Introduction to Cattle Breeds and Their Characteristics (with the Latest Cattle Prices)

Last year, there were quite a lot of farmers raising cattle, and we all know that last year the beef market was very good, and many farmers made a big profit at the end of the year. This kind of cattle is what we call ordinary cattle, that is, yellow cattle. Another kind we commonly see is the water buffalo, which is the main draft animal in rice-growing areas. But in fact, besides these two kinds of cattle that we commonly see, there are also some other cattle breeds. Let's take a look together.

1. Luxi cattle

Native to western Shandong. This cattle has a tall body, a short body length, fine bones, well-developed muscles, and a broad, flat back and loin, appearing rectangular when viewed from the side. The coat is light yellow or brownish red, and the eye rims, muzzle ring, lower abdomen, and inner sides of the limbs are pink. The hair is fine, and the skin is thin and elastic. The horns are mostly "Longmen horns" and "splayed horns." An adult bull weighs 400-650 kg, a cow 350-450 kg, and the slaughter rate of fattened cattle reaches 50-55%. The meat is tender and of good quality, and has been well received by foreign buyers.

2. Nanyang cattle

Native to Nanyang, Henan, with a tall body and great strength, and full muscles. The bull has a majestic, square head with a concave groove, a short neck, and a high withers; the cow has a delicate head, mostly convex, with a large mouth that is square and level. The coat and horns are red and white, straw white, or yellow. An adult bull weighs about 405 kg, a cow about 330 kg, and the slaughter rate reaches 43.2%. The meat is tender and juicy, with a delicious taste. It is gentle in temperament and strong in draft capacity.

3. Qinchuan cattle

Native to the Qinling and Guanzhong Plain areas. The coat is mostly purplish red and red, dense, fine, and soft like brocade. The head is moderate in size, the eyes are large, the mouth is square and level, the horns are short and fine, and the neck is short with thin skin. The chest muscles are well developed, the back and loin are straight, the abdomen is large and round, the limbs are thick, the hooves are solid, and the body is long. The average weight of a bull is 575 kg, a cow 466 kg, the slaughter rate is 53.9%, and the net meat rate is 45%.

4. Hereford cattle

Native to Herefordshire, England, and now found throughout many countries in Europe, America, and Asia, it is one of the four major beef cattle breeds in Europe and America. It has the characteristics of early maturity, rapid weight gain, and high feed conversion rate. The average daily weight gain is generally 1.5 kg, cattle reach 500 kg at 400 days, the slaughter rate is 67%, and the net meat rate is 60%. The meat is tender and juicy, tasty and delicious.

5. Charolais cattle

Native to France, later spread across five continents. At 75-120 days of age, the weight reaches 100-200 kg; at 9 months of age, the weight reaches 380 kg; at 27 months of age, the weight reaches over 500 kg. Calves grow and develop quickly, with an average daily weight gain of 1432 g, and a daily consumption of feed of 9.26 kg, reaching 553 kg at 400 days of age.

6. Limousin cattle

Native to central France, introduced into China in 1974. Newborn calves weigh 36 kg, at 3 months of age 140-170 kg, at 8 months of age 250-300 kg, and at 9-14 months of age 350-550 kg. Male calves are castrated and fattened at 10-30 days of age, and at 30-36 months of age the average weight per head is 700 kg, with a slaughter rate of 63-71%. The meat quality is good, and the texture structure is uniform.

7. Simmental cattle

Native to the Alpine region of Switzerland, it is a triple-purpose breed for meat, milk, and draft. Within 12 months of age, the daily weight gain is 90-1000 g, and the slaughter rate reaches 60%. The standard lactation period is 270-305 days, the annual milk yield is 4070 kg, and the milk fat rate is 3.9%. It is gentle in temperament and has good draft performance.

8. Shorthorn cattle

A fine dual-purpose beef and dairy cattle breed developed in England, and also the first cattle breed introduced into China. At 200 days of age, the weight is 209 kg; at 300 days, 314 kg; at 400 days, 412 kg; and at 500 days, 500 kg. An adult bull weighs 913-1041 kg, and a cow 600 kg. The slaughter rate can reach 72%.

9. Holstein cattle

Also known as the black-and-white cattle, it is a dual-purpose dairy and beef breed developed in the Netherlands, and has been distributed around the world, with names given according to the country, such as Chinese Holstein cattle. The individual is tall, with a body height of no less than 135 cm. The annual milk yield of an adult cow is around 8000 kg, with the highest milk yield reaching 25270 kg, lifetime milk yield 157183 kg, and milk fat rate around 4.2%. Generally, cattle reach 250-300 kg at 200 days of age and over 500 kg at 400 days of age. After fattening, culled cattle have a slaughter rate of 55-58%. Calves fattened from 40 kg to 250 kg gain 1 kg per day.

10. Jinnan cattle

Native to the Jinnan region of Shanxi. The cattle has a large build, solid bones, a straight back and loin, a deep and broad chest, and a narrow, slanted rump, with a coat that is mostly red, followed by yellow or brown, and glossy. The bull's horns are round with thick bases, while the cow's horns are mostly deer-flat in shape. Steers have an average slaughter rate of 40.7%.

11. Yanbian cattle

Native to Korea and the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of China. This cattle has a stout and sturdy body, well-proportioned structure, solid bones, a deep and well-developed chest, and a relatively long and dense coat that is mostly yellow. A bull weighs about 430 kg, and a cow about 330 kg. The slaughter rate is about 45-50%, and the net meat rate is about 35%.

12. Angus cattle

An early-maturing beef cattle breed native to the United Kingdom. It has a medium build, with an adult bull weighing 800-900 kg and a cow 600 kg, a rectangular body shape, more fat, and a pure black coat with no horns. It matures easily, grows and develops quickly, tolerates roughage, and has strong disease resistance. At 12 months of age, the weight can reach 400 kg, and the slaughter rate reaches 60-65%.

13. Piedmontese cattle

Native to Italy, it is a typical lean-meat beef cattle breed. It has a medium build and a grayish-white coat. An adult bull weighs 800 kg, and a cow 500 kg. The slaughter rate reaches 70%, the net meat rate is 66.2%, and the lean meat rate is 82.5%. It has thin skin and fine bones, and the hindquarters are particularly well developed. Its lactation performance is relatively good, with a milk yield of 2000-3000 kg over 280 days.

14. Danish Red cattle

Native to Denmark, it is a dual-purpose dairy and beef breed. The coat ranges from light red to dark purplish red, with occasional scattered white hairs on the lower abdomen and udder of some cattle. The muzzle, eye rims, and hoof shells are black. The average daily weight gain from 1.5 to 11 months of age reaches 1332 g, and the slaughter rate is 52.7-57%. The average milk yield is 6712 kg, the milk fat rate is 4.31%, and the milk protein rate is 3.94%.

The Latest Cattle Prices in 2019

Yak in Minle County, Zhangye City, Gansu, 12 yuan/jin; native yellow cattle in Jiedong District, Jieyang City, Guangdong, 16 yuan/jin; Simmental cattle in Jiaxiang County, Jining City, Shandong, 15 yuan/jin; feeder cattle in Weining Yi, Hui and Miao Autonomous County, Bijie City, Guizhou, 17 yuan/jin; three-way crossbred cattle in Taihe County, Ji'an City, Jiangxi, 16 yuan/jin; Tianzhu white yak in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Wuwei City, Gansu, 33 yuan/jin; Luxi yellow cattle in Jiaxiang County, Jining City, Shandong, 16 yuan/jin, etc. The above prices are for reference only.

The above is an introduction to cattle breeds. Of course, there are more breeds than these, such as camel cattle, yak, bison, and other breeds. Friends interested in cattle can learn more about them. For cattle farmers, they should also pay attention to the different breeds of cattle and check the latest cattle prices in time, so that the cattle can be better marketed.

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