Download Breeds of Cattle

Animal Science
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Identify the different breeds of beef cattle,
origin, color patterns and characteristics
that make up the breeds.
Identify the differences between each
classification and the breeds beef cattle.
List the advantages and disadvantages of
each breed in commercial production
Beef Cattle
Dairy Cattle
Duel Purpose Cattle
There are three different classifications of
beef cattle.
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British
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American
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Continental
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“Aberdeen – Angus”
Originated in Scotland
Only breed selected for beef from the
beginning
Black in color, polled (no horns), small ears.
Maternal, popular for cross-breeding.
Medium sized frame, heavy muscled, and
good carcass merit.
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Usually solid black with a white belt encircling
the midsection (belt is a dominant trait)
Introduced by an infusion of Dutch Belted
blood into the Galloway
Larger in size, milk heavier, and grow more
rapidly, than the paternal breed.
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Originated in south–western England in the
counties of Devon and Somerset
Rich-red in color, orange – yellow skin,
especially around the eyes an muzzle and
creamy white, black-tipped horns
Forage well, calving ease, and fertility
Very hardy and adaptable to any climate
Possibly the earliest pure bred cattle in the
U.S.
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Originated in Scotland
Polled (strongest by genetics)
Black, Red, Dun, White (with black points
around eyes, ears, nose, hooves, and teats
Great foraging ability, long hair, and heavy
undercoat.
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Originated in Herefordshire, England.
Deep red with white head, neck, brisket,
belly and four white socks.
Good maternal traits, docile, hardiness,
calving ease
They are a medium sized frame.
Early maturing, superior foraging ability,
and can produce more calves under adverse
conditions.
Can be horned or polled
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Originated in Scotland
Red, black, brindle, yellow, dun, and silver
colors.
Very hardy, horned
Long lashes and forelocks shield eyes
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Similar to the Angus
Crossed by breeding a recessive red gene
Black Angus to another red recessive gene.
More heat tolerant than the black Angus
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Originated around the Tees River Valley of
Northern England
Red, white, or roan (most of the time) in color
Dual purpose breed – used for both meat and
milk production
Cows are very good milkers, horned or polled
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Developed in U.S. by combining three breeds
– Hereford, Brahman, and Shorthorn (exact
percentages is not known)
Color is variable, but some shade of red or
dun is usually dominant.
Polled or horned
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Crossing of Angus and Brahman (early
crossing down at USDA Experiment Station
in Louisiana)
5/8 Angus and 3/8 Brahman (obtained by
crossing a ¾ Brahman and ¼ Angus with an
Angus
Red or Black, polled, larger than Angus with
some Brahman characteristics.
Loose skin (dewlap and sheath), heat
tolerant, good maternal characteristics
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Originated in the southwestern part of the
U.S.
Light gray, red to almost black.
Hump over shoulders, loose skin (dewlap)
under the throat and large drooping ears
Bos Indicus – (also known as Zebu) have a
hump over the shoulders.
Selected for hardiness, and ability to
produce in the climate of the Southwest,
early maturing
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5/8 Limousin and 3/8 Brahman
Combine all of the great characteristics of
each breed
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They were developed in Texas at the King
Ranch. In 1920, a bull named Monkey was
born. (All Santa Gertrudis are descendents of
this bull.
They are deep cherry red color. They are 5/8
Shorthorn and 3/8 Brahman.
They are horned and polled.
Adapted to humid, hot areas where ticks and
insects are a problem.
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Experimental breed of Brahman and
Simmental
Easily adapt to rigid temperatures, as well as
hot, humid climates.
Grow rapidly and will gain efficiently
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Oldest of the French breeds. Developed
around the Charolles in central France
White or cream colored with pink skin.
Most are horned, excellent growth rate, and
heavily muscled.
Disadvantages – low milk production, calving
problems, low fertility, genetic “trash” (double
muscling and cleft palate)
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Originated in the Chianina Valley of Italy.
Solid white with black skin (black nose, eye
pigment, tongue) and black tail switch.
Oldest breed in Italy and the world.
Originally used as draft animals, can gain 4 to
5 pounds a day and are the largest cattle in
the world.
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Originated about 7,000 years ago in west–
central France.
Solid light yellow to tannish red, with lighter
circles around the eyes and muzzle or black
color.
Heavy muscling, large loin area, and leanness
(may not have enough fat cover to withstand
harsh conditions).
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Originated in France.
Color patterns vary, most are deep red
generally with moderate amount of white
spots, white socks, with a white spot on
forehead.
Large frame, growth, cows are good milkers.
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Originated in the Simmen Valley of
Switzerland.
Usually have a white to light straw faces
with red to dark red, spotted bodies. Some
are black or gray with white markings.
Milk production, large framed, horned or
polled, meat and carcass traits.
About ½ of all cattle in Switzerland are
Simmentals and is the most popular breed
of cattle in Europe.
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Holstein
They are from the Netherlands and Germany.
They are black and white.
Large sized and heavy milkers
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Jersey
They are light grey to dark fawn in color.
They are a medium sized animal
They milk the more for their body weight
than any other cow.
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Guernsey
They are red and white.
They are a medium framed cow.
They have a high feed to milk conversion.
Their milk is high in beta-carotene.
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Brown Swiss
They are solid brown varying from dark to
light.
They are large sized.
They have a light colored band around their
muzzle.
They have above average milk fat content.
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Gir
They originated in India.
They are grey in color wit a hump.
They have a average milk production.
They have an medium to large frame, with
beef characteristics.
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They
They
They
They
Devon
originated in England.
are red in color.
have slight dairy characteristic.
are medium to large frame.