Beef Breeds 1. Angus
The number one contender is Angus Cattle. Angus is known for its meat that has fine muscle fibers and even marbling this gives them the high value and sought after taste. Angus was first imported to Victoria, Kansas from Scotland in 1873, and has become the most dominate beef cattle breed in the United States. Angus beef makes up for than 60% of our commercial cowherd. Not just any beef can be Certified Angus beef. The beef must meet ten strict requirements, which include hide color, marbling, and rib-eye size. The reasons that Angus is so sought after by cattle farmers and meat producers is they have great characteristics. These include being resistant to harsh weather, they are undemanding and adaptable and good natured. They mature extremely early and have a high carcass yield. They are also used as a genetic “de-horned” due to the fact the polled gene is passed on as a dominate trait. 2. Herford
The number two spot goes to Herford beef. The Herford originated in England .Herford beef is known to be a good quality meat. They are known for their foraging ability and their ability to live to an old age. They are well developed in the regions of valuable cuts- the back, loin, and hind quarters or round. Some females live to produce calves beyond the age of fifteen years. Many cattle breeders keep their elderly cattle until they pass of old age. They have a high percentage of calf crops and are docile and easy to manage. They have early maturity and longevity, the ability to command high top prices in the markets as a finished beef or as store cattle. They also have a higher selling price for breeding stock. They are not a burden in the winter due to their ability to adapt which leads to a lower wintering cost. 3. Gelbvieh
The number three spot goes to the Gelbveih cattle beef. They are well known for being very docile and have a quiet temperament. They are also the fastest maturing breed of any bread of beef cattle. They also have the largest rib-eye muscle area per 100kg of all breeds. So this means they have high cutout yields. The meat quality of Gelbveih is good it is a lean breed but they have a fast growing rate which makes up for the fact they are lean. They are a good source of high quality tender young beef. They are a durable breed that can withstand high heats and they are tick resistant. They excel in calving ease, milk yield, retail yield and yearling growth. 4. LImousin
The forth type of beef cattle is Limousin. They are French originated cattle and produce quality meat. In France they are known as the “butcher’s animal”. This breed is also known to be a work animal and have beef qualities in the early times of beef production (1698). This breed of beef cattle is known for a guaranteed excellent productivity at a low cost. They have extremely fertile bulls and the lighter frame of the cow makes for easy calving. The Limousin has a reputation of being a carcass breed; it produces beef with a low proportion of bone and fat. It has a high yield of sellable meat (73.3%). The meat quality of the Limousin carcass remains high whatever the animals age is at slaughter. The Limousin is known to be cattle that can be profitable due to its ability to be a converter of all feeds. 5. Simmental
The last breed of beef cattle is the Simmental. The Simmental is known for being one of the oldest cattle breeds. The breed originated from Switzerland. They are good for crossbreeding due to their widespread genetics, and have produce good dairy. They produce a good quality meat that has a white fat and excellent marbling. They are known to live long, have good grazing ability; they mature early and have fast growth rates. Simmentals are an easy to handle breed and have high and long term fertility. This breed adapts to most varied conditions easily. A majority of the breed have pigment around the eyes to help reduce eye problems which occur from bright sun light.
References:
http://americancowboy.com/article/top-5-beef-cattle-breeds