

When do cows stop producing milk?

The cow produces milk in their entire life, but their production peaks at around 40 days after calving, steadily declining until milking stops after about ten months.

Do cows like their owners?

Cows like to be stroked, scratched, and petted behind their ears. They are very loving creatures and welcome communication with kind people. Even people who have mistreated or abused cows forgive them with time and again trust back them.

Do buffaloes drink much water?

Buffaloes mostly drink water during the daytime whereas, at night, buffalo herds will lie down also at rest for some time.

How many times do buffalo get pregnant?

Buffaloe’s breed throughout the year conceiving at 250 to 275 kg of body weight, calve for the first time at 3 to 5 years that follows a gestation period of around 305 to 320 days producing two calves per 3 years.

How much buffalo consume food daily?

The rough estimate of buffaloe is 2.2 to 2.5% of its weight per day if provided a small portion of food, green feed with some concentrate. A milk-producing buffalo can intake good quality food up to 3% of its live weight.

How do farmers impregnate cows?

To make buffaloes produce milk as much as possible, farmers impregnate cows per year by utilizing a ‘rack’ device. A person jams his or her arm far in the cow’s rectum to position or locate the uterus and then forces that device into her to impregnate a cow.

Do cows cry?

Yes, cows do cry in reality, just like human beings do. Cows can also feel emotions, and they call for many reasons. Cows feel pain and can grieve their sadness. The dairy industry artificially inseminates the cows, and after that, they take the calf away from her. At that particular time, they cry and grieve so severely for the loss of their child. Cows can feel and be emotional, which is a fact many of you may not be knowing.