Livestock Breeds

Angus (Scotland)

Largest in registrations

• Good milk production

• Early sexual maturation

• Excellent marbling & quality

Hereford (England)

2nd largest in registrations

• Hardy and adaptable

• Low to moderate milk

• Poor marbling

Shorthorn (England)

• Excellent milk production

• Good disposition

Limousin (France)

3rd largest in registrations

• Lacking milk production

• Lean, muscular carcasses

• Fastest growing breed

Charolais (France)

4th largest in registrations

• Fast growing, muscular

• Late maturation

• Lean, muscular carcasses

Simmental (Switzerland)

5th largest in registrations

• Excellent milk production

• Gentle disposition

• Fast growing, early sexual maturation

Maine Anjou (France)

• High birth weights

• Lean, muscular carcasses

• Popular show breed

Brahman (India)

• Strong heat, disease, and insect resistance

• Poor marbling

• Slow sexual maturity

Brangus (United States)

5/8 Angus, 3/8 Brahman

• Excellent mothering

• Early sexual maturity

• Heat tolerance

Simbrah (United States)

5/8 Simmental, 3/8 Brahman

• Heat & insect tolerance

• Good mothering

• Early sexual maturity, fertility, milking

Santa Gertrudis (United States)

5/8 Shorthorn, 3/8 Brahman

• Good mothering

• Heat tolerance

• Composite breed

Beefmaster (United States)

50% Brahman, 25% Shorthorn, 25% Hereford

Largest registration of Bos Indicus (humped shoulders, large dewlap, and adaptability to hot climates) breeds

• Noted for longevity and hardiness

• Fertile, good milking ability

• Composite breed

Chester White (United States)

• Large litters & excellent mothering

• Aggressive male breeders

Landrace (Denmark)

• Most prolific due to extra vertebrae

• Confinement adaptable

Yorkshire (England)

• Excellent mothering, large litters

• Lean carcasses, good feed conversion

Duroc (United States)

• Excellent growth rate & feed efficiency

• Sire breed

• Average carcass merit

Hampshire (United States)

• Lean, muscular carcasses

• Sire breed

Spotted Swine (United States)

• Fast growing & sound

• Confinement adaptable

• Sire breed

Pietrain (Belgium)

• Extremely muscular and lean

• Early maturity

• Stress positive

• Sire breed

Berkshire (England)

• Excellent meat quality

• Reproductively efficient

• Fast growing

Merino (Spanish)

Most dominant breed in the sheep industry

• Fine fleeces

• Smaller & slower growing

• Very hardy, excellent flocking instinct

Rambouillet (France)

Descendant of the Merino

• Dominant range ewe in western United States

• Fine fleeces

• Acceptable growth and carcass traits

Columbia (United States)

Crossbreed between Lincoln rams and Rambouillet ewes

• Largest crossbreed

• Coarser wool than Rambouillet

• Ewes are prolific and productive

Dorset (England)

• Horned and polled strains

• Known to breed out of season

• Strong milking ability

• Early physical and sexual maturation

Hampshire (England)

• Sire breed

• Rapid growth

• Muscular

Finnsheep (Finland)

• Incredible prolificacy

• Ewes produce 3+ lambs and have good milking ability

• Poor fleeces & muscle

Southdown (England)

One of the oldest sheep breeds

• Meaty, light weight carcasses

• Low maintenance

• Average prolificacy and milk production

Suffolk (England)

Very old breed

• Active with fast growth rate

• Lean, muscular carcasses

• Ewes are prolific and heavy milking

• Poor fleeces

Lincoln (England)

Heaviest breed

• Coarse, heavy fleece

• Slow maturing

Dorper (South Africa)

• Fertile, breeds out of season

• Produces hair that naturally sheds

Ayrshire (Scotland)

• Average lactation

• Excellent grazers in pasture conditions

Brown Swiss (Switzerland)

• Large, docile breed

• Average lactation

Guernsey (Isle of Guernsey)

• Medium-sized, gentle natured

• Second highest butterfat percentage (4.5%)

• Average lactation

Holstein-Friesian (Netherlands)

• Dominant breed (over 90%)

• High lactation

• Lowest butterfat percentage (3.6%)

• Used mainly for fluid milk production

Jersey (Isle of Jersey)

• Highest percentage butterfat (4.7%)

• Very fertile and early sexual maturation

• Heat resistant

• Average lactation

• Milk is used primarily in manufacturing

Angora (Turkey)

• Produces mohair

• Sheared twice yearly

• 90% of population resides in Texas

South African Boer Goat (South Africa)

• Hardy, fast-growing meat-type

• Superior spring of rib, body length, and muscling

Spanish Goat (Spain)

Refers to goats of mixed-breed origin

• Also called Meat Goat

• Used for meat production

• Prolific and hardy

La Mancha (United States)

New breed

• Developed from short-eared Spanish Goats and Swiss and Nubian sires

• Lacks ears

Saanen (Switzerland)

Widely distributed of the improved breeds

• Heaviest milking breed

Nubian (Africa)

Most popular breed of registered dairy goat in the U.S

• Higher butterfat milk

• Produces lower volumes of milk

Appaloosa

Descendent of Spanish horses

• Considered a general-purpose riding horse

Arabian (Arabia)

Arabian blood is carried by most light horse breeds

• General purpose with unsurpassed reputation for endurance

American Paint Horse (United States)

• May have Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred parent

• Two basis color patterns: tobiano (white crosses back) & overo (no white crosses back)

• Performs in most events which the Quarter Horse competes

American Saddlebred (Southern U.S.)

• Developed as a saddle horse

Standardbred (United States)

• The only breed used in trotting and pacing races

• The measure of performance is speed

Tennessee Walking Horse (United States)

• Developed as a general-purpose horse for riding, driving, and farm work

• The only horse capable of naturally overstriding

American Quarter Horse (United States)

• Developed as a saddle horse with great speed over short distances

• The working cow horse of ranches

Palomino (United States)

• Any body type horse with a golden body & white mane and tail

• Used in events similar to the Quarter Horse

Thoroughbred (England)

• Good for intermediate distance speeds

• Descended from Eclipse (1764)

Shetland Pony (Scotland)

May be draft or light horse type

• Max. height of 11.2 hands

• Strong & sturdy

Welsh Pony (Wales)

• Good riding horse

• Max. height of 13.2 hands

Miniature Horse (Europe)

• Max. height of 34 inches

• Same physical characteristics of a horse, relative to body size

Leghorn (Mediterranean)

• Single comb, white leghorn is the most prolific egg laying breed

• Small hens that lay large white eggs (235 per year)

New Hampshire Red (United States)

• Basis of the brown egg layers

• Heavier than Leghorns, not as efficient

• Sometimes used in broiler (meat) production

White Plymouth Rock (United States)

• The female line in broiler (meat) production

• Lay large, brown eggs, relatively fast growing

White Cornish (England)

• Used as the sire line in broiler production

• Large, fast growing, marginal egg producers

Broad Breasted White Turkey (United States)

• Muscular, high growth rate, white feathers

• Not capable of natural reproduction, leg structure problems