The Cow has 14 hit points, the same as the Water Buffalo, whereas the other herdable animals have 7 hit points. Consequently, Scout Cavalry and Militia in the Dark Age will find it harder to deprive a player of Cows (and Water Buffalo). The Cow is the only herdable that has a slower speed - their speed is 0.65 whereas all other herdable animals have 0.7 speed.
In the Honfoglalás scenario, players can train Cows for 35 food at the Town Center. Players can also train Sheep there, but Cows are a bit more cost-efficient.
In the Definitive Edition, Cows appear now in four different variants known as Cow A, Cow B, Cow C, and Cow D. These variants are listed as different units in the Scenario Editor and are not different sprites of the same unit, like the variants in Age of Empires III. All four cows are identical except in coat: A is black and white (like the old Cow), B is all black, C is brown and white, and D is all brown. All variants have the same icon.
In Age of Mythology, the Cow can be found in the wild on several Norse-themed maps such as Midgard and Jotunheim, though on fewer maps than Pigs and Goats. Cows fatten over time, at a base rate of 18.6 food per minute; their maximum yield is 400 food, that is, 100 more food than Pigs and Goats.
History[]
“
Scientific name -- Bos taurus Size -- varies, but about 5' at the shoulder and 1000 lbs. (1600 lbs. for bulls) Diet -- grasses
Domestic cattle were descended from the aurochs in Europe and the guar in Asia. Cattle were first domesticated between 5000-6000 years ago as beasts of burden, or to provide meat, milk and leather. Raising cattle for meat was likely uncommon; the animal was eaten only if it died or was no longer useful for draft or milk. Unlike goats, they can also serve as beasts of burden, but they require more forage than goats. Cattle were thought to be superior to horses until relatively recently, as they were calmer, less expensive, and less prone to disease, as well as better to eat.
”
—In-game History section
Age of Empires III[]
In Age of Empires III, the Cow is a much more effective livestock animal than the Sheep. Stray Cows can be found on the Texas and Painted Desert maps and can be obtained from Treasures. Every European civilization but the Dutch, can send a shipment of 7 Cows. Alternatively, all European civilizations save the Spanish and Portuguese can send the RanchingHome City card, which grants the ability to produce Cows from the Livestock Pen. They are excellent herdables, costing 80 food, and, when fully fattened, granting 500.
The Naturalist is a politician available to all European civilizations except the Italians that gives the player two semi-fattened Cows, when picking her for advancing into the Commerce Age.
In The Asian Dynasties, the Indians cannot kill Cows (or any other herdables) for food. Instead, they get experience points slowly as the time passes. They get XP faster when Cows are tasked on a Sacred Field. They are known as Sacred Cows when captured/trained by Indians. The Japanese cannot gather food from herdables either. Instead, they can task them to Shrines to increase that Shrine's gather rate.
Livestocks fatten 30% faster when tasked to Livestock Pens, Farms, and Villages
7 Cows
Ships 7 semi-fattened Cows
Ranching is available to the Native American civilizations except the Inca, the European civilizations except the Portuguese and Spanish, and the United States.
Stockyards is available to the Chinese, Haudenosaunee, American civilizations, and the European civilizations except the Dutch and Portuguese.
7 Cows is available to the United States and the European civilizations except the Dutch and Portuguese.
Ships 10 Cows and 10 Morochucos (Comancheros with a ranged attack firing in bursts, cost 120 food, uses 1 population, can build Livestock Pens, train Cows, and gather from livestock); Upgrades Comancheros to Morochucos and allows them to be trained at Stable, Fort, Galleon, and Tavern; Cow train limit +10
Ships 1 Carbine Cavalry for every shipment that had been sent by the player, including this one; Unit train time, technology research time, and age-up time -10%; Costs 500 wood
Florida Cowhunters
Ships 2 semi-fattened Cows for every Home City shipment that had been sent including this one
Fertile Lowlands is available upon selecting Delaware as the Commerce Age Federal State.
Indiana Mobilization is available upon selecting Indiana as the Fortress Age Federal State.
Florida Cowhunters is available upon selecting Florida as Imperial Age Federal State.
Ships 10 Cows and 10 Cowboys (Comancheros with a ranged attack firing in bursts, costs 120 food, uses 1 population, can build Livestock Pens, train Cows, and gather from livestock); Upgrades Comancheros into Cowboys, and allows them to be trained at Stable, Fort, Galleon/Fluyt, and Tavern; Cow train limit +10
History[]
“
Scientific Name: Bos taurus Approx. Size: 5 ft. at the shoulder, 1,200 lb. Diet: Grasses
Cattle accompanied Europeans to the Americas. Spanish expeditions often traveled with herds of oxen, cattle, sheep, and pigs in tow. The famous Texas Longhorn was bred from Spanish cattle brought from Santo Domingo, though who brought them is unclear. The original herd is said to have accompanied a viceroy, Gregorio de Villalobos, but other Spanish longhorn cattle drives are attributed to Coronado and even Christopher Columbus.
Most of the cattle that lived in the central plains of North America, the herds that sparked range wars and gave birth to cowboys, came from the breeding of these Spanish longhorns and the northern European cattle brought east by other settlers.
”
Gallery[]
Cow portrait in the Age of Empires III beta
Cow image from the Compendium section in Age of Empires III
In-game Cows in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
In-game fattened Cows in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition