This is a special usage of the word "the".
It is listed in the MacMillan Dictionary under definition #2 as follows, "used before a singular noun when making a general statement about people or things of a particular type"
They give two examples:
The average university student is not very interested in politics.
People have come to depend on the car as their only means of transport.
Used in this way, "the + singular noun" means basically the same thing as that same noun pluralized: the cow
= cows the English garden =
English gardens
the computer
= computers
This construction is very common in titles and introductory sentences within paragraphs and chapters because it has a certain air of scholarliness about it that the simple plural form just doesn't convey.
ell.stackexchange.com/users/40154/Lorel C.
It's a difference between the abstract and the concrete.
Adding "the" before a noun this way changes the meaning, from actual instances of the concept to the concept itself .
Other answers have stated correctly that semantically the two are equivalent but one just "sounds" more formal or more academic.
That's true, but I believe the reason is that "the cow" refers to the concept of cows, whereas "cows" refers more directly to, well, actual cows; and speaking at the conceptual level is common in scholarly writing.
ell.stackexchange.com/users/9730/Jenn D.
The cow is a common way of referring to a species, as well as just a specific individual cow.
Cows refers to all of them.
It's slightly more formal to write of "the cow" than "cows", and is normally preferred in an essay.
ell.stackexchange.com/users/93471/jonathanjo
A cow is a useful domestic animal. is semantically equivalent to: Cows are useful domestic animals.
ANDThe cow is a useful domestic animal.
Usually, the use with the is more academic.
In everyday language, we tend to use the plural.
So, in fact, any of them could be used in a title.
ell.stackexchange.com/users/33113/Lambie
You have only recognised three meanings for the grammatical forms.
There are at least six: Introduce into context a cow - used to introduce a single cow into context cows - used to introduce multiple cows into context
Cows were grazing by the side of the road.
A cow wandered off.
Refer to existing context
the cow - a single cow already in context the cows - multiple cows already in context
The cow wandered into town.
The other cows returned to the farm.
Refer to entire species
the cow - the species known as "cow" cows -
all individuals of the species "cow" The cow is a bovine.
Cows are large animals.
Both the original and your sentence are correct to refer to the entire species: The cow is a very useful domestic animal .
Cows are very useful domestic animals .
ell.stackexchange.com/users/9936/CJ Dennis
Article before a  common noun:   The  cow--- a particular cow.  A  cow--- any cow.  Cow s. ---all of them.   But while reading an  essay  on  cow , we usually get to see:   The  cow is a very useful domestic animal.   In my opinion I should be:   Cows  are very useful domestic animals.   And the title should be  Cows  instead of  The cow.  Please help.  Thank you.
"The cow" OR "a cow" OR "cows" in this context
ell.stackexchange.com
<articles><nouns>
ell.stackexchange.com/questions/208040
ell.stackexchange.com/users/89167/Kumar sadhu
This construction is very common in titles and introductory sentences within paragraphs and chapters because it has a certain air of scholarliness about it that the simple plural form just doesn't convey It's a difference between the abstract and the concrete.  It's slightly more formal to write of "the cow" than "cows", and is normally preferred in an essay, The cow  is a common way of referring to a species, as well as just a specific individual cow.    In fact, any of them could be used in a title. Any of these terms can be used in a title. However, "The Cow" is a more formal title than "Cows" and is preferred in an academic essay. 
Any of these terms can be used in a title. "The Cow" is a more formal title than "Cows" and is preferred in an academic essay. 