How Much Does a Cow Weigh? Weights of Common Cattle Breeds

Average weight of a cow

There is no single answer, because cattle have been bred into more than 1,000 breeds, from miniature zebu to giant Italian draft cattle. Still, most cows on dairy and beef farms in Europe and North America fall into a fairly narrow band of about 550–750 kg (1,200–1,650 lb).

Weight also changes through the year. A dairy cow is lightest a few weeks after calving, when she is producing the most milk and drawing on body fat, and heaviest late in pregnancy. Farmers therefore track body condition, a score of how much fat covers the ribs and hips, rather than weight alone.

Dairy cow weights by breed

Dairy breeds are bred for milk rather than muscle, so they look bony and angular even when healthy. Their weight ranges are roughly:

The Holstein-Friesian is the largest dairy breed. A mature cow usually weighs around 700 kg (1,500 lb) and stands about 147 cm (58 in) at the shoulder. About 90% of the roughly 9 million dairy cows in the United States are Holsteins or Holstein crosses.

The Jersey, from the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands, is the smallest major dairy breed. Island Jerseys weigh some 350–400 kg (770–880 lb); American Jerseys have been bred somewhat larger. Their light weight means more cows can graze each hectare of pasture.

Beef cattle weights

Beef breeds carry far more muscle. An Aberdeen Angus cow weighs about 550 kg (1,210 lb) and a bull about 850 kg (1,870 lb). Hereford cows weigh 600–800 kg (1,300–1,800 lb), while Hereford bulls reach 1,000–1,200 kg (2,200–2,600 lb).

Most beef animals are steers (castrated males) and heifers raised for meat rather than mature cows and bulls. In North America, cattle are usually sent to market at around 18–22 months old, when finished steers commonly weigh roughly 550–650 kg (1,200–1,450 lb).

How much does a bull weigh?

Bulls are about the same height as cows of their breed or slightly taller, but their thicker bones, broader chest and massive neck muscles make them far heavier. Across common breeds, adult bulls usually weigh between 500 and 1,200 kg (1,100–2,600 lb). In the Hereford, for example, bulls outweigh cows by roughly 400 kg (880 lb).

The heaviest bulls belong to the Chianina, an ancient white breed from Tuscany and Umbria in Italy. Mature Chianina bulls stand up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) at the shoulder and often exceed 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). A Chianina bull named Donetto, shown at Arezzo in 1955, is often cited as the heaviest bull on record, at 1,740–1,780 kg (3,840–3,920 lb) depending on the source.

How much does a calf weigh?

A newborn calf usually weighs 25–45 kg (55–100 lb), only a small fraction of its mother’s weight. Jersey calves are at the light end, at around 25 kg (55 lb), while Holstein calves typically weigh 40–45 kg (90–100 lb). Chianina calves routinely weigh more than 50 kg (110 lb) at birth.

Calves grow fast. On beef farms, calves that suckle their mothers on pasture are commonly weaned at about 6–8 months old, when many weigh 200–300 kg (440–660 lb), several times their birth weight.

The heaviest and smallest cattle on record

The heaviest cattle ever recorded is usually said to be Mount Katahdin, a Holstein-Durham cross from Maine that was exhibited between 1906 and 1910 and reported to weigh about 2,270 kg (5,000 lb). Guinness World Records has listed it, but such early weights cannot be checked today.

For height, a Holstein cow named Blosom from Orangeville, Illinois, was recognized by Guinness World Records in 2014 as the tallest cow, at 1.90 m (6 ft 2.8 in) at the shoulder.

At the small end, the Vechur from Kerala in southern India is the smallest breed. It averages about 87 cm (34 in) tall and around 130 kg (290 lb), less than a fifth of the weight of a Holstein. Its wild ancestor, the extinct aurochs, was a giant by comparison, with bulls up to about 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) at the shoulder.

How does a cow compare with other big animals?

A typical Holstein cow is heavier than an American bison cow, which weighs about 320–500 kg (700–1,100 lb), but lighter than a big bison bull at up to about 900 kg (2,000 lb). Read How big is a bison? for the details. An African buffalo usually weighs 500–900 kg (1,100–1,980 lb), similar to a large beef cow.