What are the bulls of the meat breed. Bulls: breeds of bulls and their characteristics. Meat breeds of bulls. Types of meat and dairy breeds

Kira Stoletova

Meat breeds bulls or cows differ from other representatives of cattle in that they gain weight much better, lend themselves to intensive feeding and are relatively picky about keeping and feeding. Also, animals of the meat direction have impressive dimensions and, when slaughtered, give more tasty meat with a high indicator of fat content and energy value.

If we compare a dairy cow with a beef cow, then the latter is not suitable for obtaining very good milk yield, while a dairy cow at slaughter will not give that amount of meat. We will learn about which beef cattle breeds are the most popular, which of them can be found in Russia.

Aberdeen Angus cows

These animals are different appearanceas their coat is bright black with an acceptable red tan. The body shape is traditionally large, other breeds of beef cows have the same:

the chest is wide open;
limbs are short;
the neck is powerful, short;
wide pelvis;
a muscle pattern is clearly drawn on the skin;
the growth of the animal from 1.2 to 1.5 m is quite high;
horns are missing (cows and bulls are hornless);
the coat on the surface of the skin is delicate and fine.

What is the meat of the Aberdeen Angus cow:

the meat has a marble cut pattern;
there are small fat layers;
bone waste is no more than 18%.

A distinctive feature of the breed is that the animal is prone to obesity, this fact must be taken into account when compiling the menu and daily diet. If you decide to use this cow for milking, do not expect large milk yields, as this is not a dairy breed. The maximum amount of milk per year is about 1400 liters.

Animals of this breed can boast of a large weight in enough early age... So, bulls can weigh in some cases up to 1 ton, and cows - up to 600 kg.

Breed Aquitaine meat

These cows and bulls are classified as heavyweights. Outwardly, animals are distinguished by a light color, usually it is a light brown or even beige tone. As in the previous case, the cows are large, have a pronounced muscular texture, the body looks elongated. The head is not heavy, although the forehead looks massive.

An adult goby can reach 1350 kg of live weight, while a female weighs at least 700 kg. The growth of representatives of this breed is about 1.4 m, at birth, a calf of the Aquitanian meat breed can weigh about 45 kg. The breed is distinguished by the fact that calves are gaining weight at a record rate: up to 2 kg per day, although closer to one year of age, the rate of weight gain drops to 1.5 kg. The meat has a delicate structure, there is a layer of fat, but insignificant.

Separately, it should be said that caring for this breed does not amount to special labor, since cows and gobies take root well in any territory and climate, have a comfortable calm character, and live for a long time.

Auliekol cows

These cows received a ticket to life in Kazakhstan more than 30 years ago, but to this day the breed has not lost its popularity. So, now you can find representatives of the Auliekol breed everywhere, including in Russia. These cows are gray in color, more than 60% of livestock are born without horns, that is, they are hornless. An unconditional advantage can be called the fact that such livestock will be confidently easy to tolerate the change in conditions of detention or the transition from one feed to another. It is also worth noting that the representatives of the Auliekol breed tolerate the cold well, as they grow overgrown with an additional undercoat in winter, this is another plus for purchasing such cows in Russia.

The average weight of a bull of this breed is about 1 ton, although there are isolated cases of a record weight of 1250 kg. The cow weighs exactly half as much: no more than 650 kg. At slaughter, the waste part takes about 35-40%, and the skin can be stratified into 5 layers, which makes them an excellent raw material for leather goods.

Belgian breed

The Belgian cattle breed belongs to the meat sector. The peculiarity of these bulls and cows is that the coat color is white or blue-white. A distinctive feature that makes you pay attention to the breed is that cows and bulls have enormous muscle mass. This can be explained from a scientific point of view: the production of such a substance as myostatin is genetically blocked in cattle, that is, nothing inhibits muscle growth in these animals, it continues throughout life.

However, this does not mean that Belgian calves are born with a large muscle mass, this is not the case. It is achieved in the process of life and becomes noticeable by about 2-3 months of age.

Already at the age of 1-1.5 years, bulls can weigh about 700 kg, reaching 1300 kg at puberty. Although there is evidence that this is not the maximum weight with proper feeding, that is, productivity can be increased. It is worth saying that the waste-free part of the cape can be about 75-80%, while the meat itself has excellent taste characteristics, is tender and juicy.

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Galloway cow

This subspecies is ideal for keeping in areas where there is no dense vegetation. The animal has a well-built body structure:

the chest is deeply set;
the neck is powerful, wide;
back straight;
hooves are short, horn is wide;
horns are missing;
color from black to brown, blotches of yellow or white are possible;
the coat is rough to the touch, slightly wavy, there is an undercoat (this will make it possible to graze cows even in winter, provided there is not a lot of snow).

Animals gain about 1.2 kg per day, while not reaching record weight, the same applies to offspring:

female - up to 500 kg;
male - up to 800 kg.

Despite the fact that the animals do not have a large mass, they boast excellent meat of the highest quality. It is distinguished by its marble texture, extraordinary juiciness and moderate fat content. Along with this, the Galloway cows can be attributed to a mixed orientation, that is, a dairy-meat breed of cattle, so about 1400 liters of milk from one individual can be milked per year. This indicator of productivity cannot be compared with that of a dairy cow.

Kazakh meat breed

As the name suggests, this breed of beef cattle was bred in Kazakhstan using the labor of Russian livestock specialists. Animals of this species have a red coat in general, although the limbs of the tail and the front of the chest can be painted in lighter colors. Like the previous breed, the Kazakh meat cow is able to withstand severe winters, due to the fact that by this period it acquires an additional undercoat.

At birth, calves weigh less than 3 kg, but by the time they grow up, they increase their weight by 15-20 times. Despite the fact that the meat has good taste characteristics, it is possible to extract no more than 60% of the live weight from one carcass, which is not considered a good enough indicator of productivity.

Mensko-Angevin ladybug

This breed of cattle belongs to the meat sector. Due to its characteristic color, the breed is also called red meadow, although the main shade of the coat is still red. Gobies are distinguished by their impressive dimensions, growth can reach over 170 cm, which makes them giants among cattle for the meat direction. The same applies to weight, there is data on a bull weighing about 1650 kg.

Despite their gigantic size, these are quite calm animals with a docile nature, which makes their keeping convenient and comfortable. It is also worth saying about the mixed orientation, that is, until the moment of slaughter, you can get decent milk yield from cows. As with most things, the meat tastes great and is considered premium beef by consumer ratings.

Limousin Burenka

Another type of breeds for meat purposes is the Limousin cow. The color of her coat is red, golden-red, brown with noticeable lightening on the belly and thighs. This is not a hornless animal, the horns are small, have a lighter color in comparison with the body. What is the difference between the Limousine cow and her relatives? Despite the fact that the animal is considered heavy, outwardly it is a fairly well-built cow, its skeleton is medium-sized, although the hooves have a pronounced muscle layer, this is clearly visible in the photo. Many breeders jokingly call such a cow a limousine, since its body is unusually elongated, it immediately catches the eye upon external examination.

Limousines can live a long time, their age can reach 15 years. Since calves are born large, the birth opening of such cows is much wider than that of others.

Romagnole breed

The purpose of the breed assumes that the cows will be involved in agriculture as a force aid. However, at present, the breed has been retrained, now it is recognized as one of the meat breeds. What does such an animal look like:

The body is large, rounded.
The back acquires a square-like shape.
Muscles are pronounced, muscle mass is gained quickly enough.
The limbs are straight, symmetrical.
The color of the coat is gray, but males can be darker in color.
The offspring reproduce quickly.

At birth, the weight of a calf reaches 40-45 kg, already at the age of six months, the weight increases to 300 kg, and the animal weighs about 500 kg per year. The maximum mass reaches 2-3 years. The Romagnola goby can weigh up to 900 kg, although sometimes the weight can increase up to a ton. In this case, after slaughter, the waste part will be about 30-40%. The taste characteristics of the meat product are quite high and are appreciated in the meat market for their excellent quality.

Hornless Russian cow

This meat breed is widely represented in Russia, as the name "Russian kolaya" speaks volumes about. Also from the name it is clear that the animal has no horns, that is, it is practically safe for other animals and people. As for the physique, the body shape is standard:

Dimensions are rectangular.
The muscle relief is clearly visible.
The head is not heavy, small in size.
The chest, on the contrary, is wide, developed, with a pronounced dewlap.
The back of the cattle is straight (both back and back).
Symmetrical thick limbs with well-defined muscle tone.
Russian lumpy leather is valued because it is thin and pliable, and it is these qualities that are valued in furrier.
The wool of cows and gobies is strictly black, the presence of spots and tan is unacceptable.

At puberty, animals grow to impressive sizes, their weight is:

female - 500-600 kg;
male - up to 1200 kg.

Zootechnicians note that animals of this breed are able to gain weight over a long period, that is, fattening can last much longer than is typical for other breeds.

The breed provides that animals can live in radically different climatic conditions. For this reason, Russian hornless cows can be found both in southern countries and, for example, in northern Russia. Animals are distinguished by the fact that they are unpretentious in care, nutrition and feeding, so you do not have to spend money on expensive feed or heating in the barn.

Charolais

Charolais, or Charolais cow, came to us from distant France. Its peculiarity is that after slaughtering, marbled meat is obtained with a low fat content, of excellent quality, and this is despite the fact that the fattening of the animal during breeding can last for a long time. If the goal is the consumption or sale of practically lean meat, but at the same time tasty and tender, you should think about purchasing the Charolais breed.

In addition, the following can be said about the breed:

fast set of muscle mass;
good and fast acclimatization.

Exterior:

light coat color (white, beige, yellow, gray);
the head is not large, although the forehead is wide enough (this is clearly visible in the photo or video);
the neck is powerful, streaked;
the chest is set deep, about 2 m in diameter;
dewlap is not pronounced;
the back is straight, there is a barely noticeable sagging in the middle;
the limbs are symmetrical, well developed;
the growth of adults reaches a mark of up to 140 cm;
the coat is thin.

Markigian breed

The last breed, which we will talk about, is the Markijian. This pedigree breed was developed in Italy, it took many years to breed it until the goal was achieved. The main feature of the Markigian cows is that they gain weight quickly and lend themselves well to fattening. Let's move on to the description of the animal, providing it in the list:

These are fairly large animals.
The hair color is white, gray or mixed.
Weight gain is fast.
Gobies weigh up to 1500 kg, cows - up to 700 kg.
Bone waste can be up to 30%.
The meat is traditionally tender and juicy, the muscle inclusions are weighty.

We have described the most common, best and popular beef breeds of cows, talked about their features, main characteristics and advantages. Knowing all this information, it will be much easier for you to decide on the question of what kind of breed is needed to purchase your own cow or bull, the more the quality of their meat is amazing.

In the production of beef, not only the conditions of keeping and feeding the animals are important, but also their origin. Cattle meat breeds have been known since the 18th century. At that time, in England, the first cows and bulls were purposefully bred, which are actively building muscle tissue. Large cattle with such characteristics quickly gained popularity.

Features of the meat direction

Compared to the dairy trend, beef breeds differ in completely different physiological processes taking place inside the cow's body. They are aimed at building muscle tissue while maximizing effective use feed. Milk is enough only for calves and this determines the exterior of beef cattle:

the physique is strong, muscular, proportional;
the body is slightly elongated, resembles a rectangle in outline not only from the side, but also from above;
the back and front are equally developed;
deep, powerful chest;
well developed, round thighs;
high growth;
large dimensions;
beef cows have undeveloped udders;
thick, durable leather.

Popular breeds

Beef cattle are of different types:

Intensively growing breeds of cows. Weight is laid at an early age. From birth to slaughter, the calves quickly reach their condition. Juicy and fatty beef is very popular, it has a delicate taste. As a rule, calves grow even better when a significant percentage of concentrated feed is introduced into the diet, and a comfortable environment is provided. These include the Aberdeen Angus, Galloway, Kalmyk and Kazakh white-headed cows, the famous Herefords and Shorthorns.
Meat breeds that are slowly gaining shape. Unpretentious cows with good immunity are able to fully support themselves on their own with full grazing. Feed costs are minimal. The weight of bulls and cows becomes conditioned at about 1.5–2 years. Meat products have distinctive characteristics - they are lean, often with varying degrees of "marbling". The most famous Charolese breed of cows.
Cross breeds resulting from the crossing of domestic bulls and wild zebu. Possess good characteristics early maturity. Adapted to hot climates. A typical representative is the Santa Gertrude beef breed.

In addition, beef breeds of cows are not always uniform within the population, which necessitates careful herd formation. There are individuals with increased milkiness, they, as a rule, stand out in a separate group and participate as improvers for meat and dairy breeds of cows.

Aberdeen Angus breed

One of the meat breeds, adapt well in temperate latitudes, often take root in the northern regions.

Aberdeen Angus cows have a compact, muscular build. They have rounded shapes, well-developed hips. Deep chest. The head is small in size. The legs and neck appear short. The color is black, less often - red.

Calves are born at 25 kg. Daily weight gain is about 0.8 kg. The largest bulls reach 1 ton. The average weight of bulls is up to 800 kg. Cows - up to 550 kg. Milk yield does not exceed 1.4 tons per year.

Advantages of the Aberdeen Angus breed of cows:

Early maturity.
Good immunity.
Ability to acclimatize in unfavorable climatic zones.
High taste characteristics of meat products.

Belgian blue cows

Among the beef cattle, there are breeds that have almost unlimited muscle growth.

So, as a result of long selection and selection, a Belgian blue cow with an unusual constitution was bred. Heavy-weight animals with prominent, hypertrophied muscles. They have thin skin and not very dense coat, most often of a blue-white hue. Rarely red, piebald or black. The legs are powerful but short. Typically meaty: deep chest, broad back, massive thighs. Powerful, short neck.

Meat productivity deserves special attention: adult bulls weigh up to 1.25 tons, cows - up to 0.9 tons. Among the characteristics it is necessary to note high milk yield - up to 4.5 tons per year. Ready for slaughter, starting at the age of one. At the same time, gobies reach 470 kg, heifers - 370 kg. Already at two years old, the mass is respectively 770 and 550 kg.

Among the advantages of the Belgian blue breed of cows are:

High yield of meat products.
Balanced temperament.
Fast weight gain.

Disadvantages are closely related to the exterior:

The breed of cows is characterized by low frost resistance.
Unstable immunity.
There are difficulties with calving - cows need human help, up to a cesarean section.

Hereford cow

Numerous regional breeds of beef cows are often adapted variants of the Herefords. At the moment it is one of the largest populations.

The characteristic red color of the body with reliably inherited white spots: on the head, neck, chest, abdomen is easily found in other breeds of meat direction. The Herefords have a squat, barrel-shaped body, a deep chest, powerful legs. The back is wide. On a small head, as a rule, horns are lowered down. Curly hair, longer in winter.

Delicate and juicy "marbled" beef has excellent taste characteristics. Calves are born with a weight of up to 36 kg. Depending on the method of fattening, the weight gain reaches 1.5 kg. Cows gain from 600 kg, while bulls - from 1 ton.

The advantages of the breed include the following characteristics:

Unpretentiousness and quick acclimatization.
Immune system stability.
Calving does not require human intervention, calves have high vitality.

The Herefords also have disadvantages - low milk production. Calves need complementary foods literally from the moment they appear.

Kalmyk breed

Unpretentious and hardy Kalmyk cows are adapted to life on scarce pastures and with sudden temperature changes. Withstanding long runs, they, nevertheless, quickly gain weight.

Harmonious, compact build. Strong backbone. High mobility. The body is evenly developed with a broad back and powerful chest. Red coat with white markings, dense, double, provides reliable protection from frost, dry winds and heat. The fat builds up evenly between the muscles and under the skin. Legs are of medium length.

Calves are born at 25 kg. Weight gain up to 0.9 kg per day. Adult bulls gain up to 1 ton, cows - 550 kg. They are ready for slaughter at the age of one and a half, when the bulls weigh 550 kg. Milk productivity is at the level of 1–1.2 tons. The record holders have up to 3 tons per year.

Advantages of the Kalmyk breed of cows:

They are unpretentious, they can be kept on grazing all year round.
Hardy. They easily adapt to unstable temperature conditions.
Self-calving.
Fat milk (up to 4.5%).
Delicious marbled meat.

Disadvantages:

Red meat. The veins are yellow, which impairs the visual perception.
Aggressive behavior of cows after calving. They do not allow anyone to approach the calves.

Kazakh white-headed

The result of crossing the Herefords, Kalmyk and aboriginal Kazakh cows, which made it possible to obtain an excellent beef breed adapted to local conditions. The Kazakh white-headed breed of cows has a strong beef constitution. Deep protruding chest. Massive hips. Wide, straight back. The head is small, the horns are short. Legs are medium. The color is fully consistent with the Hereford breed of cows.

Calves are born independently, weighing up to 27 kg. Weight up to 1 kg. An adult cow is slightly smaller than a bull: up to 600 kg, while males gain up to 1 ton. At one and a half years of age, calves weigh 500 kg and are ready for slaughter.

The advantages of the Kazakh breed of cows are:

Unpretentiousness.
Endurance.
Adaptation to harsh climates and poor feed.
"Marbling" of meat.

Santa gertrude

As a result of crossing wild Zebu bulls and the famous Shorthorn meat breed, a cattle was obtained that calmly tolerates high temperatures, meager diets and does not impose special requirements on the content.

Santa Gertruda has a large, muscular, dry build. The body is extended, elongated, with a pronounced hump at the nape. The sacral part is slightly lowered. The head is medium. The ears hang down. The chest is deep, powerful with a sagging dewlap. The legs are strong. The color is red, sometimes with light markings, the hooves are black.

The calf weighs about 30 kg at appearance. Bulls gain 0.8–1 tons. Cows are slightly smaller - up to 600 kg. Thanks to the good level of average daily weight gain (up to 1.2 kg), calves can be slaughtered as early as 8 months of age. By this time gobies weigh on the average 230-250 kg. Milk content is average, most often milk is enough only for calves.

Positive traits of beef cows:

Endurance.
The ability to make long transitions.
Unpretentiousness. Retains meat characteristics even in poor southern pastures.
Fast weight gain.
Adaptation to high temperatures.

Charolais breed

Charolais should be noted among the famous beef cows. Cattle that produce excellent lean meat were developed in France. Animals are still used as a draft force: they can be freely exploited for up to 15 years and not be afraid that the meat will deteriorate over time.

The Charolais breed of cows has a characteristic color: from whitish to yellowish-cream of different shades and saturation. The physique is typical for the meat direction. Large, massive animals with clearly visible muscle tubercles. Chest, back, rump are wide. The thighs are powerful. The proportions of the rear and front are the same. A small head that crowns a powerful, short neck.

The calf's weight at birth often exceeds 30 kg. Weight gain, depending on the feeding method, is 1–2 kg. As a result, adult bulls become real heavyweights with a mass of at least 1 ton. Sometimes this figure reaches 1.6–2 tonnes. High-milk cows: a year you can get milk yield in the range of 2.5–4 tonnes. Females weigh no more than 800 kg ...

Advantages:

High meat and dairy productivity.
Early maturity.
Possibility of long-term operation of bulls and cows on the farm.
Unpretentiousness.

Among the disadvantages of the Charolais breed of cows:

Genetic pathologies that affect the exterior of cattle.
Cows cannot calve without human help.

Shorthorn breed

The Shorthorns have a long history of breeding - over two centuries. Harmoniously built cattle are most often of an elegant red suit. Cows have a wide body with rounded shapes and an elongated back. The head is small. The population is often lumpy. The muscle mass grows evenly. The chest and thighs are massive. The skeleton is thin. The legs are not long. In winter, the wool begins to curl.

Due to the presence of two lines of cattle (meat and dairy types), Shorthorns are distinguished by high milk production. Often it reaches 4.5 tons per year. Cows weigh no more than 500 kg. Bulls are larger - up to 0.9-1 tons. Average daily weight gain is about 1.2-1.5 kg. At one year old, bulls weigh up to 420 kg.

Advantages:

Fast weight gain.
High milkiness.
Excellent dietary characteristics of meat products.

Disadvantages:

Weak reproductive ability.
Low immunity.
Demanding conditions of detention.

As a rule, the characteristics of meat products largely depend on the conditions of detention: with intensive fattening, more fatty beef is obtained. When fattening in natural conditions, grazing, lean. When alternating feeds - "marble". Usually calves of beef cows remain suckled for a long time, which provides them with immunity and rapid growth.

Feeding bulls for meat is a profitable and quite popular type of agricultural business in many countries. The maximum benefit from it can be obtained only if the right choice cattle breeds. In order to minimize feed costs and obtain a large amount of meat in a short period, it is necessary to raise bulls and, which are large and gain muscle mass quickly. These qualities are possessed by meat breeds of bulls, which experts and experienced farmers advise to choose for fattening.

Beef has been popular in the grocery market for centuries. therefore, at all times, breeders have sought to breed bulls that would allow them to get the maximum meat yield during slaughter. Bulls of the meat direction, due to a certain body structure, are able to build up large muscle mass even in adverse conditions. This quality is inherent in them at the genetic level.

To determine the choice of a particular breed from the many existing ones, it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself in detail with the features of each. All the best meat breeds of bulls are conditionally divided into three groups:

First, animals are characterized by rapid weight gain, but at the same time, meat has a high percentage of adipose tissue. This group includes Galloway, Shorthong, Hereford, Aberdeen Angus bulls.
The second one is grown more often on large farms. Animals slowly gain body weight, but are large. The bulls of this group gain the maximum body weight by 2 years. The second group includes limousine, aquinas light, charolese, simmental bulls.
The third one includes breeds obtained by crossing cultivated breeds with wild zebu bulls. Cattle of this group are distinguished by their increased adaptability to hot climates. This group includes bulls santa gertruda, bragus, brahmuzin, sharbei, etc. The cattle of this group is especially popular in Russia.

The peculiarity of raising beef bulls is their intensive fattening to ensure body weight gain. The maximum age for bulls to be slaughtered for meat is 20 months. By this time, most breeds reach their maximum weight and the growth rate decreases.

Meat bulls gain weight well when grazing in pasture.

For the intensity of growth and obtaining high-quality meat, bulls need free range on the pasture. In the last 3 months before slaughter, the animal is transferred to a stall in combination with intensive feeding and restriction of movement. For more than 18-20 months, only breeding bulls are raised.

Important! Meat bulls are particularly large in size, therefore potentially dangerous to humans. In the stall before slaughtering, the bulls are securely fixed with chains to avoid accidents. To increase the docility of bulls, farmers often use castration. Although the growth rate after this procedure is sharply reduced.

Popular meat breeds of bulls

Regardless common features breeds of meat direction, each type has its own distinctive qualities, taking into account which farmers choose the most acceptable option in specific conditions. Based on the nutritional characteristics and adaptability to the conditions of detention, a certain list of the most popular beef bull breeds among farmers has been formed.

Shorthorn

Shotgorn bulls are demanding on the quality of feed.

The breed was bred in England in the 16th century by crossing local cows with Dutch bulls. As a result of crossing, cattle of large size with exclusively meaty forms were obtained: a rectangular, barrel-shaped body, developed muscles, deep chest and pronounced hips. The weight of an adult bull with proper feeding is 1200-1300 kilograms. Slaughter meat yield - up to 70%.

Calves of this breed are born weighing about 35 kilograms. Daily weight gain is 1200-1700 grams. By the age of eight months, gobies grow up to 250 kilograms, and at a year and a half they weigh 500-600 kilograms. The content of muscle mass in meat is 81%, fat - 8%. In meat, the layers of fat are evenly distributed, so it is considered "marbled".

The downside of Shorthorn bulls is considered to be demanding on the quality of feed to maintain meat productivity and an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. These qualities have led to a decrease in the popularity of the breed among modern agricultural producers.

Charolais

Charolais bulls do not tolerate cold due to the low fat content in their tissues.

Charolais beef bulls were bred in France and quickly spread throughout the world. These are real heavyweights with large bodies that give them a truly terrifying look. An adult bull weighs about 1200 kilograms on average. Some individuals grow up to 1500-1800 kilograms.

Charolais bull meat contains a minimum amount of fat and does not lose its taste as the animal matures. This feature allows you to get the maximum amount of products from each carcass. Slaughter meat yield from carcasses - 65-67%.

Calves of this breed are born weighing 44-45 kilograms, grow and gain weight very quickly. Fat does not accumulate in the body even during intensive feeding. At 6 months, Charolais calves weigh 260-300 kilograms. Breeding bulls-producers are considered long-livers and do not lose their working qualities until 15-16 years.

The low levels of muscle fat in Charolais bulls make this breed unsuitable for growing in cold regions. Frosts and a sharp change in temperature are contraindicated for this breed, therefore Charolais bulls are most popular in countries with a warm climate.

Reference. The largest Charolais bull named Field Marshal is currently in England. By the age of eight, he had gained a weight of 1670 grams. The giant had to be weighed on a truck scale. Field Marshal's height is 195 centimeters! The owner of the bull claims that his pet has not yet reached its maximum size and continues to grow.

Salers

Salers bulls adapt perfectly to any climate.

Salers bulls are bred in the mountains of Central France, and in the past belonged to the meat-working breed. A powerful body and excellent draft ability made it possible to use them in agricultural work. Currently, 95% of this breed is grown as meat in 25 countries around the world.

Salers bulls have a rectangular body with well-developed front and rear parts. At birth, calves weigh about 40 kilograms and by 4 months grow to 150-160 kilograms. By the age of 8 months, the mass of the bull is about 280 kilograms. Average daily weight gain is 900-1100 grams. An adult Salers bull weighs 1,300 kilograms or more. Lethal output - more than 60%.

In Russia, the bulk of bulls of this breed are concentrated in the farms of the Belgorod and Tyumen regions. Unusual climatic conditions practically do not affect the productivity of the breed, the animals have successfully adapted to the peculiarities of the area. Salers bulls are unpretentious in the choice of food and are adapted to any conditions of detention, so caring for them is quite simple.

British

The famous Trigger bull has a good-natured disposition.

The British breed of bull is considered the most popular among foreign farmers. The breed is distinguished by its early maturity and high productivity. The best climate for breeding them is temperate continental. British bulls are adapted to free range in pastures.

The record holder for size is a British bull named Trigger... Its height at the withers is slightly less than 2 meters, and its body length is 4.3 meters. Trigger weighs 1200 kilograms and continues to grow at the present time. Despite its gigantic size, Trigger is very phlegmatic, kind and serves as entertainment for tourists visiting the farm of its owners.

Meat breeds of bulls in Russia

Of all the variety of meat bulls, Russian farmers have chosen the most adapted to the climate of our country. Moreover, the breed being grown depends on climatic conditions specific region.

Hereford

The Hereford bull is a real herd guard.

Hereford bulls are popular all over the world. The wide distribution of this breed is due to its excellent ability to acclimatize, rapid physiological and economic maturation. also has increased endurance, the ability to withstand long hauls. The meat of these bulls is high-calorie, juicy due to the genetic peculiarity to accumulate intramuscular fat and retain water.

Hereford bulls weigh between 800 and 1100 kilograms. Calves are born weighing 33-36 kilograms. The animals are distinguished by a rounded, barrel-shaped body with a deep chest and a well-formed hindquarters. Due to the high vigor of growth, bulls reach their optimal slaughter weight by 18 months. Average daily weight gain is 1500 grams. From the carcass of a Hereford bull, when slaughtered, 5.5 kilograms of pure meat per 1 kilogram of bones are obtained. Hereford bulls are the most meaty breed, since the total slaughter yield from the carcass with intensive fattening is 85%.

Aberdeen Angus

The Aberdeen Angus breed of bulls has very juicy, tasty meat.

The breed is originally from Scotland, especially popular in the Urals, in the Altai Territory, the Volga region and the North Caucasus. The exterior of the breed is fully consistent with the meat direction: compact, dense body, wide and deep chest, developed hams. With a relatively small size, the Aberdeen Angus bull is characterized by increased early maturity.

The weight of the bull is 700-800 kilograms. Calves are born weighing only 13-16 kilograms. But by weaning from the mother (at 210 days), they are already gaining weight of 200 kilograms. Average daily weight gain is about 800 grams. With intensive fattening, a bull calf weighing 500 kilograms can be obtained by 15-18 months.

The breed is not distinguished by its outstanding size, but it has a high taste of meat. Fat in muscle tissue is located in thin layers and gives it a special softness and juiciness. Slaughter meat yield - 70%.

Interesting! The disadvantage of the breed is its obstinate nature. Aberdeen-Angus bulls are distinguished by some wildness, they do not get used to humans well and, when free-range, can even attack the owner.

Kalmyk

The Kalmyk breed of bulls is distinguished by marbled meat.

Bulls of this breed are most often raised by southern breeders, since they are originally from Mughal and are more adapted to warm climates. They are successfully grown in Ukraine.

Kalmyk bulls gain body weight the fastest when free-roaming in the pasture. In a warm climate, these bulls walk freely and find food for themselves even in winter. Bulls remain fat even during periods of summer droughts and quickly "fatten themselves" in spring and autumn. By the cold season, Kalmyk gobies gain fat layers, and as a result, their meat becomes marbled.

Bulls of this breed are harmoniously built, weighing from 750 to 900 kilograms. Slaughter meat yield from carcasses - 60%. By the age of one and a half, gobies of this breed grow up to 450 kilograms. With intensive fattening and stall keeping, the carcass weight is 530-550 kilograms by 18-19 months. A representative of this breed is often used in crossbreeding with other breeds to improve their meat qualities.

Kazakh white-headed

The bull of the Kazakh white-headed breed is unpretentious and hardy.

The breed of Kazakh white-headed bulls was bred by crossing the Kalmyk and Kazakh breeds with Hereford bulls in the 30-40s of the 20th century on the collective farms of Kazakhstan and the Orenburg region. The breed standard was approved in 1950.

The appearance of the bulls of the Kazakh breed corresponds to the meat type of constitution. The weight of the bull is 900-1000 kilograms. The cattle are early maturing, and with intensive feeding by 15-18 months they gain about 500 kilograms. Slaughter meat yield - more than 55%. The optimal age of the Kazakh goby for slaughter is 1.5 years.

Kazakh white-headed bulls tolerate heat well. They are grown using pasture walking. In the choice of food, Kazakh bulls are unpretentious and are able to find food for themselves even on relatively scarce pastures. The productivity of bulls and the intensity of body weight growth are not affected. In winter, bulls of this breed can even feed on poor-quality hay and straw.

The video shows meat breeds of bulls at an agricultural exhibition:

Fattening bull calves for meat at home and at large cattle breeding enterprises can be extremely profitable. If you provide an abundant amount of balanced feed to the animal, then by the age of 12 months its weight can reach 450 kg or more. But, it should be remembered that such results are possible only if the breeder knows exactly the features of the bull's development and plans the diet in accordance with them.

Diet for fattening meat

Beef calves can be fattened from the age of 1 month. But, here you should pay special attention to the serving size. At this time the calf digestive system is still at the stage of formation. Enzymes for digestion of food are produced rather poorly. That is why, in natural conditions, hay and other plant foods act as an addition to cow's milk. And if you feed an animal large amounts of new food for it, they will not be digested, they will begin to rot and thereby cause diseases and disturbances in the work of the intestines.

But, nevertheless, if you buy cattle for fattening, then it is better to pay attention to 2-3-month-old calves. Their stomach and intestines are already fully functioning. This means that in addition to hay, the diet can also be diluted with concentrated feed. The optimal solution would be to supplement the food with various probiotics in each case. They will enhance digestion and assimilation of feed.

On initial stage feeding the main goal is to provide the goby with enough protein and energy to build muscle tissue. For this, it is necessary to form the correct daily volume of food. For a bull with a weight of 200 kg, the daily rate will be at least 4 kg of dry matter. For an animal weighing 600 kg, this value increases to 9.5 kg.

Silage

The main component of the ration for animals at the initial stage of feeding is corn silage. In 1 kg of dry matter such food includes:

from 70 g of proteins;
more than 200 g of fiber;
10.5 MJ of energy.

Typically, the amount of dry matter in different varieties of corn silage can vary from 30 to 35%. It is also highly digestible in the calf. More than 70% of this product goes to the growth of the animal.

You can replace or partially dilute corn greens with grass or cereal silage. Only in this case the volume of concentrated feed used increases significantly. The cereal version loses by 15% in the amount of energy, and the grass silage has a more meager composition of nutrients.

Milk

Many breeders use dairy products to feed beef breeds. In this regard, both reverse and whole milk are used. Feeding with milk is carried out only up to 6 months of age. During this time, a calf with a large weight leaves:

skimmed milk - 700 kg;
whole milk - 250 kg.

To feed an animal with an average weight, you must:

skimmed milk about 600 kg;
whole milk - about 200-220 kg.

The reverse, if desired, can be replaced with a whole dairy product. In this case, every 2 kg of collected milk can be replaced with 1 kg of whole milk. Reducing the amount of dairy products and switching to other types of feeding should be carried out smoothly over several weeks.

Concentrated feed

The main purpose of supplementing the diet with concentrates is to provide the required amount of protein in the food, which silage alone cannot replenish. In this regard, the following feeds are most suitable:

broad beans (the percentage of crude protein in them ranges from 26 to 35%);
sunflower meal (30 to 40% protein);
rapeseed meal (35-37%);
peas (at least 50% protein).

Reference. Also, concentrates are a significant source of energy. Its greatest amount is found in corn, wheat and barley.

The average rate of concentrates for one animal is at least 1.5-3 kg per day. In terms of total nutritional value, their percentage should be about 25%. If the animals have already reached the age of 12 months, then in the spring and summer period with grazing, concentrates can be excluded from the diet.

Mineral supplements

Special premixes are used as a source of calcium, phosphorus and sodium, which are necessary for the proper development of young animals. The average rate of such additives per day is from 60 to 80 g.

Alternatively, or as a supplement, you can use table salt. Its volume per day is 30 g at 6 months of age and gradually reaches 45 g by 18 months. It will also be useful to include bone meal in the feeding, which they begin to mix into the feed for gobies from the age of 9 months. Chalk is given only up to 9 months at a dosage of 20 g per day.

Other components of the diet

If necessary or a deficiency of the main components of proper feeding, food for the bull at the initial stage of feeding can be diversified. For this purpose, pulp, vinasse, waste is used. But by the second period, their number must be reduced, and 3 months before slaughter, and completely excluded from the feeding plan. Otherwise, it will affect the growth and taste of the meat.

If there are a lot of vegetables, they can also be included in the diet. Potatoes, beets, zucchini, watermelons are perfect for this. This feed does not require any special preparation. It is enough to wash it and cut into medium pieces. But rotten fruits should be carefully discarded, otherwise the calf may develop digestive problems and various diseases against this background.

Also, high quality hay should be included in the daily diet of the animal. This is especially true in the winter period, when the goby has no access to fresh grass. The daily hay rate for fattening cattle is not less than 0.5-1 kg.

Technology of fattening gobies for meat

Fattening bulls at home involves more than just feeding animals with the above ingredients. The proportions of each of the ingredients in the diet may change as the calf grows and develops. Therefore, there are certain technologies that allow the bull to gain at least 600 g per day and not overfeed it.

This technology assumes division into the following stages of animal development:

1-2 months. At this time, the calf is just beginning to wean. The new diet should be introduced gradually. To begin with, it will be enough to combine dairy products with a small amount of dried grass or hay. Over time, these components are supplemented with concentrates, in the form of wheat groats. The transition to a new feeding should be smooth and last at least 4 weeks.
3-6 months. By this age, you should switch to full-fledged fattening feeding. The main challenge is to provide enough protein. The basis of nutrition is silage and high-quality hay, which is supplemented with crushed grain and vegetables. If you follow this diet, the animal quickly gains weight.
7-9 months. On this stage fattening the volume of silage is increased to 10-11 kg, hay is given at least 1.5 kg per day, food is diluted with wheat straw, the daily rate of which is 1 kg. In the summer, it is better to replace hay with grass from pastures. The amount of concentrates does not change.
9-12 months. In many farms, this stage is the final one. At this time, the animal is fed intensively, without changing the composition of the diet, but increasing the daily volume of feed. Particular attention is paid to concentrates, the volume of which reaches 3 kg per day. As a result, the bull weighs at least 400 kg by the age of one year. It is important during this period to completely exclude waste, bagasse and other components from food that can spoil the taste of meat.

With a good feed base, fattening can be carried out up to the age of 18-20 months. In this case, it is quite realistic to reach the live weight of the animal in 600-650 kg. Continuing fattening from 12 months of age and above, the silage rate is increased by 5-7 kg every three months. The daily weight of straw in the same period rises by 1 kg. But three months before slaughter, its amount in the diet is gradually reduced, up to complete exclusion. It is also worth gradually increasing the amount of concentrates and vegetables.

Caring for meat breeds

It should be noted that the correct diet is far from the only important point in the cultivation of beef steers. You should also ensure proper housing conditions and proper care of animals.

The best way to keep bulls for fattening is by combining the stall method with regular walking. In a stable, the animal will gain weight faster, and walking will help reduce the violentness of the growing bull and strengthen its immune system. Moreover, it is necessary to walk the cattle for several hours every day. For high-quality walking for 10 bulls, you need at least 30 acres of land. When kept in a stall, the bull must be fixed with chains.

Regular cleaning of the barn is a prerequisite for keeping bulls in the barn. It is held every day. An extremely important point is also the optimal temperature regime in the building. The temperature, even in the most severe frosts, should not fall below -10 degrees. Otherwise, growth may slow down. To implement this condition, it is enough to organize high-quality thermal insulation of the walls. In addition, keep in mind that the barn must always be dry and free of drafts. Be sure to take care of high-quality ventilation of the room.

Important! The number of meals for animals depends on their age. It is better to feed bulls up to 6 months 4 times a day. After six months of maintenance, you can reduce this rate up to 3 times.

Particular attention should be paid to the young. All calves purchased from other farms must be identified for examination by a veterinarian and vaccination before being introduced into the general herd. The vaccine is also used for existing livestock that have reached the age of 6 months.

If the goby was born already on the farm, then it is important to take care of its timely transition to a fattening ration. The bull must be taught to pasture at the age of 1 month. At the same time, it is possible to withdraw the calf to graze only when the dew dries on the grass. At the same time, there must be an abundant amount of water and shade on the pasture in which the animal can hide from the sun.

The effect of castration of a bull on the amount of meat

The question of castration of a bull when feeding for meat is rather ambiguous. Many breeders are in favor of this procedure. In castrated individuals, the meat is distinguished by a more tender texture and good taste. Often this is how the marbling of meat is achieved. In non-castrated animals, the meat is leaner.

But, it is worth noting that under equal conditions of keeping, for each kilogram of weight gain in castrated animals, 0.5-1, 2 kg more feed is consumed than that of an ordinary bull. In addition, the difference in live weight by 12 months of age can be tens of kilograms in favor of non-castrated individuals.

Also, after castration of a bull, the amount of released sex hormones sharply decreases. This, in turn, greatly slows down the metabolic processes in the body. As a result, adipose tissue begins to grow much faster than muscle tissue. Accordingly, neutered cattle often develop obesity.

The time of castration is also an important point. Many breeders castrate bulls before fattening, some do the procedure at 3 months of age. But, it is worth noting that none of the approaches are justified. It was at this time that the animal is actively growing, gaining muscle mass. And if castration is carried out, the bull in the future can lag far behind in growth from its peers.

The age of 6-6.5 months is considered more suitable for such a measure. The correct muscle corset by this age has already been formed and castration will not greatly affect the growth rate. The best time to do this is in the spring, when the herd is still in the pasture. If age does not allow you to comply with this deadline, castration can be postponed until autumn.

In general, many experts recommend to castrate only those individuals who are kept on pastures and pastures for most of the year. This will significantly calm their temper and make them less aggressive. Accordingly, caring for neutered animals will be easier and safer.

For livestock that are kept on chains in stalls, such a measure would be an excess and only interfere good growth and mass gain of the animal.

Conclusion

Keeping gobies is a rather complicated process that requires serious financial and labor costs... But, if you follow the basic rules for feeding animals and caring for them during this period, all the resources spent will pay off handsomely. Moreover, by choosing a good meat breed and implementing a proper balanced diet, the income from the sale of beef can be several times higher than the cost of maintenance.

The cattle-breeding region occupies one of the leading places around the world, as it is the main source of food for humanity. Breeding cattle of various breeds is a lucrative business for farmers. Particular emphasis is now being placed on cattle for meat production, as there is a tendency for a stable rise in prices for meat products. There are not as many meat breeds of cattle in Russia as in other countries, but the situation is changing every day.

Along with beef, there are dairy cows and dairy and beef cows. Cattle raised only for meat are different large weight and fast growth... Moreover, meat-type bulls do not require special care and are unpretentious in food. Their meat is much juicier and more tender than that of ordinary dairy cows.

When growing meat breeds, it is customary to adhere to three step-by-step steps:

cohabitation of females with young bulls up to 8 months;
deprivation of bulls from breastfeeding, with the transition to artificial;
full-fledged fattening of young cattle.

Most farmers try not to restrict their wards in movement. The livestock is in a spacious room or on a walk. When animals spend most of their time in the pasture, there is no shortage of food. In addition to green food, it is imperative to add various vitamins and minerals to the diet. There are also ready-made balanced mixtures, especially for beef cattle breeds.

To get meat with a juicier and richer taste, you need to carefully approach to the choice of feed... Calves, starting from the 15th day after birth, begin to feed with hay, and then switch to concentrated feed.

Gallery: beef breeds of cows (25 photos)

Types of breeds of beef cows

To get a good profit from the sale of meat in the future, it is necessary to correctly choose the breed of cattle. There are the following types:

The most popular breeds of bulls for meat in Russia are Hereford, Shorthorn, Galloway, White-headed and Kalmyk.
The most hardy and unpretentious to care for are: Charolais, Aquinas, Markingzhanskie and Limousine. Their total body weight is dominated by meat, not fat.
More recently, breeding beef cows appeared: Brangus, Sharbrei, Simbrazin and Bramuzin. They are the largest of all available, and they also tolerate heat and dry climates better than others.

After reviewing characteristic features each breed, it will not be difficult to choose the most suitable option.

Especially popular with farmers all over the world herefords use... They have earned such authority because of their excellent species characteristics:

If at birth heifers and bulls have a weight of 34, and accordingly - 36 kg, then adults reach 600-1 thousand kg. At the same time, more than 80% of pure meat is obtained at the output. Calves need to be additionally fed as females cannot produce much milk. With the right approach, youngsters will gain up to 1.5 kg every day.

Southern breeders prefer to grow kalmyk meat breed... Breeders have tried for a long time to create the most improved modification of beef bulls and they succeeded. The main indicators of livestock are as follows:

Cows and bulls of large proportional build with small horns extended upwards. Their legs are long and thin.
They are predominantly dark red in color, sometimes with individual white spots.
It feeds on everything that catches your eye. Walking through the pasture, livestock devours not only grass, but also various thorns, flowers and other greenery.
They are undemanding to the conditions of detention, they easily tolerate drought and steppe wind.
The net weight of an adult varies from 450 to 900 kg.

If Kalmyk women are kept on constant walking, then they gain fat mass very quickly... Some farmers prefer stall housing. In warm winters, you can release the cattle so that they can eat grass.

Mothers of the Kalmyk breed are able to provide their calves with full breastfeeding. At birth, bull calves have a small weight, but they quickly gain it. These cows give quite a lot of milk, about 20 liters with proper care. So they belong to the meat and dairy category.

Cattle meat from the southern regions is highly prized for its taste characteristics and is considered one of the best.

By crossing the Kalmyk and Kazakh breeds with Herefords, a very worthy variety was bred - kazakh white-headed... Meat bulls have a juicy brown color with white streaks on the body. The fleshy constitution and large forms are striking. In summer they are covered with a smooth and shiny coat, and in winter it begins to curl and grow.

Cows of this breed are in many ways similar to their ancestors. Without needing anything special, they can easily adapt to everything. Being constantly in a stall or on a walk, she gains meat weight up to 1 ton by one and a half years. In females, the average weight is about 550 kg.

The productive capacity is not less than that of other beef cattle breeds. Calves stop breastfeeding when they reach 200 kg. This once again confirms that the breeding of such early maturing meat species will only go to profit. At the output, they give more than 50% of juicy and tasty cattle meat.

Another equally productive representative of cattle for meat is it's limousine... Initially, they were classified exclusively in the meat and dairy category. But in the 60s, it appeared on the territory of Russia and acquired mainly a meat function. Most often they can be found on French farms. Both young gobies and adults go for meat.

Calves are born weighing up to 40 kg and grow up to 350 kg in a year and a half. The cows and bulls themselves are not too big, but strong and muscular.

Terrain selection

In order not to waste your efforts in vain, when choosing a meat breed, cattle are taken into account climatic terrain data... If the animal is not suitable for your climatic zone, then they will not gain weight well. And also their immunity will decrease and they will start to get sick. High productivity will be achieved only under the conditions in which this breed was bred.

In Russia, the most favorable zones for breeding meat breeds of bulls are: the North Caucasus, Western and Eastern Siberia.

Recipe for success

Targeting high yield beef cattle finished products, you can't do without a large food supply... And for this you need to calculate your real capabilities and draw appropriate conclusions. One consumed unit requires 1 kg of oats, which means that with a yield of 20-30 centners, you can count on 110-120 heads.

Another key to success is the way of keeping cattle. Best of all, she feels without a leash, in a free courtyard or pasture. This not only reduces stress in the animal, but also makes it easier to care for them.

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