Cattle is a collective term for a diverse group of large mammals with cloven hooves and, often, with horns. Toward the end of the first decade of the 21st century, beef cattle genetics signaled the first mapping of a livestock genome. These animals are as much at home on the farm pulling plows as they are lounging on the range to provide meet and dairy products for a hungry public.
The earliest known cattle have been traced back more than 10,000 years ago to southeast Turkey, from a herd numbering only around 80 specimens. Today, their population numbers more than four times that of the United States of America, approximately 1.3 billion animals. In addition to their meat and dairy products, man has learned to convert their solid waste into fuel and their hides for clothing, handbags, etc.
Among the many breeds of animal that have evolved from the original herd in Turkey are the Angus. These come from two counties in north Scotland in the United Kingdom, Aberdeenshire and Angus. They are solid in color, usually red or black with matching udders, although these may also be white. The most common variety of this breed in the USA are the Black Angus. Here, they are bred for their dairy products, beef and as working partners on the farm.
Limousin are highly muscled and come from France. Raised originally as draft creatures, they were eventually discovered for their high quality, tender, lean meat around two hundred years ago. They are a popular breed to raise because their calves tend to be smaller, making them easier for the cows to deliver.
The Wagyu breeds come from Japan. Their meat is intensely marbled with highly desirable unsaturated fat. Such high quality beef attracts a highly desirable price tag to match. Sake and beer are sometimes added to their feed to aid digestion and increase appetite in humid conditions. This does not appear to be reflected in the taste of the beef.
Beefalo are a fertile hybrid between domestic cattle and an American bison, or buffalo. In these pairings, the male is usually the domestic representative while the bison is a female. These animals were bred for their hardiness in harsh winters. Unfortunately, nurturing the beefalo has had a negative effect on efforts to conserve the American bison. There are only four pure buffalo herds left; of these, only one herd is free from a disease called brucellosis. They live in South Dakota.
Belgian Blue beasts actually have a mottled sort of blue hair, tinged with grey. They can vary along a spectrum from white to black. Heavily muscled, they readily convert their feed to lean muscle tissue that is desired for its reduced fat content.
Hereford cattle come from England and have spread to more than 50 different countries across the globe. The Brangus is a robust cross between an Angus and a Brahman. Lowline cattle come from Australia, originally from Aberdonian stock. These antipodean beasts are small by nature, which makes them ideal for young children to handle and show at county fairs and other exhibitions of farm animals.
The earliest known cattle have been traced back more than 10,000 years ago to southeast Turkey, from a herd numbering only around 80 specimens. Today, their population numbers more than four times that of the United States of America, approximately 1.3 billion animals. In addition to their meat and dairy products, man has learned to convert their solid waste into fuel and their hides for clothing, handbags, etc.
Among the many breeds of animal that have evolved from the original herd in Turkey are the Angus. These come from two counties in north Scotland in the United Kingdom, Aberdeenshire and Angus. They are solid in color, usually red or black with matching udders, although these may also be white. The most common variety of this breed in the USA are the Black Angus. Here, they are bred for their dairy products, beef and as working partners on the farm.
Limousin are highly muscled and come from France. Raised originally as draft creatures, they were eventually discovered for their high quality, tender, lean meat around two hundred years ago. They are a popular breed to raise because their calves tend to be smaller, making them easier for the cows to deliver.
The Wagyu breeds come from Japan. Their meat is intensely marbled with highly desirable unsaturated fat. Such high quality beef attracts a highly desirable price tag to match. Sake and beer are sometimes added to their feed to aid digestion and increase appetite in humid conditions. This does not appear to be reflected in the taste of the beef.
Beefalo are a fertile hybrid between domestic cattle and an American bison, or buffalo. In these pairings, the male is usually the domestic representative while the bison is a female. These animals were bred for their hardiness in harsh winters. Unfortunately, nurturing the beefalo has had a negative effect on efforts to conserve the American bison. There are only four pure buffalo herds left; of these, only one herd is free from a disease called brucellosis. They live in South Dakota.
Belgian Blue beasts actually have a mottled sort of blue hair, tinged with grey. They can vary along a spectrum from white to black. Heavily muscled, they readily convert their feed to lean muscle tissue that is desired for its reduced fat content.
Hereford cattle come from England and have spread to more than 50 different countries across the globe. The Brangus is a robust cross between an Angus and a Brahman. Lowline cattle come from Australia, originally from Aberdonian stock. These antipodean beasts are small by nature, which makes them ideal for young children to handle and show at county fairs and other exhibitions of farm animals.
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