Just like human beings and nature, animals are also the wonderful creation of God.
One cannot simply count the number of creatures this world has, they are everywhere just like humans.
They are of every shape and size, and each incredible of their own! Every animal is different from the other and has different characteristics which make them unique and one of a kind.
Every organism plays its role in the ecosystem, some animals help in bringing the nutrients to humans while others become the source of food like eggs, chicken, and dairy products.
Some animals look similar in looks but are different when looked at closely.
Just as Ox and Bull both belong to the bovine species (which includes goat, sheep, cow, and buffalos) of cattle animals and kind of look alike, Ox is an unaggressive castrated (without testicles) male, while Bull is an uncastrated (with testicles) aggressive male.
Castration means that the testicles of the ox are removed to make them controllable and less aggressive as aggression is the result of the testosterone hormone present in the body. Bull is an adult (intact) animal and is more aggressive as compared to its feminine that is a cow.
Bull is the zodiac symbol of Taurus as well. Both ox and bull are part of many cultures and have great value and importance in the eyes of people as some of them worship them as they both represent power, courage, and wealth.
There are many famous games of bull that people enjoy such as bullfighting, running of bulls, and the brave festival. Generally, Ox is used for powering machines, plowing, and for transport such as hauling wagons and riding.
The plural of Ox is Oxen while the plural of Bull is Bulls. If you’re keen to learn or read more differences between an ox and a bull, then keep reading till the end!
Let’s dig into it.
What is a Bull?
A bull is a male aggressive and muscular cattle and can produce offspring. They are determined and strong animals.
Bull is one of the strong animals and is used for rodeo riding. Aggression comes in due to the substance/ hormone testosterone in the body as testosterone is responsible for developing male characteristics in the body.
The weight of a bull ranges from 1700 to1800 pounds. They have four parts in the stomach and take vegetarian feed only which is high in protein. Some bulls even weigh 3000 pounds, which is a call of a lot of bull power!
Bull is a very heavy animal and can throw a person in the air with their horns. They can even flip cars and pull their own weight if needed.
All bulls are different, but, with the same aggression, some of them could be more dangerous than the rest.
The bull’s running speed is high, they run at a speed of 35mph.
Interesting Fact: Bulls are colorblind and they do not get triggered by red color, but, the reason they chase humans is they feel the movement of a person or object!
What is an Ox?
Ox is a castrated, less aggressive, and controllable adult animal, trained to do domestic work.
Ox is castrated because they are not the most popular source of food in the world or you can say in developed countries where people prefer to eat veggies other than meat.
A young ox is called a calf and without castration, they are steers. Their prey is herbivores.
Oxen are usually castrated and are referred to as draft animals.
They are used in pulling carts, plowing, and in hauling things. By the process of castration, they are made easy to help in domestic work because their aggression is hard to handle by common people.
Check out the following video to know how castration takes place!
Is An Ox A Cow or A Bull?
Oxen are neither of them. They are different from cows and bulls, as cows are always female while oxen can be female or male.
Oxen belong to the same bovine family as cows so it can be said that cows are the inactive cousins of Oxen.
To become an Ox, a cow has to be 4 years old and must have given birth to a calf. While Bulls are always male and remain intact (uncastrated) for breeding purposes.
Another point is, that Oxen are trained for domestic and heavy work, and understand the human motion while cows are untrained as they are not used for heavy work.
You can say all three are different from each other, depending upon their purposes.
To make it more clear, check out the following difference between Ox, Cow, and Bull!
| Ox | Cow | Bull | |
| Gender | Female or Male | Always Female | Always Male |
| Size | Larger than Bulls | Smaller than Ox and Bull | Smaller than Oxen |
| Castrated | Yes | Yes | Never |
| Breeding | Bred for doing heavy machinery work | They are for small and less heavy work | Bulls breed to continue their bloodline |
| Price | less expensive than the Bulls | Less expensive than Ox and Bulls | More expensive than Oxen |
Can A Bull become An Ox?
Yes, a bull can become an ox if they are castrated, as oxen are the result of castration after reaching the age of sexual maturity.
But this hardly happens as Bulls are for breeding purposes, to carry their bloodline, and to expand the size of the herd.
A bull having its testicles removed can become an ox. By this, they would be less aggressive and more controllable and can be used as draft animals.
Are Oxen Bigger Than Bulls?
Yes, Oxen are much bigger and more muscular than bulls and are of more strength and power.
They are large, intelligent draft animals because they are trained to carry heavy loads and work. Bulls are also large but, are for breeding purposes.
When oxen are paired, their power is increased!
But Oxen are calmer than bulls because they are trained to use their energy in domestic work. On the other hand, bulls can be very dangerous and harmful if they feel threatened and can cause some serious injuries.
Final Thoughts
Here are some major points that can be concluded by the difference between Ox and Bull.
- Oxen are castrated, draft animals and used for heavy work such as grinding and plowing and carrying heavy loads from one place to another.
- Both ox and bull belong to the Bos Taurus family of cattle.
- A bull is an aggressive male bovine animal that is used for breeding purposes.
- Oxen are more muscular and heavy animals than bulls.
- Bulls are dangerous and can be harmful to humans.
- Even after being bigger in size and strength, Oxen are intelligent and calmer.
- Oxen are used for dairy purposes and Bulls are used to provide meat.
- Bulls are responsible for protecting their fellow cows or oxen and oxen are responsible for performing domestic work.
- Both ox and bull may look similar but have unique and different genetic codes.
- In terms of money, Bulls are more expensive because they serve the purpose of breeding and Oxen are less expensive because they provide physical labor.
- Ox and cow are different as cows are always female but, an ox can be either male or female.
To read more, do check out this article on Hawk vs. Vulture (How to tell them apart?).