Breeds of Livestock Beef Cattle

English Breeds Angus Hereford Short Horn

French Breeds Charolais Limousin Maine-Anjou

Continental Breeds Beefmaster Brangus Bradford Santa Gerturdis

Angus Origin: Aberdeen and Angus, Scotland Imported to US: 1873 Color: Black w/ smooth hair Polled: Yes Desirable Qualities: Small frame that produces a desirable carcass of high quality, well-marbled meat. Marble= fat within the meat tissue that provides taste, juiciness, and tenderness Known as an alert and vigorous breed.

Angus

Hereford Origin: England Color: Red body, White face and belly Face has curly hair Polled: No Desirable Qualities: Docile and easy handling Superior foraging ability, vigor and hardiness Produces more calves under adverse conditions than other breeds

Hereford

Polled Hereford Polled Herefords represent the development of an idea - an idea spawned in the minds of a small number of Midwestern Hereford breeders in the late 1890s who realized that it was both possible and practical to develop "modern Herefords minus horns." These breeders were motivated by the promising prospect of developing Herefords with outstanding beef-producing characteristics, but with the added desirable trait of being naturally hornless. They planted the seed from which grew a new giant in the American and world beef cattle industry Polled Herefords were developed from the horned Hereford breed which was founded in the mid-18th century by the farmers of Hereford County, England. They have red bodies with white faces except for the polled trait. They are known for their foraging ability, vigor, hardiness, and quiet dispositions.

Polled Hereford

Shorthorn

Shorthorn Origin: Durham and York England (Northeast Coast Color: Red, Roan Polled: Yes Desirable Qualities: Desirable carcass Good Milk Producers

Charolais Origin: France Imported to US: 1936 to King Ranch in Texas Color: White to light straw with pink skin Polled: Yes Desirable Qualities: Hard, heavy muscling, particularly in the round and loin High feed efficiency Large frame animal

Charolais

Limousin Origin: West Central France about 7000 years ago. Imported to US:1968 Color: light yellow hair with lighter circles around the eyes and muzzle Polled: no Desirable Qualities: Short broad head with small neck. Carcass leanness and large loin

Limousin

Maine Anjou Origin: France in 1840 Imported to US: 1970 Color: Dark red and white and roan Polled: no Desirable Qualities: Work animal, Excellent beef producers, Docile, easy to handle, Fast growth weight, well marbled

Maine Anjou

Beefmaster Origin: Texas in 1931 Imported to US: 1931 Color: Reds and dun Polled: Horned Desirable Qualities: Cross between Hereford, Shorthorn, Brahman. Good disposition, fertility, gain, conformation, hardiness, and milk production

Beefmaster

Brahman Origin: India and British Colonies Imported to US: Conflicting Reports (1849) Color: Light gray or red to almost black Polled: Horned Desirable Qualities: Hardiness, climate, early maturity, High heat tolerance, resistant to disease and insects, good mothers, forage on poor range, gain rapidly, quality carcass, Unpredictable disposition.

Brahman

Brahman

Brangus 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus Origin: Jeanerette, Louisiana 1912 Imported to US: 1912 Color: Black Polled: Yes Desirable Qualities: Adaptable, Good mothers, feed efficiency, desirable carcass

Brangus

Brangus

Santa Gertrudis 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Shorthorn Origin: Texas 1920 Imported to US: 1920 Color: Cherry Red Polled: Horned Desirable Qualities: Efficient in feedlots, desirable carcass, Resistant to disease and insects

Santa Gertrudis

Santa Gertrudis

Simmental Origin: western Switzerland Imported to US: Reported as early as 1887, no influence until 1960’s Color: red and white animals Polled: Horned Desirable Qualities: rapid growth development; outstanding production of milk, butter, and cheese; and for their use as draft animals.

Simmental

Simmental

Chianina Origin: Ancient Italy (Rome) Imported to US: 1971-1972 Color: White to gray Polled: short horns Desirable Qualities: Well defined muscling Long legs Terminal breed

Chianina

Texas Longhorn Origin: Imported to North America 500 Years ago Imported to US: 1500’s Color: varies Polled: horned Desirable Qualities: Adapted to US Foraging Ability Large, Lean Carcass

Texas Longhorn

Gelbvieh (Gelp-fee) Gelbvieh originated in Bavaria, in southern Germany. It is believed to have been developed in the late 18th and early 19th century from self-colored Bernese and Swiss Brown cattle used on the local red or red spotted cattle. Like most European breeds the Gelbvieh was originally selected for meat, milk and work. The breed was introduced into the United States by Carnation Genetics through the importations of semen from Germany, starting in July of 1971. The breed is red in color, with strong skin pigmentation, and horned. Polled cattle have developed in the United States from the use of naturally hornless foundation females. Proponents of the breed claim the breed has superior fertility, calving ease, mothering ability, and growth rate of the calves.

Gelbvieh

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/