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Mooving the Cattle Along

Different cattle breeds

By Rasma RaistersPublished 3 months ago 3 min read
Holstein Friesian

Angus cattle are strongly muscled and have pleasant temperaments. They are one of the top beef cattle breeds in the world, producing high-quality, well-marbled beef. The Black Angus and Red Angus cattle are regarded as two separate breeds of cattle in the USA. In the UK, however, they are both registered under the same herd book as Aberdeen Angus or Angus in either black or red colors. They are said to have been bred from the black cattle of Northeast Scotland, which were known as “hummlies” or “doddies.”

The Ayrshire is among the largest cattle breeds and is a Scottish breed of dairy cattle. This breed provides good-quality milk and delicious meat. The cattle can grow as large as 900 to 1,000 pounds. These cattle are usually red and white in color, the red varying from very deep to a lighter shade. Calves may be dehorned for ease of handling.

Brahmin cattle were bred in the United States from 1885 using cattle originating in India, imported at various times from the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil. They have a high tolerance of heat, sunlight, and humidity, and good resistance to parasites.  These cattle are mostly reared for meat.

Brown Swiss is a breed known for great milk production and can be used for beef. These are large cows but very docile and friendly.

Charolais are a French breed of beef cattle. They originated in the Charolais region surrounding Charolles in eastern France. Their colors vary from white to grain.

The Highland cattle breed are known for their unusual look. They are brown cows with a full head of hair and a pair of massive upright-curved horns.  Originated in the Scottish Highlands and the Western Islands of Scotland. This breed is also known for being double-coated, making it the perfect choice for colder climates since it can stand in a blizzard and just continue grazing the grass. The first record of Highland cattle being imported to the United States was in the late 1890s. These cattle produce tender beef.

The Holstein Friesian (picture above) is an international breed or group of dairy cattle.  It originated in Frisia, stretching from the Dutch province of North Holland to the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Holsteins have very distinctive markings, usually black and white or red and white in color, typically exhibiting piebald patterns.

Jersey cattle have cows that give exceptionally good milk. The peak of their popularity came around the 1860s, though, at the end of the Industrial Revolution, when the population of Great Britain, continental Europe, and the US really started to grow. This is due to the fact that there weren’t a lot of food sources around, and the Jersey cows were readily available to anyone that was in need. Most Jersey cows out there will be light brownish, although you can get the occasional grey to darker-colored specimen too. On top of that, the breed also features little to no calving issues whatsoever. They are very fertile creatures, considering their short calving interval and the fact that they mature quicker than the average cow breed. Jersey cows are known for being very good farm animals while also being some of the best options for newcomers due to their good temperament and easy-going nature.

Limousin cattle are a French breed known for having golden-red fur, and you can find them all across the US now, especially so around Texas, South Dakota, and Oklahoma. These are a French breed of beef cattle from the Limousin and La Marche, former provinces of France. It was formerly used mainly as a draught animal but in modern times is reared for beef. 

Malvi cattle are an Indian cattle breed known for being one of the top draught breeds. Malvi cattle are medium to large-sized with a well-built body, long horns, and a prominent hump. The breed typically has a reddish-brown or light brown coat. They are good milk producers, with an average yield of 4-6 liters per day. Generally docile and easy to handle, making them suitable for farming.

Nature

About the Creator

Rasma Raisters

My passions are writing and creating poetry. I write for several sites online and have four themed blogs on Wordpress. Please follow me on Twitter.

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