Beef Cattle Breeds

Angus

Origin: Shires of Angus & Aberdeen in N. Scotland

Modern Color: Homozygous black

Traditional Color: Only original black breed; basis for CAB

Horned/Polled: homozygous polled (dominant)

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: #1 pop. size (70%) and best marbling

Belted Galloway

Origin: Galloway in S. Scotland

Modern Color: Homozygous black

Traditional Color: solid black or belted; few are grey, dun, or red

Horned/Polled: homozygous polled

Component Breeds: none, but maybe some Angus cattle in Scotland

Crossbreeding Strengths: Cold tolerance, modest size/low input/grass efficient, marbling, elevation tolerance (no brisket disease)

Horned Hereford

Origin: Herefordshire in central England (fertile grasslands)

Modern Color: Red w/ a white face(dominant)

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: most originally horned (polled cattle in US 1901)

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: HV potential, tenderness, low milk suited for SW US, bald face dominant for CHB and female sales

Polled Hereford

Origin: Herefordshire in central England (fertile grasslands)

Modern Color: Red w/ a white face(dominant)

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: homo or hetero polled

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: HV potential, tenderness, low milk suited for SW US, bald face dominant for CHB, and female sales

Red Angus

Origin: Same as Angus but RAAA est. in 1954

Modern Color: solid red

Traditional Color: descended from black Angus cattle, red gene has low frequency

Horned/Polled: homozygous polled

Component Breeds: black Angus

Crossbreeding Strengths: low maintenance, moderate mature size, marbling, calving ease, fertility and longevity, more heat tolerant than black Angus, first THR breed in 1995

Red Poll

Origin: Norfolk and Suffolk counties in England

Modern Color: Cherry red, some with a white tail switch

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: homozygous polled

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: milk production, low input, modest size, 1000-1100lbs cows

Shorthorn

Origin: NE England

Modern Color: red, white, or roan (biggest advantage and disadvantage)

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: none, has been incorporated into 30 different breeds around the world

Crossbreeding Strengths: Milk production, big size for a British breed, lean for a British breed, feed efficiency, hair/cold tolerance

South Devon

Origin: S. countries of Devon and Cornwall

Modern Color: solid yellowish-red

Traditional Color: solid yellowish-red

Horned/Polled: horned predominantly

Component Breeds: may have Guernsey crossed in them

Crossbreeding Strengths: More heat tolerant than most British breeds, largest of British breeds, dual purpose, widely adaptable and popular world wide, mild disposition, efficiency leaders

Belgium Blue

Origin: Belgium

Modern Color: blue, white, or roan

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: cross between Friesians and Shorthorn

Crossbreeding Strengths: muscularity, leanness, carcass dressing percentage, good cross with Holstein

Braunvieh

Origin: Swiss Alps/Switzerland

Modern Color: brown/fawn with white and black nose

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: cross between Friesians and Shorthorn

Crossbreeding Strengths: dual purpose, docility, muscularity, high mountain tolerance

Charolais

Origin: Charolee region of France

Modern Color: white with pink nose

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: High weaning weight, muscle, heat tolerance, HV, late maturity

ChiAngus

Origin: USA

Modern Color: solid black

Traditional Color: solid black

Horned/Polled: heterozygous polled

Component Breeds: chi and angus

Crossbreeding Strengths: same as Chis plus homozygous solid patterned

Chianina

Origin: Tuscan Valley in West Italy

Modern Color: most are black, fullbloods are white black NTF

Traditional Color: white/gray with black NTF

Horned/Polled: horned

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: tallest breed, HV potential, leanness, frame score, low fat

Gelbvieh

Origin: S Central highlands of West Germany

Modern Color: red to light red, graded up to black

Traditional Color: red

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: dual purpose, fertility, maternal ww, reduction in puberty, calving ease

Limousin

Origin: S Central region of Limousin in France

Modern Color: black

Traditional Color: dark red to light red w/ light points

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: high cx yield, small GI tract, calving ease, largest REA of breeds at US MARC, best breed for feed from an efficiency standpoint

Maine Anjou

Origin: NW region of France

Modern Color: red and black with white

Traditional Color: red and white stocking legs

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: largest of French breeds, muscle

Pinzgauer

Origin: Austria, where country is rocky and subfertile

Modern Color: red with white dorsal, tail, and underline (skunk dominant stripe)

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: hardiness, calving ease

Salers

Origin: France

Modern Color: dark red or black

Traditional Color: dark red

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: hardiness, elevation tolerance, milk protein, intermediate growth

Simmental

Origin: Switzerland

Modern Color: primarily black but can be red, maybe blaze face

Traditional Color: light red with paint or stockings

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: none

Crossbreeding Strengths: best dual breed (milk + growth), balanced carcass merit (muscle and decent marbling), require more calories

Brahman

Origin: South TX (from Zebu Indian breeds)

Modern Color: grey or red

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: Guzerat, gir, nellore, krishna valley breed

Crossbreeding Strengths: heat tolerance, parasite/insect resistance, HV potential, maternal instinct and milk fat, calf vigor and cow longevity, bloat resistant, feed efficiency, cutability (muscle + leanness), low marbling and high toughness

Beefmaster

Origin: USA - Lasater Ranch

Modern Color: red, dun, black

Traditional Color: red, dun, w/ lots of white

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: ½ Brahman, ¼ Hereford, ¼ Shorthorn

Crossbreeding Strengths: Cow longevity, hardiness, mothering ability

Braford

Origin: USA

Modern Color: Red w/ hereford markings (tiger stripe possible)

Traditional Color: same

Horned/Polled: both

Component Breeds: 3/8 Brahman, 5/8 Hereford

Crossbreeding Strengths: maternal, HV, cow longevity

Brangus

Origin: USA

Modern Color: Ultra black

Traditional Color: black

Horned/Polled: polled

Component Breeds: 3/8 Brahman 5/8 Angus

Crossbreeding Strengths: Blend of Angus strengths (marbling) and heat tolerance of Brahman

Red Brangus

Origin: USA

Modern Color: red

Traditional Color: red

Horned/Polled: polled

Component Breeds: 3/8 Brahman 5/8 Red Angus

Crossbreeding Strengths: same strengths as Brangus

Santa Gertrudis

Origin: USA - King Ranch

Modern Color: Red

Traditional Color: Red

Horned/Polled: horned

Component Breeds: 3/8 Brahman 5/8 Shorthorn

Crossbreeding Strengths: adapted to brush country

Akaushi

Origin: Korea

Modern Color: red

Traditional Color: red

Horned/Polled: horned

Component Breeds: ?

Crossbreeding Strengths: extreme marbling and high MUFA content in beef

Wagyu

Origin: Japan

Modern Color: black

Traditional Color: black

Horned/Polled: horned

Component Breeds: ?

Crossbreeding Strengths: extreme marbling

Texas Longhorn

Origin: Spanish Cattle

Modern Color: all colors

Traditional Color: all colors

Horned/Polled: huge horns

Component Breeds: Andalusian cattle

Crossbreeding Strengths: hardiness, calving ease, small mature size

Corriente

Origin: Spanish cattle

Modern Color: black/brown

Traditional Color: black/brown

Horned/Polled: horned

Component Breeds: Spanish breeds

Crossbreeding Strengths: Hardiness, calving ease, small mature size

Senepol

Origin: Caribbean (St. Croix, US Virgin Islands)

Modern Color: red

Traditional Color: red

Horned/Polled: smooth polled

Component Breeds: Red poll and N’Dama

Crossbreeding Strengths: Early maturity, gentle, most heat-tolerant Bos taurus breed, fescue toxcitiy resistance