Types of Beef Cattle

     There are 250 types of beef cattle in the world and 80 of these breeds are found in United States. Crossbreeding is a common method to produce new and more productive breeds. Crossbreeding of purebreds is carried out on commercial levels to improve the quality of animals. Only most high quality breeds are involved and they must also complement each other’s qualities like mature body size, milk quality and production, puberty age, ability to adapt to different environments, rate and efficiency of gain, muscle expression, cutability and marbling.

     Two biological types of beef cattle are Bos indicus and Bos Taurus. Bos indicus are from South Central Asia and are also known as Zebu-type. They are humped beef cattle. They are most suitable to live in tropical and sub-tropical environments. They can bear heat and humidity. They can also digest low quality feed. Bos indicus are not very reproductive and vigorous. Their crossbreeding with Bos taurus makes them vigorous and productive, with strong adaptation qualities. Bos indicus live longer than Bos taurus but have low birth weight than them. Usually problem of low birth weight is relieved when Bos indicus bulls are bred with cows of other breeds. The Nelore, Gyr, Guzerat, Brahman, Brangus, and Beefmaster breeds fall under Bos indicus category.

     Bos taurus are believed to have come from the ancient Celtic Shorthorn. They are sub-classified into British breeds and Continental breeds. British breeds are also known as English breeds and belong to the British Isles. Continental breeds also known as Exotics belong to Europe. Common British breeds are Angus, Hereford and Polled Hereford, Red Angus, Red Poll and Shorthorn. Common continental breeds are Charolais, Chianina, Gelbvieh, Limousin, Maine-Anjou, Salers, Simmental, Tarentaise and Texas Longhorn. Continental breeds are larger in size than British breeds. They are also slim and beefy. They can also adjust to hot temperatures. British breeds have good flesh and intramuscular fat.

     Two common Bos indicus types are Brahman and Brangus. Brahman breed are usually grey or red in color. They have horns and a hump. They were developed in US from humped cattle of India and Brazil. They are strong and highly adaptable to hot climates. They have inner strength to fight various parasites. Brangus was developed from Brahman and Angus. They are black and without horns or polled. They are very muscular and beefy. They can bear heat and are strong and hard.

     Different types of beef cattle are developed by crossbreeding purebreds, keeping in mind the climatic environment they have to live in, the demands of the market they have to meet and production conditions. You can never point out one breed which is perfect, since all are perfected to deal with different conditions.