How to Identify a Beefalo Cow

The beefalo is a hardy breed of cattle. A hybrid of buffalo and domestic cattle, beefalo are well-adapted to extreme weather, have high-quality meat and can reproduce, unlike mules and other inter-species hybrids. They can be bred from any breed of cow, so identifying them is a little tricky. Here are a few basic characteristics of the beefalo that will help you identify them more easily.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look at the length of the animal's fur. A distinct feature of the beefalo's coat is the bunch of curly fur around its neck. This fur is thick and shaggy, just like that of a buffalo. The rest of its coat is shorter and looks more like that of whichever breed of cattle from which it came.

2. Examine the thickness of the animal's fur. Beefalo fur is four to five times thicker than that of the average bovine, which helps them endure freezing temperatures and winter precipitation.

3. Observe if the animal sweats in high temperatures. Perspiration is an attribute of the buffalo inherited by the beefalo that regular cattle don't have.

4. Notice the time of day when the animal grazes. Because of their inherited adaptations to extreme weather, beefalo will continue to graze during mid-day heat. Other breeds of cattle tend to lie in the shade when the temperature rises.

5. Take note of the kind of grass the animal eats. Traditional bovines usually head for the greenest, most delicious grass first. On the other hand, beefalo are just as happy eating roughage as they are the good stuff. This is because they inherit the buffalo's ability to forage and survive off of what they find when food is scarce.

Resources

• Picture of a Beefalo