All breeds of cows are divided into three large groups: meat, dairy and meat and dairy. Of course, the second most popular variety of cattle is the second. However, farmers keep meat cows quite often. There are many breeds of such animals. We have only five of the most popular in Russia.
Main classification
The meat breeds of bulls, in turn, are divided into three main groups:
Of British descent. This group includes Aberdeen Angus, Galloway, Shorthorn and Hereford breeds. The main distinguishing feature of cows of this species is early maturity. The best meat breeds of gobies of this group are Hereford and Aberdeen Angus.
French-Italian descent - light aquitaine, charolese, menu-anjou, kian, marcigian, piedmont, simmental. Common signs of these breeds are considered to be high weight and late ripening. The meat of gobies of this group does not contain too much fat.
Zebuvid breeds and new ones derived from them. This group includes brangus, santa gertrude, brahmuzinskaya, kanshen, etc. Distinctive features are large sizes, adaptability to heat, resistance to parasitic diseases.
Popular meat breeds of gobies in Russia
In our country, the following varieties of meat cows are most often bred:
Kazakh white-headed. It was obtained by crossing British Herefords and the local Kazakh-Kalmyk population. The breed was bred in the USSR in the first third of the twentieth century.
Aberdeen Angus. This breed was obtained in Scotland.
Hereford. Bred in England from local unproductive cattle.
Limousine. The birthplace of this cow is France.
Kalmyk. It takes first place in terms of number in our country. It was bred a very long time ago by the tribes of nomad Kalmyks.
Kazakh white-headed
This variety is bred in almost all regions of our country. The meat calf (Kazakh white-headed) has:
The withers, back and sides of the gobies of this species are red, and the legs, stomach, head and chest are white. The breed is characterized by early maturity and a very large meat yield - 58-68%. Adult bulls reach a weight of 900 kg. Depending on the region and conditions of detention, the last figure may increase or decrease by 200-300 kg.
One of the distinguishing features of the Kazakh white-headed is that it tolerates heat very well. This breed is grown mainly by grazing technology. Gobies of meat breeds (the photos presented on the page clearly demonstrate their impressive size) in most cases are quite whimsical to feed. This is almost not the case with the white-headed Kazakh. In winter, these animals can even feed straw instead of hay.
Kalmyk breed
Gobies of this species are also bred everywhere in our country. The main features of the Kalmyk breed are:
For the most part, these cows have a red coat color with white markings. Sometimes individuals of brown-motley suit are also found. The average weight of a Kalmyk adult bull is 950 kg, but in some cases it can reach 1100 kg.
This variety has gained popularity among farmers primarily due to its early maturity and rare ability to quickly bait. In the fall, before the wintering, the gobies of the meat breed - Kalmyk - specifically accumulate a reserve of nutrients (fat in the form of "marble" layers).
The skin of the cows of this species contains several outlets of the sebaceous glands. Due to this feature, these animals are insensitive to precipitation. Also, these cows have a layer of fat under the skin, which allows them to easily tolerate both heat and cold. According to scientists, no other breed of meat gobies possesses such features. A certain disadvantage of the Kalmyk breed is its sensitivity to lack of water.
Aberdeen Angus Bulls
In Russia, this breed is bred mainly in the Volga, Bryansk and Kaluga regions. Also, such cows can be found in the North Caucasus and in the central regions of the country. The main distinguishing features of the Aberdeen-Angus breed are:
roundish short body;
short legs and neck;
a small head with a convex forehead;
muscular back, lower back and sacrum;
thin loose skin with noticeable fiber;
kolovost (impassability).
Most of the bulls and cows of this breed have a dark color. Adult animals weigh 850 kg. The breed is characterized by early maturity and high quality meat. Slaughter yield can reach 70%.
The main advantages of cows of this breed are considered to be quick adaptation to any climatic conditions, fertility and easy calving. Unfortunately, the Aberdeen Angus meat goby can have a wild character and even show aggression towards humans. This is considered the main disadvantage of this variety.
Hereford Gobies
This breed is in second place in Russia after Kalmyk. It is distributed in the Orenburg, Chelyabinsk, Saratov, Rostov regions, as well as in the Altai Territory. The main distinguishing features of the representatives are:
Suit bull-calves Hereford are dark red. At the same time, the legs below, the head, the shoulders of the withers and the belly are white. The body weight of adult gobies of this breed is 850-1000 kg, cows - 550-650 kg. In this case, the slaughter yield is 58-62%. The breed tolerates adverse weather conditions and hauls.
Limousine Cows
Gobies of this species are not widespread in our country as widely as the breeds described above, but still sometimes bred by farmers (about 1.8% of the total number). The main distinguishing features of Limousin cattle are:
thin skeleton;
developed muscles;
strong legs and hooves;
wide sacrum.
The color of a limousine meat goby can be red, brown or golden brown (light horns and hooves). Very little fat is present in the meat of these animals. Limousin cattle can reach a weight of 580-1100 kg. Slaughter yield - 63-65%.
Fattening gobies of meat breeds is in most cases profitable. The reason is quite simple. The meat of such cattle is characterized by "marbling" and fine fiber, and therefore is expensive. All the breeds described above are gaining weight quickly, and in maintenance they are unpretentious.