---
title: "Cape buffalo vs cow — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Cape buffalo and cow are near enough identical on weight. Compared on 4 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/cape-buffalo-vs-cow/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Cape buffalo vs Cow

**Cape buffalo vs cow: Near enough equal on weight**

Cape buffalo and cow are near enough identical on weight.

A Cape buffalo and a cow can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | Cape buffalo | Cow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 350–900 kg | 400–1,100 kg |
| Height | 1.3–1.7 m | 1.2–1.6 m |
| Length | 2.1–3.4 m | 2.2–2.8 m |
| Typical lifespan | 18–29 yr | 15–25 yr |

## What the numbers say

- Cape buffalo and cow are near enough identical on weight.
- Cape buffalo and cow are near enough identical on height.
- Cape buffalo is somewhat greater than cow on length — about 1.1×.
- Cape buffalo is somewhat greater than cow on typical lifespan — about 1.1×.

*Weight compared.*

- Cow: 400–1,100 kg
- Cape buffalo: 350–900 kg

## Cape buffalo

A large, unpredictable African bovid whose fused horn bosses form a helmet across the skull.

## Cow

Domestic cattle; dairy and beef breeds differ substantially in size, and bulls far outweigh cows.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, Cape buffalo or cow?

Cape buffalo and cow are near enough identical on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do Cape buffalos and cows compare on height?

Cape buffalo: 1.3–1.7 m. Cow: 1.2–1.6 m. Cape buffalo and cow are near enough identical on height.

### How do Cape buffalos and cows compare on length?

Cape buffalo: 2.1–3.4 m. Cow: 2.2–2.8 m. Cape buffalo is somewhat greater than cow on length — about 1.1×.

## Related pages

- [Cow vs horse](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cow-vs-horse/)
- [American bison vs cow](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-cow/)
- [American bison vs Cape buffalo](https://atoneplace.net/vs/american-bison-vs-cape-buffalo/)
- [Cape buffalo vs giraffe](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cape-buffalo-vs-giraffe/)
- [Cape buffalo vs moose](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cape-buffalo-vs-moose/)
- [Cow vs dromedary camel](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cow-vs-dromedary-camel/)
- [Cape buffalo vs dromedary camel](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cape-buffalo-vs-dromedary-camel/)
- [Cow vs water buffalo](https://atoneplace.net/vs/cow-vs-water-buffalo/)

## Sources

- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)