Calculator
Cow Weight Calculator
Estimate the live weight of a cow, heifer, bull or buffalo with a measuring tape. Enter heart girth and body length; the result updates as you type.
Measure and calculate
180 × 180 × 150 ÷ 10,838 = 448 kg
Example values are filled in. Replace them with your animal's measurements.
Most grown cows weigh 450–820 kg (1,000–1,800 lb). Bulls weigh about 820–1,130 kg. South Asian breeds are lighter: a Sahiwal cow averages about 300–410 kg and a Murrah buffalo about 516 kg.
How to measure your animal
- Stand the animal square on level ground, head up and relaxed.
- Heart girth (A): pass a cloth or plastic tape round the chest just behind the front legs and over the withers. Pull it snug, not tight, and read it after the animal breathes out.
- Body length (B): measure in a straight line from the point of the shoulder to the pin bone (the bony point at the rear).
- Measure twice and use the average. Girth matters most, because the formula squares it.
Worked example
A cow has a heart girth of 70 inches and a body length of 78 inches.
70 × 70 × 78 ÷ 300 = 1,274 lb (about 578 kg).
In centimetres the same idea works with a different divisor: a girth of 180 cm and length of 150 cm gives 180 × 180 × 150 ÷ 10,838 = 448 kg.
Average weights by animal and breed
| Animal | Typical weight (kg) | Typical weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Grown cow (general range) | 450–820 | 1,000–1,800 |
| Mature bull (general range) | 820–1,130 | 1,800–2,500 |
| Calf, birth to weaning | 27–225 | 60–500 |
| Sahiwal cow (India herd average) | 298 | 657 |
| Sahiwal cow (Pakistan average) | 408 | 900 |
| Sahiwal bull | 540–544 | 1,190–1,200 |
| Hariana cow / bull | 325 / 499 | 717 / 1,100 |
| Murrah buffalo female / male | 516 / 567 | 1,138 / 1,250 |
| Nili-Ravi buffalo female / male | 454 / 567 | 1,001 / 1,250 |
Breed figures are herd averages from the sources below. Individual animals vary with age, feeding and pregnancy.
What you can use the weight for
- Working out medicine and dewormer doses, which are often given per kg of body weight.
- Planning feed, since daily dry matter intake is linked to body weight.
- Tracking heifer growth month by month.
- Getting a fair idea of an animal's weight before buying or selling, including at Eid.
This is a rough estimate; its error varies between animals. For exact dosing of medicines, ask your vet and weigh the animal where you can.
Questions farmers ask
How much does a cow weigh?
A grown cow usually weighs between about 450 and 820 kg (1,000 to 1,800 lb). Smaller South Asian breeds are lighter: Sahiwal cows average about 300 to 410 kg, depending on the herd.
How much does a bull weigh?
Most mature bulls weigh about 820 to 1,130 kg (1,800 to 2,500 lb). Sahiwal and Hariana bulls are lighter, at roughly 500 to 545 kg.
How much does a calf weigh?
Calves range from about 27 kg (60 lb) at birth to about 225 kg (500 lb) by weaning, depending on breed and age.
Does this calculator work for buffalo?
Yes. Field workers use the same heart girth and body length formula for buffalo, because the body shape is broadly similar. Murrah buffalo females average about 516 kg.
How accurate is the tape method?
Accuracy varies by breed, age, body condition and measurement technique; no fixed accuracy range is guaranteed. It reads high on very fat or deep-bodied animals and low on thin, leggy ones. Measure carefully, because heart girth is squared in the formula.
Which formula does this use?
Weight (lb) = heart girth (in) × heart girth (in) × body length (in) ÷ 300. In metric: weight (kg) = girth (cm)² × length (cm) ÷ 10,838.
Sources
- Oregon State University Extension, Weight Calculator (heart girth formula)
- Vikaspedia, Estimating livestock body weight (use for buffalo)
- Creatures.com, typical cattle weight ranges
- NDDB Dairy Knowledge Portal, Performance of cattle and buffalo breeds
- Wikipedia, Sahiwal cattle (Pakistan weights)
Last reviewed 2026-10-10.