There’s just something about pure white animals that seem majestic and even a little bit mysterious. From the gallantry of a snow-white horse to the regal serenity of a mute swan sitting still in the middle of a lake, it just captures the imagination!
And, although most people don’t equate cows with these regal animals, a pure white cow can still look truly wonderful.
No matter what kind of cows you want or what purposes you have in mind for your herd, there is bound to be an all-white breed out there that will serve just fine.
Below are 15 of the most interesting white cow breeds on earth, and among them some of my favorites.
Table of Contents
1. Highland
Highland cattle, as you might have guessed from the name, come from Scotland, and specifically the Highland region.
Immediately identifiable thanks to their long, shaggy but soft coats and also their broad, upswept horns, these cows are kept primarily for meat production, and they’re quite large to serve that purpose.
Bulls are dramatically larger than females, with most averaging around 1,750 pounds. In stark contrast, an average female usually tips the scales around 1,200 pounds.
It’s worth pointing out that Highland cattle come in all sorts of colors, not just white, and you may spot pure black, tan, dun or even brindle fur among a herd.
2. Charolais
A renowned and very old breed hailing from southern France, the Charolais is famous for its extremely high-quality meat, and this has led to it being used to contribute its genetics to crossbreeds with other cows known for producing similarly good beef.
These cows are also famous for their large size, with bulls weighing anywhere from around 2,300 pounds to a staggering 3,300 pounds, but also for having surprisingly docile and easygoing temperaments, making them simple to handle despite their huge size.
Charolais typically have an all-white coat from front to back, and this is complemented by a pink snout that gives them a pure, almost angelic appearance.
3. Chianina
An Italian breed that is famous, or should I say infamous, for being the most consistently colossal breed of cow on Earth.
Adult bulls can stand at an unbelievable 6 feet tall at the shoulder, and weigh anywhere from 2,600 pounds to well over 3,000 pounds.
They are so huge that they are consistently crowned as the largest domestic cattle breed in the world.
Naturally, this means they are a natural choice for meat production due to their sheer size, but their slow growth means they are more oriented towards the harvesting of older beef.
Chianinas are also notable for their remarkable coloration, they have dark skin, but are covered predominantly in white or off-white fur that is very short.
Their tails, eyes and noses are black, lending these cows a remarkable contrast and overall a dusty white color.
4. Brahman
An interesting breed hailing from India, the Brahman is perhaps most notable for the huge, camel-like hump that rests just behind the neck and on top of its shoulders.
Much like a camel’s hump, this feature stores moisture and also nutrients to help the cow get through lean, starving times that are entirely common in its native range.
This is another cow that’s typically a lightly speckled off-white or pale gray color, and other colors are likewise common, including black and red.
The Brahman is a medium-sized breed, typically raised for meat and milk, but also as draft animals, with bulls usually maxing out right around 2,100 pounds.
The cows are still sizable, typically growing no heavier than 1,450 pounds.
5. British White
An ancient and healthy breed, the British White hails from, you guessed it, Old Britain, and one that’s still going strong today as a dual-purpose breed kept for both milk and dairy products, and also meat.
On the larger end of the medium category, bulls will usually max out around 2,350 pounds, while cows are significantly lighter, usually growing no larger than 1,500 pounds.
This is a mostly white breed, being a pure, even, natural white all over except for the ears, muzzles and the fur growing immediately around the eyes.
Some lineages of this cow are naturally hornless, though horns are still quite common and also quite sizable.
This is a distinguished breed that can be kept for a variety of purposes, and whatever you’re keeping them for, they will look truly beautiful the entire time!
6. Marchigiana
Hardy, healthy and capable of producing lots and lots of delicious beef, the Marchigiana is it usually thought of as a contemporary of the Chianina, though this breed is only nominally Italian.
The exact ancestry of the breed is disputed, but genetically it seems that they are descended from various Asian cattle breeds.
How they wound up in Italy, and when, is a hotly debated topic. The answer is probably lost to time, though…
In any case, this is another breed of cow that’s almost pure white, ranging from a dusty off-white color to a true light gray.
Chins, noses, and other facial areas may be marked with black, and their tails are usually a dark color also.
This is also quite a large breed, with most bulls averaging around 2,300 pounds while cows are significantly lighter averaging around 1,400 pounds.
7. White Galloway
A magnificent cow with a finely-grained, short, wavy coat that is almost entirely white except for the ears, eyes and muzzle, the White Galloway is another Scottish breed that’s famous for its resistance to damp conditions.
These are also superb grazers that can live well on relatively low-quality pasturage. Kept for meat and milk, the Galloway is both highly attractive and one of the healthiest cow breeds out there.
A smaller breed, most Galloway bulls top out at around 1,750 pounds while females are drastically smaller, rarely exceeding 1,250 pounds.
Nonetheless, it’s an important legacy breed that is beloved for its versatility and also for its resistance to cold and wet weather.
8. Ongole
Large, long and stockily built, Ongoles come in many colors, but white is among the most common and the most well-known, though their joints and eyes usually have dark or black markings.
Another Indian breed, like the Brahman they have distinctive, camel-like humps immediately behind their head and shoulders.
Again, this hump is used as a reserve of water and nutrition to help these cows survive the harsh climates that they typically live in.
Speaking of harsh climates, this breed has been distributed through many other countries in the region and is a common sight throughout Southern Asia, where it is kept predominantly for meat but also milk, though it is not an extraordinary producer.
In India, where cows are sacred, they are kept only for milk production and as draft animals.
This is a smaller breed of cow, with bulls rarely exceeding 1,200 pounds though females are only slightly smaller, averaging about 1,000 lbs.
9. White Park
Tall and lanky, the White Park is kept for the production of meat and milk, and it’s famous for the exquisite quality of its beef.
Another notable feature of the White Park is its reputation as an enthusiastic grazer.
White Parks can put on a lot of weight with good quality pasturage alone, and they’re also sometimes used as natural and environmentally friendly defoliators of acreage.
As the name suggests, the White Park is a predominantly white cow, though they can have contrasting red or black patches.
Males and females alike have sizable horns, but another noteworthy quirk is the significant disparity in the size of bulls and cows: cows weigh an average of 1,300 pounds, while bulls tip the scales on average at 2,050 pounds and can easily clear 2,200 pounds.
10. Hungarian Gray
Tall, lanky and surprisingly athletic, the Hungarian Gray is another genuinely ancient heritage breed.
They have long, graceful horns that combine with an almost iridescent silvery to brilliant white coat to make them among the most majestic cows on earth.
Long used as draft animals in their native regions of Hungary, today they are kept mostly for meat, although some still see service in pulling plows and carts in the most rural areas.
These are smaller medium-sized cows, with bulls rarely exceeding 2,000 lbs and cows being, as usual, significantly smaller, maxing out at around 1,350 pounds.
Despite this, they are tall for their weight, with bulls standing just at 5 feet tall at the withers, and cows being only slightly shorter.
11. Piedmontese
A well-known Italian breed that is kept for meat, the Piedmontese is also a capable milk producer.
Pure white broken only by black speckles on the tops of their heads, next and sometimes on their faces, this large breed typically maxes out at right around 2,150 pounds for bulls.
Like the Hungarian Gray, they are tremendous grazers and are renowned for being a high-converting breed, able to pack on weight and mostly protein from grass alone when kept on adequate pasture.
Also worth mentioning is that this breed has been present in the United States since the end of the 19th century, although they have only been appreciated for the quality of their meat since the mid-1970s.
12. Belgian Blue
The Belgian Blue is an instantly recognizable cow that’s something of a freak of nature, though nature has nothing to do with it in this case.
Bred by man with the intention of retaining a genetic mutation that causes them to pack on roughly twice as much muscle as other breeds of cows, they’re instantly distinguished by their rippling, chiseled physiques.
They get their name from the interspersed white and black hairs in their coat which gives them a steely gray color, though many are still obviously white to the eye.
Belgian Blues can weigh quite a lot for their size in accordance with their extreme musculature, with bulls averaging about 2,600 pounds, pretty huge!
13. Rathi
Another Indian breed, this one known for its upswept horns and white coats that feature brown or black patches, these are tiny cows that are kept as draft animals and also for milk production.
Bulls usually max out at around 850 pounds while cows are only slightly smaller, comparatively, tipping the scales at around 675 pounds.
Like most Indian breeds, they are highly adapted to hot, humid and resource-scarce environments and accordingly they are quite hardy.
14. Bianca Modenese
Long in body but short of limb and stocky, these Italian cows look somewhat disproportionate.
But they are surprisingly strong and agile thanks to their well-developed muscles, with bulls topping out at around 2,200 pounds.
Cows, once again, are much lighter at around 1,450 pounds on average.
An Italian breed that is famous for producing lots and lots of rich, high-fat milk, these cows are a brilliant white color all over with only the occasional black spots to break up their monochrome appearance.
It should also be mentioned that they are increasingly kept for the production of rich but lean beef these days, although they’re still not counted as a true dual-purpose breed in some sectors.
Notably, these cows tend to be whiter and whiter as they age, because their dark patches of fur usually disappear as they grow older.
15. Texas Longhorn
One of the most famous cows on earth, everything you need to know about this breed is in the name: their heads are framed by incredibly thick and wide horns.
It’s hard to imagine how they don’t get tangled up on the slightest obstacle!
At any rate, the Texas longhorn comes in all kinds of different colors, one of the most common is white with the occasional contrasting dark or black marking.
A critically important breed that produces lots of rich, lean beef, despite their great size and truly huge horns, these cows are also famous for being gentle and easy to handle.
Males rarely weigh more than 1,500 pounds, but their horns do make them look quite a bit bigger and heavier!
Tom has built and remodeled homes, generated his own electricity, grown his own food and more, all in quest of remaining as independent of society as possible. Now he shares his experiences and hard-earned lessons with readers around the country.
Find out more about the team here.