One of the most common animals on the planet are cows, or domestic cattle. In actuality, the projected number of cows today is 1 billion, a figure that has stayed mostly consistent over the last ten years.
Similar to domestic cats and dogs, cattle are descended from wild animals that were tamed. Actually, 80–200 wild aurochs that were domesticated more than 10,000 years ago are the ancestors of all cows.
Cattle are an essential component of modern human existence, providing food (meat and dairy products), fertilizer, leather (clothing and other leather goods), and even the creation of biofuel.
Also, they are among the most widely distributed creatures on the planet, existing on all continents save Antarctica.
But there are also a lot of other animals like cows. You won’t always be able to distinguish between the animals that make up the bovinae since they are so closely related to cows.
1. Bison
Scientific name (genus): Bison
In short: With a hump on their back and a shaggy ruff, bison resemble with animals like cows in most ways except for their hollow horns.
In the United States, cattle belonging to the species Bison—which is closely related to cows—are referred to as buffalo. The two remaining species of terrestrial mammals in North America and Europe are the largest ones still living.
The American Bison may really weigh more than 2,800 pounds. As massive as that may sound, domestic cattle—which are bred expressly for size—can be far larger. Texas longhorns, for example, have been known to weigh more than 4,000 pounds.
Otherwise, animals like cow and bison have the same traits. Despite the fact that males are infertile, they can interbreed because of their close kinship. The “beefalo” is actually a hybrid between a domestic cow and a bison.
In the United States, Canada, and Europe today, bison are protected. But they’re also raised in zoos and petting zoos for entertainment, meat, and fur.
2. Gayal
Scientific name: Bos frontalis
In short: Large domesticated cattle belonging to the same genus as cows are called gayals. They are a distinct species, entirely domesticated from a wild bovinae that are still alive, much like the cow.
Domestic cattle, known as gayals, are reared across India, mostly in the highlands. These ridge-backed cattle are raised here primarily for meat. Gayals, as opposed to domestic cattle, are kept semi-wild and allowed to graze; they are never milked or used for labor.
Further, gayals are domesticated cattle descended from the Gaur, they are actually an old hybrid of the Gaur and another domestic animals like cow, the identity of which hybrid is unknown.
This indicates that while the bigger gaur and the gayal are similar, the gayal has a wider head, different horns, and more color patterns.
The spines of gaials are ridged and pointed, extended much above the neck. Their horns resemble buffalo horns rather than domestic animals like cow horns, and their faces are flat.
Other than that, they resemble several stocky cow breeds.
3. Gaur
Scientific name: Bos gaurus
In short: The biggest species of wild cattle is the gaur, which resembles animals like cow but may grow to heights of over 10 feet and more at the shoulders.
Native to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, gaurs are a wild breed of cow.
Despite having a noticeable ridge above the shoulders, they are similar to other Bos species in that they are hard to distinguish from cows. Gaur has a conspicuous hump because this ridge may reach about five inches over the rump.
Similar to American bison, gurs have big, thick skulls and horns that point sideways. They utilize the horns to charge, headbutt, and even lock horns, just like bisons do.
Due to their declining number in the wild—less than 20,000—gaurs are likewise protected as a species. In comparison to domestic cattle, gaurs may live up to 30 years, and occasionally much longer.
4. Yak
Scientific name: Bos mutus / Bos grunniens
In short: Yaks are cattle with long hair that have horns like those of a modern domestic animals like cow. They can appear very different, though, if they have stockier bodies and shaggy underbellies.
Bos mutus, or wild yaks, and Bos grunniens, or domesticated yaks, are the two species of yaks.
Since there aren’t much distinctions between the two other than character, they are both included in this category as subspecies of the same species.
Native to the Himalayas, Yaks play a significant role in the economies and way of life of Yunnan, Sichuan, Kashmir, Mongolia, and Tibet.
Yaks are used for their meat, milk, and skins, just like domestic animals like cow. Yaks also produce wool, which is used to make blankets and clothes.
In contrast to domestic cows, yaks are utilized for transportation as well; in remote villages and regions, yak racing and riding are popular activities.
Additionally, yaks and cattle may cross-breed, with the Dzo hybrid becoming well-known in lowland regions. However, the males of this crossbreed are infertile as their species is different.
5. Zebu
Scientific name: Bos indicus
In short: With larger ears than cows, zebus, sometimes known as humped cattle, are domestic cattle that are closely related to the animals like cows.
Zebus are beef cattle with elevated shoulders and drooping or long, pointed ears. They resemble short-horned cattle in most situations, but with a noticeable hump.
They are similar to domestic cows in that they have horns, differ greatly in size, color, and between siblings.
In order to dissipate heat, Zebus also have loose skin around their necks and chests. The zebu is hence ideally suited to places with deserts and tropical climates.
Because of this, Zebus and domestic cattle are regularly crossed to increase heat resistance; however, only the female offspring of this crossbreed are viable.
Lastly, zebus are employed in the dragging of plows and carts, the production of meat and milk, and occasionally even for riding. That puts them in striking resemblance with animals like cow in nearly every aspect.
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6. Banteng
Scientific name: Bos javanicus
In short: At a distance, it can be difficult to distinguish between animals like cow and banteng due to their remarkable similarity.
Bantengs are a kind of “Bos” that are so similar to domesticated cows that, from a distance, it is hard to distinguish them from Taurine cows.
But bantengs are usually considerably smaller. Bangeng, for instance, might weigh as little as 500 pounds or as much as 2,000 pounds.
The majority of bantengs have little horns that curve outward. While certain varieties of banteng have consistent horns, nearly all of them also have white coloring that fades to black on the horns.
Although male banteng are not fertile, they may interbreed with cows, much like many other livestock on this list.
Lastly, milk is not often prepared with bantengs. This is because their lactation period is shorter than that of domesticated animals like cow.
7. Kouprey
Scientific name: Bos sauveli
In short: Other than their enormous horns, kupreys resemble tall, skinny cattle and are identical to domestic animals like cow.
Native to southeast Asia, kupreys are a kind of bone that inhabit hills and woodlands. These creatures, which resemble cows, are often thinner than conventional cows, higher than most cattle, and have a ridge or hump over their shoulders.
They are regarded as being among the auroch’s closest cousins, though, as the auroch was the extinct bovine from whom current cows were sprung.
In the wild, koupreys graze on various legumes and bamboo, just like cows do. Other than that, koupreys resemble with animals like cow perfectly.
There are only 250 kupreys in the wild, making them very endangered.
8. Water Buffalo
Scientific name: Bubalus bubalus
In short: Water buffaloes are sometimes confused for animals like cow due to their similar appearance, even though their horns are typically much bigger and broader.
A breed of domesticated cattle indigenous to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent is the water buffalo.
With the exception of size and temperament, these animals resemble their endangered wild ancestor, the “wild water buffalo.”
Currently, people keep over 130 million water buffalo.
Additionally, more people on the planet depend on them for their only source of income than any other animal, even though their population is far smaller than that of domestic animals like cow. This is due to the fact that water buffalo are used for milk, meat, skins, and tilling.
Black buffalo, carabao or swamp buffalo, and river buffalo are the three different types of water buffalo. Despite having somewhat diverse appearances, they are all breeds of the same species since they share the same genetic makeup.
9. Tamaraw
Scientific name: Bubalus mindorensis
In short: Tamaraws are little buffalo that resemble cows and have short, v-shaped horns that give them an amazing resemblance with animals like cow and goat .
The Tamaraw buffalo, also referred to as the “dwarf” buffalo, is a native animal of the Philippines’ Mindoro.
With an estimated 250 or fewer tamaraws remaining in the wild, tamaraws are highly endangered due to their small range and great value to the locals as meat.
Furthermore, tamaraws are referred to be “dwarf,” although they are not “tiny,” since their average length is 7 feet and their maximum weight is 700 pounds. Rather, they are smaller than the water buffalo, who are their closest kin.
Taraws share the same large, flat heads as other buffalo and have short, wide horns that they utilize for ramming opponents instead of locking horns.
10. African Buffalo
Scientific name: Syncerus caffer
In short: African buffalo resemble with animals like cow strikingly, with the exception of having larger horns and a smaller head relative to the body.
There are five subspecies of the varied African buffalo species, which is indigenous to the continent. They range in size from around 800 pounds to over 1,700 pounds, yet having the same appearance.
In addition, there are notable variations in the sizes and shapes of horns. Normally, the Congo buffalo has reddish coloring and straight horns. On the other hand, the majority of African buffalo have black horns with curve.
With their broad shoulders and humps, the buffalo and bison have quite similar builds. They are taller and leaner than the majority of bison species, though.
In addition, the head is proportionately smaller than the body. Buffalo are therefore definitely bovine, although it’s unusual that you’d confuse them for real cows.
Conclusion:
We rely significantly on cows, one of the most numerous creatures on the planet. They’re not the only item that resembles with animals like cow, though. In addition, we usually get along with most cow-like creatures in the same way, be it a water buffalo or a yak. These big, amiable, well-mannered creatures are always among the greatest allies of people.