What Breeds of Cattle Are There? A Guide to Common Cattle Breeds
There are many breeds of cattle, mainly divided into four types: dairy, beef, draft, and dual-purpose. Dairy cattle are mainly raised to produce milk and dairy products, such as Chinese Holstein and Holstein-Friesian cattle. Beef cattle are mainly raised to produce beef and beef products, such as Hereford, Angus, and Shorthorn cattle. Draft cattle are mainly used for plowing and cultivation, such as Chinese yellow cattle and water buffalo. Dual-purpose cattle include dairy-beef dual-purpose and beef-draft dual-purpose types, such as Simmental, Brown Swiss, and Danish Red cattle.
Introduction to China's five famous valuable cattle breeds:
1. Nanyang cattle: A large dual-purpose draft and beef breed. Coat colors include yellow, red, and straw-white, with yellow being the main color, and the muzzle and neck are mostly flesh-red; the body is tall and large, with great and lasting strength, fine meat, rich aroma, obvious marbling, and excellent hide quality.
2. Jinnan cattle: A large dual-purpose draft and beef breed. The coat is mainly jujube-red, the muzzle is pink, and the hooves and toes are also mostly pink; the body is tall and sturdy, with great pulling power, fast speed, and strong endurance.
3. Yanbian cattle: A dual-purpose draft and beef breed from cold-temperate mountain areas. The coat is mostly yellow in varying shades, and the muzzle is generally light brown; the constitution is sturdy, with strong adaptability, solid bones, and meat that is tender, juicy, delicious, and palatable, with obvious marbling.
4. Qinchuan cattle: A large dual-purpose draft and beef breed. The coat is mostly purple-red and red, with less yellow, and the muzzle is flesh-red; the frame is tall and large, with thick bones, full muscles, a strong constitution, and great draft power, and the meat is fine-textured, soft, juicy, and has obvious marbling.
5. Luxi yellow cattle: A dual-purpose draft and beef type. The coat ranges from light yellow to brown-red, with yellow being the most common, and most cattle have lighter coat color around the eye rims, muzzle, underbelly, and inner sides of the limbs; the body is tall and large, and the cut surface of the meat is snowflake-like, red and white interlaced, bright and attractive, with soft and delicate meat.