Comparing a Bison vs Cow
The 6 Key Differences Between a Bison vs Cow
The greatest differences between a bison vs cow include their size, body shape, and location. A bison is much larger than a cow, growing up to twice the size of the female bovine. Bison are also taller and longer than cows, too. The bison has a distinct body shape that is punctuated by the large hump on its back, the massive, fur-covered heads, and a somewhat indistinct neck-head area. Cows are smaller than bison, but still have a wide midsection, a large head and distinct neck, and a head that is higher than the rest of their bodies. Lastly, cows are found all over the planet except for Antarctica, but bison are only found in North America. These are the greatest differences between the animals, but they are not the only ones that we can find. Let’s take a closer look at more ways that these animals are different from each other.
Bison vs Cow: Size
Bison are larger than cows. In fact, bison are some of the largest animals in North America. Cows can grow between 800lbs and 1,700lbs, 5-6ft long, and stand 5.5ft tall at the shoulder. Bison can grow upwards of 3,000lbs, stand 6.5ft at the shoulder (11ft at the hump), and measure about 9ft long when fully grown. Bison are far larger than cows, and you would notice an immediate and distinct difference between these animals if you placed them in the same area. The largest bison in the world was a male that weighed 3,800lbs. Although this account was not confirmed by any governing body, the measurement shows just how large these animals can be when they reach their utmost size. At any rate, they make most cows seem small by comparison, and they remain the largest land animals in the U.S.
Bison vs Cow: Horns
All bison, male and female, have horns, but many cows do not have horns. Some species of female cattle do grow horns, but even those that do have them removed when they’re young and living on a farm. Bisons’ horns are small, curved upward, and black. They might be hard to see against their fur. Many cows have horns, but they are usually less prominent than a bull’s horns. The horns tend to be small, and they might point upright or curve forward depending on the species. Polled cow breeds do not grow horns at all.
Bison vs Cow: Body Shape
Bisons’ body shape is far different than a cow’s, with most of their apparent heft concentrated at the front of their bodies instead of being equally distributed like a cow’s. Cows are generally rectangular in shape with a large midsection that they gain from giving birth to calves, a big head, and a distinct neck. Bison have very large heads that are covered with a beard of fur that is longer than the rest of the fur on their body. Their necks are so large and thick that they are not distinct; it’s hard to tell where their neck ends and their body begins. The bison also has a very large shoulder hump that extends far above the bison’s head, giving the creature a look as though they are permanently hunched over. Needless to say, the body shapes of bison and cows are very different.
Bison vs Cow: Hair
Bison have fur, but cows have hair. Cow hair is shorter than bison fur, and it comes in a very wide variety of colors. Cows may be black, tan, reddish, white, brown, and multi-colored mixes of these colors, usually a light and dark mix. Bison fur is dark brown with some light brown in the longer sections of the fur.
Bison vs Cow: Location
Bison as we know them only live in North America, but cows live all over the world. In fact, cows can be found on every single continent except for Antarctica. However, close relatives to the North American Bison, called the European Bison, live in parts of Belarus and other areas in Europe. These animals look somewhat similar to their cousins, but the North American Bison is much heavier than its European cousin. Sadly, it’s believed that just a few thousand live on the continent these days.
Bison vs Cow: Speed
Bison are much faster than cows. Although some cows can reach speeds of 25 mph when they are fleeing or trying to charge an enemy, bison can run at 40 mph. These animals are incredibly large and fast, making a charging herd of them an incredible sight to behold. Bison are larger, faster, stronger, and have a smaller population than cows. These mammals were nearly hunted to extinction in the 19th century, but the population has slowly recovered under the careful guidance of conservation efforts. These days, 20,000 pure-bred bison roam the U.S. alongside 500,000 bison-cattle hybrids, a fact that shows just how closely related bison and cows are and how effective conservation efforts can be.
