An article by Cheryl discussing the difference between domestic cows and bulls (banteng)
Some people may think cows and bulls are the same animals just different names given to identify sex and appearance. But no, they're wrong. You would be surprised to know that cows and bulls are different animals. Although both animals are closely related, they can be easily distinguished. We can tell the difference just by their coat color, but however, cows and bulls share some similarities in behavior, for example, they share the same mating system, the polygynous one. This essay will be comparing and contrasting cows and bulls in taxonomy, physiology, and behavior.
Cows and bulls are very similar in taxonomy. Both animals belong to the same kingdom, Animalia. They are a part of the class Mammalia and the family of Aryctodactila. Likewise, they share the same order, Bovidae, and the same genus, Bos. However, they are different species. A cow is a Bos taurus, whereas a bull is a Bos javanicus.
Despite being closely related in taxonomy, cows and bulls look very different. To start, bulls normally have a dark coat color, like black, brown, or even maroon. On the other hand, cows have white fur with spots like coffee spills. Aside from coat color, both bovines differ when it comes to their horns. A bull has long, curved yet hollow horns, while cows have shorter ones. In general, bulls are more substantial and far more muscly than cows. Despite their differences, they also have several similarities. Both have stubby necks and short body hair and in addition to that, they also have the same type of hooves, cloven ones. It is when the hooves are split into two at the front part. Cloven hooves are a type of hooves found in animals in the Aryctodactila family, similar to a heart shape but are pointy. Well, it looks like cows and bulls aren’t very different after all.
When it comes to behavioral adaptations the cow and the bull share an equal amount of differences and similarities. Bulls are known to be aggressive and competitive bovines, with their strong horns used for competing to be the leader of the herd or to compete for territory. To be even more protected, bulls are born with strong bony heads and protective bumps over their eyes. On the other hand, cows are shy timid animals. They are very hesitant and dislikes change. Besides their differences, they also share the same digestion and mating system. Cows and bulls ruminate their food, meaning that the food from the stomach goes back to the mouth for further digestion. Both bovines also share the same way of mating which is the polygynous mating system. It happens when the male of the herd mates with more than one female.
In conclusion, both cows and bulls are closely related. Despite being related, they are easily distinguishable by their body type and coat color. However, when it comes to behavioral adaptations they have as many similarities as their differences. Cows are shy, yet social animals, whereas bulls are aggressive and muscly like bodybuilders. Therefore, with that being said we can now conclude that cows and bulls are different animals with their own appearances and traits.
Works Cited
“Bull.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica,
Saari, Jason. “Bos Javanicus.” Animal Diversity,
“Bulls 101: Definition, Differences From Cows.” Beef2Live | Eat Beef * Live Better, 14 Oct. 2021,
Huffman, Brent. "cow". Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Nov. 2019,
Dewey, Tanya, and Jessica Ng. “Bos Taurus.” Animal Diversity Web,
The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. “Cattle Family (Bovidae).” Encyclopedia.Com | Free Online Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia.com, https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cattle-family-bovidae.
Written by Cheryl from 7A
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