Which cattle breed

Some of the breeds within the three categories may be atypical and may not possess all the advantages or disadvantages. The MARC project was designed to evaluate as many of the more prominent breeds as possible. There was also an attempt to compare bulls that were representative of the breed.

It is possible to select a bull of one of the breeds that would be an exception to the averages. This bull could perform either better or worse than the bulls used in the MARC project. The MARC study, however, did provide useful information about relative differences among many of the European and Brahman cattle. In selecting a beef breed, use the MARC information to select breeds that have higher genetic potential for meat and milk.

The specific search for a bull would be for one of the breed exceptions in a weak area. For example, the faster growing cattle are generally larger at birth and calving difficulty is higher. If your program needs more growth, select a bull from one of the growth breeds that has a light birth weight and low birth weight EPD. When selecting a breed or individuals within a breed, be aware also of a phenomenon called "genetic-environmental interaction.

Florida researchers did a classic project to illustrate this effect. Hereford cattle from a similar genetic base were relocated from Montana to Florida and vice versa.

One-half of the herds were kept at the original location. Based on the reproductive and growth information, the cattle performed best in the "home" location. According to this evidence, base the selection of a breed on the level of performance in your environment.

The breeds that excelled in the MARC comparison may not fit your program exactly. Cattle generally perform at a higher level in northern climates. Heat and humidity are detrimental to most production traits. In a more recent Florida report, Florida bulls gained almost a pound more per day in Montana than their counterparts in Florida.

Nevertheless, the Florida bulls out-performed the Montana bulls in Florida and the Montana bulls performed better than the Florida bulls in Montana. Cattle developed in northern climates with free choice corn silage during the winter months will do poorly when brought to the humid South and turned out on stockpiled fescue and trace-mineral salt for the winter. The black and white cattle are known for outstanding milk production, but their normal productive life span is only about six years. Healthy calves weigh 90 pounds or more, and mature cows reach 1, pounds.

Limousin cattle may be as old as Europe itself; cattle in 20,year-old cave paintings in France are strikingly similar in appearance to today's breed. The golden-red cattle are native to France, and were used as draft animals to help turn rugged, rocky soil into fields for crops. Limousins weren't imported into the U. Today, there are more than a million registered head here. In , Lim-Flex, a pedigreed Limousin-Angus hybrid, was recognized. This Italian breed is a 25,year-old splice of two completely different breeds: the European Auroch and Pakistani Zebu.

The breed was brought to North America in Piedmontese are more muscular, disease resistant, and hardy than most beef cows. Piedmontese milk is also a primary ingredient in several Italian cheeses. This breed was developed in Scotland in the s, when large red English longhorn cattle were bred to native black Angus cattle to produce animals heavy enough to be used as draft animals.

One in four resulting calves were red. Both black and red offspring were initially considered purebred, but reds were banned from registration in In the s, American cattle producers started breeding reds cropped from the best Angus herds and formed their own breed, which aside from color, has the same features and benefits as black Angus.

Today, red Angus is the leading U. This breed lived for centuries in the harsh, rugged Scottish Highlands, where it developed a resistance to many stress-related and other bovine diseases. It is among the oldest registered breeds. Cold weather and snow have little effect on this breed, which has long hair rather than a layer of fat to keep it warm. This also makes for lean beef with little outside waste fat. They also do well in southern climates, and will eat and thrive on brush and weeds other cattle pass by.

Highlands have long horns, and long eyelashes and forelocks that protect their eyes from flying insects. They are considered to be even-tempered and intelligent. Shorthorns originated on the northeast coast of England and were brought to America in and called Durham cattle. They were popular with settlers, since they were very adaptable, and could be used for meat and milk, and to power wagons and plows. They can be either horned or naturally polled.

Polled shorthorns were the first major beef breed to be developed in the U. Both types of shorthorns are known for adaptability, mothering ability, reproductive performance, good disposition, longevity, and good feed conversion. This Swiss breed is among the oldest and most widely distributed in the world. They have been raised in the U. Most Simmentals are red and white, but there are no color restrictions on the breed.

Regardless of the time frame it is generally accepted that the domestication of cattle followed sheep, goats, pigs and dogs. Modern domestic cattle evolved from a single early ancestor, the aurochs. In addition to prehistoric painting that help us identify the appearance of the auroch the species actually survived until relatively modern times. It is believed the last surviving member of the species was killed by a poacher in on a hunting reserve near Warsaw, Poland.

Orginated in Denmark. Body colour of this Danish breed is red, reddish brown or even dark brown. It is also a heavy breed; The lactation yield of Red Dane cattle varies from to kgs. Origin is Ayrshire in Scotland and considered as most beautiful dairy breed. These are very active animals but hard to manage. The breed was also known as Dunlop cattle or Cunningham cattle. Originated from Small island of Guernsey in France.

Cherry red to brown in colour. Mahagony and white is a variation in colour. The milk has a golden colour due to an exceptionally high content of beta carotene Guernsey cows produce around kgs per lactation. The Guernsey cow has many notable advantages for the dairy farmer over other breeds includes high efficiency of milk production, low incidence of calving difficulty and longevity. Cross bred - Dairy Cattle.

Jersey cross. Jersey crosses are suitable dairy animals for tropical plains of our country. They are medium sized, have better heat tolerance than other exotic crosses and well adapted to our climate. Depending on the milk production potential of our indigenous cows, the Jersey crosses may show 2 to 3 fold increase in milk yield in the first generation.

Holstein Friesian cross. The HF crosses are more suitable for temperture climatic regions like hilly areas as they are less tolerant to heat. Less resistance to tropical diseases than Jersey crosses. Although the milk yield is higher in HF crosses the fat per cent is less. Indigenous Buffalo breeds.

Most important breed of buffaloes whose home is Rohtak, Hisar and Sind of Haryana, Nabha and Patiala districts of Punjab and southern parts of Delhi state. Otherwise called as Delhi, Kundi and Kali.

The colour is usually jet black with white markings on tail and face and extremities sometimes found. Tightly curved horn is an important character of this breed. Most efficient milk and butter fat producers in India. Butter fat content is 7. Average lactation yield is varying from to kgs per lactation. Also used for the grading up of inferior local buffaloes.

The breeding tract of this breed is Kaira and Baroda district of Gujarat. Coat colour varies from rusty brown to silver-grey. The horns are sickle shaped, moderately long and flat. The peculiarity of the breed is two white collars, one round the jaw and the other at the brisket region The milk yield ranges from to kgs per lactation. The peculiarity of this breed is very high fat percentage in milk per cent. The breeding tract of this breed is Gir forests, Kutch and Jamnagar districts of Gujarat.

This is the heaviest Indian breed of buffalo. The horns are heavy, inclined to droop at each side of the neck and then turning up at point drooping horns.

The udder is well developed with funnel shaped teats. The average milk yield is to kgs per lactation. The bullocks are heavy and used for ploughing and carting. These animals are mostly maintained by traditional breeders called Maldharis, who are nomads. Medium sized buffalo. The body is usually light or copper coloured is a peculiarity of this breed. Eye lids are generally copper or light brown colour. The bullocks are good draught animal with high heat tolerance.