What Is Beef What Should a Beef Cow Look Like
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Every beef cattle breed has pluses and minuses, and what might be a plus for i farmer could be a drawback in another situation. For instance, a breed that does well in a hot climate may non do well in a cold one, and vice versa. Some breeds are better than others for finishing on grass. If y'all have a small subcontract and your kids are helping handle the cattle, yous desire a brood with a gentle disposition. Information technology's important to cull a breed that fits your goals and purposes. Here are descriptions of most of the breeds you'll meet, merely you tin can find more details on their websites.
Breeds in North America include British breeds similar Angus, Hereford, and Shorthorn; continental (European) breeds like Charolais, Simmental, Salers,
Limousin, Gelbieh, Braunvieh, Tarentaise, Chianina, Maine Anjou, Blonde d'Aquitaine, Piedmontese, Romagnola; American breeds that were created
past mixing British and/or continental breeds with Brahman to produce meliorate hot-climate cattle (Brangus, Braford, Charbray, Santa Gertrudis, Beefmaster, etc.), or the Texas Longhorn descended from feral Spanish cattle in the Southwest; and breeds from other continents such every bit Watusi, Wagyu, Murray Grey, etc. Various breeds can exist crossed to add traits that you might desire in your beef animals or breed cows.
Angus
Angus are black and genetically polled (no horns). Breed traits include fast growth, marbled meat (flecks of fat, making information technology tender and juicy), and maternal power (aggressive, protective mothers that produce a lot of milk for their calves).
A separate brood of Red Angus was created by selecting Angus with a recessive cherry gene. Angus and Angus-cross calves are popular with
feedlot buyers because of their excellent carcass traits.
Angus cows are popular with many ranchers considering they are good mothers and crave very picayune intendance at calving. They are not always the all-time option for beginners because of their hot-headed nature, though there are some mellow individuals. If y'all desire to be upward close and personal with your cows, choose a breed with a calmer disposition or find a breeder who has selected mellow Angus for easy-handling.
Herefords
Herefords are large-framed and heavy-boned with a ruby-red torso and white face, feet, belly, and tail switch, and horns. Today there are as well polled Herefords, created in the early 1900s by selectively breeding a few mutant
Herefords that had no horns. Most Herefords are docile and mellow, which makes them excellent for beefiness cattle farming for beginners.
Shorthorns
Shorthorns originated as dual-purpose cattle (meat and milk). They are cherry, white, roan or spotted, and horned. Calves are small at birth (like shooting fish in a barrel calving) but grow fast. Today in the U.South., in that location are two registries — for milking Shorthorns and beef Shorthorns. Milking power, fast growth, and tractability make this brood a skilful choice for small farmers who want to heighten beef.
Simmentals
Simmentals originated in Switzerland as a dairy cow breed. Yellow-brown with white markings, these cattle are noted for rapid growth, large frame, and milk production. They became popular for crossbreeding to create larger, fast-growing cattle. They are slower to mature than British breeds, taking longer to reach stop weight. Start stockmen desiring to utilize this breed should continue disposition in heed and select carefully since some individuals are flighty and hot-headed.
Charolais
Charolais are large, white, heavy-muscled cattle that originated in
French republic every bit typhoon animals. They are noted for feed efficiency, heavy
weaning weights, and all-encompassing muscling. Many stockmen apply Charolais bulls on cows of other breeds for a last cantankerous (selling all offspring equally beef) to produce fast-gaining large calves that do well in the feedlot. One
of the biggest drawbacks to the breed has been calving difficulty because calves are large and thick at birth. Some breeders have selected for lower birthweights to go away from this problem.
Limousin
Limousin is an old breed from western France. Cerise-gold and well-muscled, these cattle are finer boned than Charolais (less calving problems) but grow as rapidly. Some breeders have created a black, polled version. Similar other
continental breeds, Limousin has been crossed with other breeds to increase size and weaning weight. The calves grow faster and larger
than British breeds, merely are slower maturing and do not terminate as quickly. Disposition should be taken into consideration when selecting stock for a pocket-sized farm.
Gelbvieh
Gelbvieh are tan/gold and originated in Republic of austria/Frg as multi-purpose cattle (meat, milk, and draft). They are fast-growing and mature quicker than some other European breeds. They are noted for loftier fertility, calving
ease, and mothering ability. As in all continental breeds, choice for disposition is important, since some are less like shooting fish in a barrel to handle than others.
Salers
Salers are dark crimson cattle from France and pop for crossbreeding considering of calving ease, hardiness, good milking power, and fertility. Some
breeders in America are now producing black, polled Salers.
This breed has a bad reputation for disposition, and though there are some mellow family unit lines, the hot-headed flightiness of some of these cattle can brand them a poor pick for beginners.
Tarentaise
Tarentaise originated in the French Alps as dual-purpose (meat and milk) animals, related to Brown Swiss. Red scarlet with darker ears, nose, and feet, they are moderate size (one of the smaller continental breeds), highly
fertile, and early on maturing. Due to their origins in the rugged Alps, these cattle are hardier than about European breeds, and likewise accept less calving and fertility problems than some of the larger cattle. They work well in crossbreeding programs or where cattle must use marginal grazing land.
Chianina
Chianina are white Italian cattle originally used equally typhoon animals. They are the largest cattle; mature bulls stand up more than than six feet tall at the shoulder and may counterbalance iv,000 pounds. This beef cattle breed is well-muscled and long-legged. In America, they are primarily used for crossbreeding — as a final cross with all calves marketed as beefiness (no females kept). Since they
are high-strung and huge, they are not a good selection for beginners.
American Brahman
American Brahman cattle were developed from several strains of Indian cattle, including some from Brazil. Calves are small at nascency, grow fast, but exercise not become sexually mature equally chop-chop as British breeds. Heat-tolerant and resistant to ticks and insects, these large cattle have loose floppy peel
on dewlap, brisket, and belly, big droopy ears, horns that curve up and back, and can be any color. In a hot climate, they do well. Shy and flighty, they are not a good pick for beginners unless handled carefully. With selection and proper handling, nonetheless, they can become very docile.
Beefmaster
Beefmaster is an American beefiness cattle breed produced by crossing Brahman with Shorthorn and Hereford to create a heat-tolerant animal with proficient beef production. Beefmaster cattle today are slightly less than half Brahman and slightly more than ¼ Hereford and ¼ Shorthorn. They can be whatever color or spotted. Rigid culling in range conditions, based on hardiness, disposition, fertility, growth, conformation, and milk production has created a superior beefiness animal that needs no pampering.
Santa Gertrudis
Santa Gertrudis were created on the King Ranch in Texas by crossing Brahman with Shorthorn. These red cattle are heat-tolerant, with good beef product. They are approximately 5/8 Shorthorn and 3/viii Brahman, known for easy calving, good mothering ability, and improved beef quality over the Brahman. They gain weight nicely on grass, and outperform British and continental breeds in hot climates, but they may be likewise flighty for an inexperienced stockman.
Murray Grey
Murray Grey are moderate-sized, silver-gray beef cattle breed descended from one Shorthorn moo-cow in Australia who produced 12 gray calves when bred to Angus bulls. These polled cattle accept piece of cake-born, fast-growing calves. They accept high-quality meat, good milk and mothering power, and better dispositions than nearly Angus cattle — traits that make them attractive to the pocket-sized farmer.
Scotch Highland
Scotch Highland cattle originated in Scotland, surviving in the highlands on thin, fibroid native forage. They have impressive horns and long hair. Almost are red but may range from tan to blackness — with an occasional white or dun. As one of the hardiest breeds, they survive in poor conditions where other cattle perish. Calves are born pocket-size merely grow speedily. Mature animals are small compared to well-nigh beef breeds. Due to ease of calving, hardiness, and dramatic hybrid vigor when crossed with other cattle, they are sometimes used in crossbreeding programs to produce efficient, hardy range cattle.
Galloways
Galloways, another Scottish breed, are polled, black (though a few are red, white, or dun), and sturdy, with long shaggy hair that sheds in summer. They handle severe winter atmospheric condition and keep foraging in deep snowfall. Calves are born small and hardy and gain rapidly. These cattle are efficient and tin can do well on grass, without grain, producing a trim carcass with a loftier percentage of meat.
Devon Cattle
Devon cattle originated in southwestern England as draft animals and were after selected for beef traits, producing flavorful meat on native grasses. This is a popular breed for people who raise grass-finished beef.
Crimson Poll
Red Poll originated in England as dual-purpose animals. Cows are highly fertile, and calves are small just grow fast. Since this breed is not closely related to other beef breeds, it can exist utilized in a crossbreeding program to obtain exceptional hybrid vigor. This breed has been used primarily for grass finishing, reaching market weight at a young age, and excels in meat quality (marbling and tenderness) without grain.
Welsh Blackness
Welsh Black cattle originated along the declension of Wales. They have fantabulous disposition; they were historically raised and tended by women. Harsh conditions and poor grazing developed an ability to get by on minimal provender and they handle cold weather condition better than most breeds. Originally bred for milk as well as meat, the cows raise fast-growing calves. The cows are good
mothers, fertile, and long-lived.
Dexters
The smallest beefiness cattle breed is the Dexter, originating in southern Ireland, bred past farmers with small holdings in the mountains. The cattle foraged in rough state adjacent to niggling farms. These small, gentle cattle need less feed than other breeds and thrive in a diverseness of climates. Calves are born easily and grow fast, maturing by 12 to 18 months of age equally finished beef.
Wagyu
Wagyu cattle originated in Nihon and are known for highly-marbled, tasty meat — which will exist the highest-priced meat on the menu at a good restaurant. Minor farmers who raise Wagyu often process and sell the meat straight to consumers. The breed you choose will depend on your goals and purposes — and how you lot want to raise and market them.
What is your favorite beef cattle breed? We would love to hear from you in the comments below.
Originally published in the January/February 2021 issue of Countryside & Pocket-size Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.
Source: https://www.iamcountryside.com/cattle/best-beef-cattle-breeds/
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