Breeds - ANS 101 - Exam 2

La Mancha goat

Dairy goat
Straight faced with a very short ear ( called gopher or elf eared) with no cartilage. Any color combo is acceptable.
Sturdy, excellent temperament and one of the highest milk fat producers.

Nubian goat

Dairy goat
Very long pendulous ear. large, pendulous udder. Convex muzzle.
All purpose (meat, milk and hide). much longer breeding season than other goats. Best suited of dairy breeds for hot conditions.

Saanen goat

Dairy goat
Medium to large goat that is up eared and all-white.
Very heavy milk producers.

Alpine goat

Dairy goat
No established color. Males have pronounced beard. Erect, e=medium sized ears. Large, well-shaped udders. White is discriminated against, so will have markings.
Hardy, adaptable so do well in many environments. Excellent milk producer.

Toggenburg goat

Dairy goat
Medium sized with alert appearance. Light fawn to dark chocolate colored. White ears and white stripes on face. and legs. Erect ears carried forward.
Oldest breed. Excellent udder development, high milk production and average milk fat.

Oberhasli goat

Dairy goat
Medium sie with "chamois" to black colored (like a bay horse). black stripes on face and legs. Straight
Vigorous

Boer goat

Meat goat
White, very thick muscled and with a red "cape"
Muscle production and growth rate - better than all other goats.

Kiko goat

Meat goat
Can be combinations of white and brown with dorsal stripe. horned and moderately muscled.
Survivability and growth rate in a tough range environment.

Spanish goat

Meat goat
Shades of brown with black dorsal lines, legs and beard. Body shape ear and color not always consistently identifiable
Moderate sized meat producer. and very tough (from its feral breeding after being left by Spanish explorers.

Angora goat

Fiber goat
Small, white, horned and long fibered with a definite crimp visible on the mohair.
Heavy producer of mohair. A good browser and range forager as well. Not as prolific as others. Not known for meat production.

Cashmere goat

Fiber goat
White, horned and with a fiber that is very "lustrous" in appearance. No noticeable ringlet or crimp like an Angora.
Finest fiber available after the hair is removed from the fleece.

Pygmy goat

Very small (dwarf). Very heavy mane of hair over the shoulder. All colors are ok, though usually dark gray agouti colored. Usually a dorsal stripe.
Can be milked or produced for meat, but is usually known for novelty and pet use because of the cute, small

Myotonic goat

Any color combination, but most are black and white. Defined by its genotype and not outward appearance, so come in all types and kinds.
Can be used for meat or milk, but is known best for its reaction to stress - they fall over and are stiff as if in rigor mortis. Not good jumpers or climbers so easy to keep in pens. Easy to kid and milk.

Angus cattle

Scotland - Maternal
Black and polled. Moderate to small
always polled, no scurs, and most popular single breed in US

Hereford cattle

England - Maternal
Red with White face and points, moderate sized. Can be dark red to almost yellow.
western range cow with moderate milk so breeds easily. Distinguished horns (weighted to curve downward) artificially on bulls) and polled breed/lines too too.

Charlois cattle

France - Paternal
White but with reddish pigment in skin. Heavy muscled. Large framed
Unlike other breeds, white is co-dominate to other color genes, giving a diluted color in crosses.

Limousin cattle

France - Paternal
Red or black, heavy muscled, rounded quarter and large size
fine boned

Maine Anjou cattle

France - Paternal
Usually very large framed and big headed with rough shoulder and weak top. Is traditionally red and white spotted. With strong American Shorthorn influence, can see roan and small, stock appearance in US lines.
Popular cross in show cattle in US. US lines are mostly solid black or with some white (called "chrome). They are selected for hair length to suit show industry)

Shorthorn cattle

NE coast of England & Scotland - Maternal
Red, roan or white
Noted dairy, beef lines exist.

Brahman cattle

India - Maternal
Long, down ears, hump (crested neck). Colors from dark to light grey.
Seen often in bull riding events in rodeo.l Very strong resistance to parasites and the effects of heat, so are most popular in the deep southern US

Brangus Cattle

US - Maternal
Black with slight appearance of hump and ears (from Brahman influence)
Combines heat and parasite tolerance of Brahman influence with growth and maternal ability of Angus.

Gelbvieh cattle

Germany - Maternal or Paternal
Red color with strong skin pigmentation. US Black lines developed. More moderate size than other European imports. Commonly heavier dewlap
Known best for reproductive performance compared to other European imports. Has odd ability to restrict blood flow to sites of heavy parasite infestation and thus killing the parasite.

Longhorn cattle

left from Spanish explorers - Maternal
Moderate to small size and colors with various levels of white, red and black mixing. Obvious large horns
American original. Long horns with age; Really durable in tough environmental conditions. Also very easy to calve.

Simmental cattle

Switzerland - Paternal
Usually very large, level made cattle. Traditionally yellow or red spotted, German lines solid red. American lines can be black or grey.
Bred triple purpose Europe, and represented world wide with many different strains and names.

Chianina cattle

Italy - Paternal
White with black eyes and switch. American lines are small and black to suit youth show industry
Crosses of Brahman lines tend to have a striped or brindle pattern

Belgian Blue cattle

Belgium - Paternal
Spotted to white with usual roan pigment. Double muscled
Often shown sheared off to show off extreme muscle expression. Produces unusually tender meat.

Bay colored horse

Reddish tan to reddish brown with black mane, tail, lower legs

Black colored horse

True black with no light areas around muzzle or flank.

Brown colored horse

Almost black, but brown or tan hair is found in flank or muzzle

Sorrel colored horse

Copper bright reddish with main and tail the same color as the body, or flaxen ("blonde").

Chestnut colored horse

Dark red or reddish brown with mane and tail the same color as body, or flaxen.

Gray colored horse

Mixture of white and black hair. Often born non-gray and color lightens with age.

Palomino colored horse

Golden yellow with flaxen mane and tail. Note that this is also a breed registry name as well, eluding to the color requirement of the breed.

Roan colored horse

Mixture of white and either red, chestnut, or black hair.

Dun colored horse

Can be a number of colors, but diluted in color and with a dorsal stripe (down center of back).

Buckskin colored horse

color of tanned deer hide with black points. Shades may vary from yellow to dark gold. Points (mane, tail, legs) can be dark brown or black.

Appaloosa colored horse

Not really a color but a color pattern. Variable pattern often consisting of white over loin and hips with dark spots. Note that this is also a breed registry name as well, eluding to the color requirement of the breed.

Painted colored horse

Note also this a breed registry name as well, eluding to the color requirement of the breed. Paints are any background color of a horse, with large white spotting patterns on the body of the horse (excludes There are several subtypes of paint horse colors. The two most common are called Overo and Tobiano.

White colored horse

without pigment, though not albino. Does not turn grey with age. Is associated with a lethal gene, so not true breeding because homozygosity for the white gene is lethal in utero.

Stocking on horse

Half of the leg is covered with white

Sock or Boot on horse

1/4 of leg is covered with white

Fetlock on horse

White on horses leg comes to just above "ankle"

Pastern on horse

White on horses foot reaches just below the "ankle"

Coronet on horse

Small stripe of white just around the hoof

Partial Pastern on horse

Small circle of white on horses "heel"

Blaze on horse

Thick stripe of white that goes from between the eyes to the nose

Stripe (Thin Blaze) on horse

Thin blaze that goes from between the eyes to the nose

Stripe and Nose on horse

Thin blaze that starts between the eyes and continues onto the nostrol

Irregular Blaze on horse

Blaze that is crooked and broken

Interrupted Stripe on horse

Strip that breaks in the middle

Bald Face on horse

Blaze that extends horizontally past the center of the face

Faint Star on horse

A very small patch of white on horse's forehead

Star on horse

A larger patch of white on horse's forehead

Star and Strip on horse

Patch of white on horse's forehead that extends just below the eyes

Irregular Star on horse

Misshapen or curved patch of white on horse's forehead

Snip on horse

Small patch of white on horse's nostrol

Lip Masking on horse

Very small strip of white on horse's lip

American Quarter horse

¨ Original to US.
¨ From East Coast Chickasaw (short, stocky) and English Thoroughbreds to improve speed at short (¼ mile) distance races.
¨ Extensively bred for ranch work in Western USA.
¨ Association formed in 1940.
¨ Largest numbers in US.

Arabian horse

¨ Oldest breed. Original to Arabian desert lands.
¨ Bred for endurance, spirit, elegance.
¨ Ancestral to many breeds.
¨ Extensively bred for ranch work in Western USA.
¨ Association formed in 1908.

Belgian horse

¨ Original to Belgium from medieval Flemish breeding.
¨ To US for farm work, last imports to US by Iowan in 1940.
¨ Association formed in 1940.
¨ Largest numbers of draft registrations in US.

Pony of the Americas

¨ Original to Iowa in 1954.
¨ From Shetland X Appaloosa cross, but now with other breed influences.
¨ Bred for larger pony riders not yet ready for full size horse.
¨ 2nd largest numbers in US for ponies.

Paint horse

¨ Original to US but from Spanish explorers with "two-toned" horses.
¨ Bred for ranch work in Western USA.
¨ 2nd largest numbers in USA today.

Clydesdale horse

¨ Original to Great Britain, Scotland specifically.
¨ Bred for faster gait pulling wagons. Big hoof diameter.
¨ To US in early 1800s. Not as popular for farm work because of feathers, size.
¨ Association formed in 1879.

Shetland Pony

¨ Original to Shetland Islands in England, bred for coal mine draft work.
¨ Modern lines are less shaggy, more refined and often used in English style equitation events, most notable harness/carriage events and halter shows.

Appaloosa horse

¨ Original to US from Spanish horses developed by the Nez Perce Indians
of NW USA in 1700's.
¨ Same colors noted in European cave paintings of 15,000 BC.
¨ Endurance and color at issue in breed. Associated in 1938.

Percheron horse

¨ Ancient origins, from France with some Arab horse ancestry.
¨ To US in 1839, later than other drafts. However, 3X as many as others combined by WWII.
¨ Bred for farm and city labor. ISU famous for breeding program in early 1900's.

Thoroughbred horse

¨ To US in 1700's from old English influence breeding of Arabians.
¨ Popular in eastern states for longer distance and endurance racing.
¨ Some lines and crosses popular in stadium jumping and field events.
¨ Association formed in 1894, and later taken over by the US Jockey Club

Welsh pony

¨ Original harsh mountains of Wales.
¨ Bred and used in multiple ways over years (mines, chariots, racing). Today, society and children's pleasure use as well.
¨ To US in 1889 and associated in 1907.

Standardbred horse

¨ Original to US in early 1800's. Bred from Thoroughbred ancestry in early 1800's to beat Morgan horses in harness races.
¨ Noted origins to "Hamletonian 10" foaled in 1849: ~ 90% of modern breed trace to him.
¨ Harness racing, bred to race 1 mile standard time - hence the name.

Trakehner horse

¨ Developed in Prussia in the 18th century from Thoroughbred and Arabian lines, but most lines today are from Germany origins. To US in 1950's.
¨ Large (16 to 17 hands), athletic and graceful, they are most valued in Olympic competitive events such dressage and jumping.

Araucana chicken

American - Blue or Green eggs - Pea comb
Besides egg color, is known to be broody, and tolerate confinement well. Has good egg laying capability.

Brahma chicken

Asiatic - Brown eggs - Pea comb
Broiler type, good capon breed, but show purpose prevalent. Go broody and are good mothers.

Cochin chicken

Asiatic - Brown eggs - Single comb
Ornamental. Large and bantam varieties. Very heavy (8 lbs. +). Is very docile, and broody and friendly. Also winter hardy.

Cornish chicken

English - Brown eggs - Pea comb
Broiler lines depend on Cornish influence. They are poor breeders. AI is important. Need more exercise, and make poor mothers.

Leghorn chicken

Mediterranean - White eggs - Single comb
Layer lines are prominent. Red wattle and rarely go broody so are excellent egg layers.

New Hampshire chicken

American - Brown eggs - Single comb
Dual purpose balance so great home/farm bird reputation.

Orpington chicken

English - Brown eggs - Medium Single comb
Dual purpose with free range adaptability.

Plymouth Rock chicken

American - Brown eggs - Single comb
Developed in US for balanced farm flock bird with meat and egg production capability

Polish chicken

Asian - White eggs - Pea comb
Broiler type, good capon breed, but show purpose prevalent

Rhode Island Red chicken

American - Brown eggs - Single comb
Best egg production of the dual-purpose breeds. Black in the main tail and wing feathers is normal. Most Reds show broodiness,

Cheviot sheep

England & Scotland
Short, erect ear, long wooled and hornless. Black eye and nose.
Thick made moderate growth and maturity Good in tough environmental conditions.

Dorper sheep

South Africa
Black faced ( There are white faced varieties too)
Hair sheep . . no wool Mutton sheep and non - seasonally polyestrous.

Dorset sheep

England or Wales
Thick white faced meat breed . Large sized. Both horned and polled varieties.
Can breed more easily ouit of season than some breeds,

Finnsheep

Finland
Slack framed, ill shaped all white breed
Multiple births

Friesian sheep

Germany & Holland
Polled, all white with clean legs. Has small think "rat" tail with no wool covering.
Milk production leader in the world.

Texel sheep

Holland
White and clean on head and leg. Thick plump leg
Very heavy muscle production and carcass yield with large rib eye area on the carcass.

Targhee sheep

Idaho
All white, moderate size with heavy wool clip.
Ranging ability with moderate wool production too.

Hampshire sheep

England
Thick muscled, large framed and black faced with straight ear. Full wool cap and cleaned channeled preferred.

Muscle and carcass yield. Moderate wool quality.

Navajo Churro sheep

Spain
First breed in the new world. Is long wooled with color and horns.
Adapted by the Navajo for long staped fleece useful in textile production.

Rambouillet sheep

France
All white and mostly horned though some polled lines have been developed. Not especially heavy muscled.
Heavy clip of fine wool

Southdown sheep

Sussex
Traditionally short and early maturing with full wool cap and filled in channels of the face. Gray to mouse brown face, polled, and
Farm flock oriented, with adaptability to wet and confined spaces. Medium wooled.

Suffolk sheep

England
Black face with no wool cap or on legs. Has bell shaped long ear with flared tip.
Definite large framed high growth sire breed.

Polypay sheep

White (of course) with open face and small wool cap preferable. Not known for overt thickness, nor straight lines but good angles in skeleton. Medium straight ear.
Popular commercial low-input breed for outdoor lambing (like at ISU). Known for reasonable prolificacy, good maternal ability and well rounded balance of wool, growth and maternal performance.

Romanov sheep

Russia
Mixture of gray wool and black guard hair gives "natural" distinct color. Has a white "star" on the forehead.
Like Finn and Polypay, they are litter bearing (2 to 5 lambs per lambing). Wool is "natural colored, a mixture of wool and guard hairs and popular right now for course textiles ( rugs, mats, and wall hangings). Excellent early puberty and out-of-season breeding.

Aryshire dairy cattle

Scotland
•Reddish brown and white
•Excellent udders

Brown Swiss dairy cattle

Switzerland
•2nd highest in milk production
•Brown/light brown
•Great grazers

Jersey dairy cattle

Channel Island
•High butterfat content
•Heat tolerant
•Gray, fawn, and black
smallest in stature

Guernsey dairy cattle

Channel Island
•Yellow colored milk
•High beta carotene
•Tan and white

Milking Shorthorn cattle

England
•Lowest milk production
•Initially dual-purpose
•Red, white, roan
•Less than 0.5% of dairy cows

Holstein dairy cattle

Holland
•90% of all dairy cows
•Highest milk production•2 color patterns
•Black and white
•Red and white
•Now considered the 7th breed