what is a cow puncher?

That is another term for cowboy or a ranch hand who handles cattle in the sense of a trained animal handler. Cows are not actually punched though some might think about it.

From the days of the old west, "Cowboys" were considered a bad element. Sort of like gangs. The ones that herded cattle were called "cow pokes" or "cow punchers" because when directing cattle, they would actually poke the cattle to move them along.

It's not somebody who goes around "punching" cows. It's somebody who works with them, feeds them, herds them, brands them, etc. A cowboy.

someone who physically abuses cows lmao

cowboy