What bull-calves of 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 fattening and are relatively picky in keeping and feeding. Also, animals of the meat direction have impressive dimensions and, when slaughtered, give tastier meat with a high fat content and energy value.

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

Aberdeen Angus cows

These animals are different. appearance, as their coat is bright black with red tan allowed. The body shape is traditionally large, the same is possessed by other breeds of meat cows:

the chest is widely deployed;
limbs are not long;
the neck is powerful, short;
the pelvis is wide;
a muscular pattern is clearly drawn on the skin;
the growth of the animal from 1.2 to 1.5 m is quite high;
horns are absent (cows and bulls are polled);
the hair on the surface of the skin is soft and thin.

What is the meat of an Aberdeen Angus cow:

the meat has a marble pattern in the section;
there are small fatty layers;
bone waste is not 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, you should not expect high 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 a light brown or even beige tone. As in the previous case, 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 the female weighs at least 700 kg. The growth of representatives of this breed is about 1.4 m; at birth, a calf of the Aquitaine meat breed can weigh about 45 kg. The breed is distinguished by the fact that calves gain weight at a record speed: up to 2 kg per day, although closer to the age of one year, the weight gain rate 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 the care of this breed is not special work, since cows and bulls take root well in any territory and climate, have a comfortable calm character, and live 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 meet 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 polled. An unconditional advantage can be called the fact that such livestock will confidently easily endure a change in conditions of detention or the transition from one feed to another. It is also worth noting that representatives of the Auliekol breed tolerate cold well, as they are overgrown with additional undercoat in winter, this is another plus for acquiring such cows in Russia.

The average weight of a bull of this breed is about 1 ton, although isolated cases of a record weight of 1250 kg are known. A cow weighs exactly half as much: no more than 650 kg. When slaughtered, the waste part occupies 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 breed of cattle belongs to the meat direction. 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 a huge muscle mass. This can be explained from a scientific point of view: the production of a substance such as myostatin is genetically blocked in cattle, that is, nothing restrains muscle growth in these animals, it continues throughout life.

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

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

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Galloway cow

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

the chest is deeply planted;
the neck is powerful, wide;
the back is straight;
the hooves are short, the horn is wide;
horns are absent;
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 that there is not much snow).

Animals gain about 1.2 kg per day, while not reaching record weights, 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 can boast of excellent meat of the highest quality. It is distinguished by a marble texture, extraordinary juiciness and a moderate fat content. Along with this, the cows of the Galloway breed can be attributed to a mixed orientation, that is, a dairy and meat breed of cattle, so about 1,400 liters of milk per individual can be milked per year. This productivity indicator cannot be compared with that of a dairy cow.

Kazakh meat breed

Based on the name, this breed of meat cattle was bred in Kazakhstan using the labor of Russian livestock specialists. Animals of this species have a red coat color mainly, although the limbs, 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 endure harsh winters, due to the fact that by this period it is overgrown with an additional undercoat.

At birth, calves weigh less than 30 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 get no more than 60% of the live weight from one carcass, which is not considered a good enough indicator of productivity.

Mensko-Angevin cow

This breed of cattle belongs to the meat direction. Due to the characteristic color, the breed is also called red meadow, although the main shade of the coat is still red. Gobies are impressive in size, growth can reach above 170 cm, which makes them giants among meat cattle. The same goes for weight, there is evidence of a bull with a weight of about 1650 kg.

Despite their gigantic size, these are rather calm animals with an accommodating character, which makes their maintenance convenient and comfortable. It is also worth mentioning 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 has excellent flavor profiles and is considered top-notch beef, according to consumer ratings.

Limousin cow

Another variety of breeds for meat purposes is the Limousin cow. The color of her coat is red, golden red, brown with a noticeable lightening on the belly and thighs. This is not a polled animal, the horns are small, have a lighter color in comparison with the body. What distinguishes the Limousin cow from her relatives? Despite the fact that the animal is considered heavy, outwardly it is a rather well-built cow, its skeleton is not large, although the hooves have a pronounced muscular layer, this is clearly seen in the photo. Many breeders jokingly call such a cow a limousine, since her body is unusually elongated, this is immediately evident 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 the rest.

Romagnola breed

The purpose of the breed suggests 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 rear takes on a square shape.
Muscles are pronounced, muscle mass is gained quickly enough.
Limbs are straight and symmetrical.
The coat color is grey, but males may be darker colored.
Offspring reproduce quickly.

At birth, the weight of the 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 mass reaches its maximum in 2-3 years. A bull of the Romagna breed can weigh up to 900 kg, although sometimes the mass can increase 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 valued in the meat market for their excellent quality.

Polled Russian cow

This meat breed is widely represented in Russia, which is eloquently indicated by the name "Russian polled". Also from the name is clear the fact that the animal does not have horns, that is, it is practically safe for other animals and people. As for the physique, the body shape is standard:

Rectangular dimensions.
The muscular relief is clearly visible.
The head is not heavy, small in size.
The chest, on the contrary, is wide, deployed, with a pronounced dewlap.
The back of the cattle is straight (both back and butt).
Symmetrical thick limbs with well-defined muscle tone.
The skin of the Russian polled is valued, as it is thin and supple, it is these qualities that are valued in furriery.
The wool of cows and bulls is strictly black, the presence of spots and tan is unacceptable.

At sexually mature age, animals grow to an impressive size, their weight is:

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

Livestock specialists 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 polled cows can be found both in southern countries and, for example, in the north of Russia. Animals differ in 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 slaughter, marbled meat with a low fat content, of excellent quality, is obtained, and this despite the fact that the fattening of an animal during breeding can last quite a long time. If the goal is the consumption or sale of almost 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 can be clearly seen in the photo or video);
the neck is powerful, with veins;
chest set deep, diameter is about 2 m;
the dewlap is not pronounced;
the back is straight, there is a barely noticeable sagging in the middle;
limbs are symmetrical, well developed;
the growth of adults reaches a mark of up to 140 cm;
wool is sparse.

Markidzhan breed

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

These are fairly large animals.
The color of the hairline is white, gray or mixed.
Mass 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, muscle inclusions are significant.

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

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

Features of the meat direction

Compared to the dairy direction, meat breeds are distinguished by completely different physiological processes that take place inside the cow's body. They are aimed at building muscle tissue with maximum efficient use fodder. Only calves have enough milk, and this determines the exterior of meat cattle:

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

Popular breeds

Beef cattle can be of different types:

Intensively growing breeds of cows. Weight is laid at an early age. From birth to the moment of slaughter, calves quickly reach the 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 the conditions are comfortable. These include Aberdeen Angus, Galloway, Kalmyk and Kazakh white-headed cows, the famous Herefords and Shorthorns.
Meat breeds that are slowly gaining condition. Unpretentious cows, characterized by good immunity, are able to fully provide for themselves on their own with full grazing. Feed costs are minimal. Standard weight in bulls and cows becomes approximately 1.5–2 years old. Meat products have distinctive characteristics - they are lean, often with varying degrees of "marbling". The most famous Charolais breed of cows.
Crossbred breeds resulting from the crossing of domestic bulls and wild zebu. Possess good performance precocity. Adapted to hot climates. A typical representative is the meat breed Santa Gertrude.

In addition, the meat breeds of cows are not always homogeneous within the population, which makes it necessary to carefully form the herd. There are individuals with increased milk production, 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. Polled head of small size. The legs and neck look short. The color is black, rarely red.

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

Advantages of the Aberdeen Angus breed of cows:

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

Belgian blue cows

Among the cattle of the meat direction, there are breeds that have an almost unlimited increase in muscle mass.

So, as a result of a long selection and selection, the Belgian blue cow with an unusual physique was bred. Heavy animals with relief, hypertrophied muscles. They have thin skin and not very dense wool, most often blue and white. Rarely - red, piebald or black. The legs are powerful, but short. Typical meat physique: deep chest, broad back, massive hips. Powerful, short neck.

Meat productivity deserves special attention: adult bulls weigh up to 1.25 tons, cows - up to 0.9 tons. High milk yield - up to 4.5 tons per year should be noted among the characteristics. Ready for slaughter, starting at the age of one year. At the same time, bulls reach 470 kg, heifers - 370 kg. Already in two years, the mass, respectively, is 770 and 550 kg.

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

High yield of meat products.
Balanced temperament.
Rapid 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 caesarean section.

Hereford cow

Numerous regional beef cow breeds are often adaptations of the Hereford. 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 meat breeds. Herefords have a squat, barrel-shaped body, a deep chest, and powerful legs. The back is wide. On a small head, as a rule, horns lowered down. The coat is curly, longer in winter.

Tender and juicy "marble" beef has excellent taste characteristics. Calves are born weighing up to 36 kg. Depending on the method of fattening, 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 fast acclimatization.
Stability of the immune system.
Calving does not require human intervention, calves have high viability.

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

Kalmyk breed

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

Harmonious, compact body. Strong bones. High mobility. The body is evenly developed with a broad back and powerful chest. The wool of red color with white markings, dense, double, provides reliable protection from frost, dry winds and heat. Fat accumulates evenly between the muscles and under the skin. Legs 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 already at the age of one and a half years, when the bulls weigh 550 kg. Milk productivity is at the level of 1–1.2 tons. Record holders have up to 3 tons per year.

Advantages of the Kalmyk breed of cows:

Unpretentious, can be kept on grazing all year round.
Hardy. Easily adapt to unstable temperature conditions.
Independent hotel.
Fatty milk (up to 4.5%).
Delicious "marble" meat.

Flaws:

Red meat. The veins are yellow, which impairs visual perception.
Aggressive behavior of cows after calving. They don't let anyone near the calves.

Kazakh white-headed

The result of crossing Herefords, Kalmyk and native 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 meat physique. Deep protruding chest. Massive hips. Broad, flat 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 on their own, weighing up to 27 kg. Weight gain 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 the age of one and a half years, calves weigh 500 kg and are ready for slaughter.

The advantages of the Kazakh breed of cows are:

Unpretentiousness.
Endurance.
Adaptation to harsh climate and scarce food.
"Marbling" of meat.

Santa Gertrude

As a result of crossing wild Zebu bulls and the well-known Shorthorn beef breed, cattle were obtained, which calmly endure high temperatures, poor diets and do not impose special requirements on maintenance.

Santa Gertrude has a large, muscular, lean build. The body is extended, elongated, with a pronounced hump in the region of the nape. The sacral part is slightly lowered. The head is medium. Ears droop. The chest is deep, powerful with a sagging dewlap. Legs are strong. The color is red, sometimes with light markings, the hooves are black.

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

Positive traits of beef cows:

Endurance.
Ability to make long transitions.
Unpretentiousness. Retains meat characteristics even in conditions of poor southern pastures.
Rapid weight gain.
adaptation to elevated temperatures.

Charolais breed

Among the well-known beef breed cows, one cannot but mention Charolais. Cattle that produce excellent lean meat was bred in France. Animals are still used as draft power: they can be exploited without hindrance 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 tubercles of muscles. Chest, back, sacrum wide. The thighs are powerful. The proportions of the back and front are the same. A small head that crowns a powerful, short neck.

The weight of the calf at the time of birth often exceeds 30 kg. Weight gain, depending on the method of fattening, 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 tons. High-milk cows: you can get milk yields in the range of 2.5–4 tons per year. Females weigh no more than 800 kg .

Advantages:

High meat and dairy productivity.
Early maturity.
The 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

Shorthorns have a long history of breeding - more than two centuries. Harmoniously built cattle, most often of elegant red color. Cows have a wide body with rounded shapes and an elongated back. The head is small. Polledness is not uncommon in the population. Muscle mass grows evenly. The chest and hips are massive. The skeleton is thin. Legs are not long. In winter, the coat begins to curl.

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

Advantages:

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

Flaws:

Weak reproductive ability.
Low immunity.
Requirements for the 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, on grazing, lean. When alternating feed - "marble". Usually the calves of beef cows remain on suction for a long time, which provides them with immunity and rapid growth.

Fattening bulls for meat is a profitable and quite popular type of agricultural business in many countries. The maximum benefit from it can only be obtained if right choice breeds of cattle. To minimize feed costs and get 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 are advised to be chosen for fattening by specialists and experienced farmers.

Beef has been popular in the grocery market for centuries. therefore, at all times, breeders sought to breed such breeds of bulls that would allow them to obtain the maximum yield of meat during slaughter. Meat bulls, due to a certain body structure, are able to build large muscle mass even under 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 worth familiarizing yourself with the features of each in detail. All the best meat breeds of bulls are conditionally divided into three groups:

The first is that animals are characterized by rapid weight gain, but at the same time, meat has a high percentage of adipose tissue. This group includes Galloway, Shortgon, Hereford, Aberdeen-Angus bulls.
The second is grown more often in large farms. Animals slowly gain body weight, but are large in size. The bulls of this group gain the maximum body weight by 2 years. The second group includes Limousin, Aquinas light, Charolais, Simmental bulls.
The third includes breeds obtained by crossing cultivated breeds with wild zebu bulls. Cattle of this group are characterized by increased adaptability to hot climates. This group includes Santa Gertrude bulls, Bragus, Bramuzins, Sharbeys and others. Cattle of this group are especially popular in Russia.

Features of growing bulls of meat breeds is their intensive fattening to ensure weight gain. The maximum age of bulls intended for slaughter for meat is 20 months. By this time, most breeds have reached their maximum weight and the growth rate is decreasing.

Bulls of meat breeds gain weight well when grazing on a pasture.

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

Important! Bulls of meat breeds are especially large in size, therefore they are potentially dangerous to humans. In the stall, before slaughter, the bulls are securely fixed with chains to avoid accidents. To increase the complaisance of bulls, farmers often use their castration. Although the intensity of growth 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 appropriate option in specific conditions. Based on the characteristics of nutrition and adaptability to the conditions of detention, a certain list of the most popular beef bull breeds among farmers has been formed.

Shorthorn

Bulls of the Shothorn breed 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 meat forms were obtained: a rectangular, barrel-shaped body, developed muscles, deep chest and pronounced hips. The weight of an adult bull with proper fattening is 1200-1300 kilograms. Meat yield at slaughter - up to 70%.

Calves of this breed are born weighing about 35 kilograms. Daily weight gain - 1200-1700 grams. By the age of eight months, bulls 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 is 8%. In the meat, the layers of fat are evenly distributed, so it is considered "marble".

The disadvantage of shorthorn bulls is the exacting quality of feed to maintain meat productivity and 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 the tissues.

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

Charolais bull meat contains a minimum amount of fat and does not lose taste as the animal grows older. This feature allows you to get the maximum amount of production from each carcass. The slaughter yield of meat from the carcass is 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 with intensive fattening. At 6 months, Charolais calves weigh 260-300 kilograms. Breeding bulls are considered long-lived and do not lose their working qualities until 15-16 years old.

The low level of fat in the muscle tissues of Charolais bulls makes this breed unsuitable for growing in cold regions. Frosts and a sharp change in temperature are contraindicated for this breed, so Charolais bulls are most popular in countries with a warm climate.

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

Salers

Bulls of the Salers breed perfectly adapt to any climate.

Bulls Salers bred in the mountains of Central France, and in the past belonged to the working-meat breeds. A powerful body and excellent draft abilities 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 grow to 150-160 kilograms by the age of 4 months. By the age of 8 months, the weight of the bull is about 280 kilograms. The average daily weight gain is 900-1100 grams. An adult salers bull weighs 1,300 kilograms or more. Slaughter yield - more than 60%.

In Russia, the bulk of the 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 terrain. Salers bulls are unpretentious in the choice of food and adapted to any conditions of detention, so caring for them is quite simple.

British

The famous bull Trigger has a good-natured disposition.

The British breed of bulls is considered the most popular among foreign farmers. The breed is characterized by precocity and high productivity. The best climate for their breeding is temperate continental. British bulls are adapted to free-range 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 his gigantic size, Trigger is very phlegmatic, kind and serves as entertainment for tourists visiting his owners' farm.

Meat breeds of bulls in Russia

From the whole variety of meat bulls, Russian farmers have chosen the most adapted to the climate of our country. Moreover, the breed 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 explained by excellent acclimatization abilities, 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 feature to accumulate intramuscular fat and retain water.

Hereford bulls weigh between 800 and 1100 kilograms. Calves are born weighing 33-36 kilograms. Animals are distinguished by a rounded, barrel-shaped body with a deep chest and a well-formed back. Due to the high energy of growth, the bulls reach the optimal slaughter weight by 18 months. The average daily weight gain is 1500 grams. From the carcass of a Hereford bull, 5.5 kilograms of pure meat per 1 kilogram of bones are obtained during slaughter. 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 bull breed 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: a compact, dense body, a wide and deep chest, developed hams. With a relatively small size, the Aberdeen Angus bull is characterized by increased precocity.

The mass of a 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. The 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 does not differ in outstanding size, but has a high taste of meat. Fat in muscle tissues is located in thin layers and gives it a special softness and juiciness. Slaughter yield of meat - 70%.

Interesting! The minus of the breed is considered obstinate character. Aberdeen Angus bulls are distinguished by some wildness, they do not get used to humans well and, when free range, they 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 come from Mongolia and are more adapted to a warm climate. Successfully grown in Ukraine.

Kalmyk bulls gain body weight the fastest when free-range on a pasture. In a warm climate, these bulls roam free and find food even in winter. Bulls remain fat even during periods of summer droughts and quickly “get fat” in spring and autumn. By the cold season, Kalmyk gobies gain fat layers, and as a result, their meat becomes marbling.

The bulls of this breed are harmoniously built, weighing from 750 to 900 kilograms. The slaughter yield of meat from the carcass is 60%. By the age of one and a half years, bulls 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 crossing 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 physique. The weight of a bull is 900-1000 kilograms. The cattle is precocious, and with intensive feeding by 15-18 months, it gains a mass of about 500 kilograms. The slaughter yield of meat is more than 55%. The optimal age of a Kazakh bull for slaughter is 1.5 years.

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

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

Fattening bulls for meat at home and at large cattle breeding enterprises can be an extremely profitable occupation. 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 characteristics of the development of the bull, and plans the diet in accordance with them.

Diet for fattening for meat

Fattening of calves of meat breeds can be carried out from the age of 1 month. But, here you should pay special attention to the portion sizes. At this time, the calf digestive system is still in the formative stage. Enzymes for digesting food are produced quite weakly. That is why, under natural conditions, hay and other plant foods act as an addition to cow's milk. And if you feed an animal large volumes of new food for him, they will not be digested, they will begin to rot and thereby cause diseases and disturbances in 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. And, therefore, in addition to hay, the diet can also be diluted with concentrated feed. The optimal solution would be to supplement food with various probiotics in each case. They enhance digestion and absorption of food.

On the initial stage fattening, the main task is to provide the bull with a sufficient amount of protein and energy to build muscle tissue. To do this, it is necessary to form the correct daily amount of food. For a bull with a weight of 200 kg, the norm per day 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 diet for animals at the initial stage of fattening is corn silage. 1 kg of dry matter of such food includes:

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

Tellingly, 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 amount of concentrated feed used increases significantly. The cereal version loses 15% in energy, and the grass silage has a poorer nutrient composition.

Milk

Many breeders use dairy products when feeding meat breeds. In this regard, both skimmed and whole milk are used. Milk feeding is carried out only up to 6 months of age. During this time, a calf with a large weight takes:

skim - 700 kg;
whole milk - 250 kg.

For feeding an animal with an average weight, it is necessary:

return of about 600 kg;
whole milk - about 200-220 kg.

If desired, the reverse can be replaced with a whole dairy product. In this case, every 2 kg of collected milk can be replaced by 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 necessary amount of protein in the food, which silage alone cannot fill. In this regard, the following feeds are most suitable:

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

Reference. Concentrates also act as a significant source of energy. Its largest amount is found in corn, wheat and barley.

The average norm of concentrates for one animal is at least 1.5-3 kg per day. According to the 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, when grazing, concentrates can be excluded from the diet.

Mineral Supplements

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

As an alternative, or as a supplement, table salt can be used. 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 of bulls 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 if there is a shortage of the main components of proper feeding, food for a bull at the initial stage of fattening can be diversified. For this purpose, pulp, bard, and waste are used. But by the second period, their number must be reduced, and 3 months before slaughter, completely excluded from the feeding plan. Otherwise, it will affect the growth and taste of meat.

If there are a large number of vegetables, they can also be included in the diet. Potatoes, beets, zucchini, watermelons are perfect for this. Such food does not require 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 norm of hay for fattening cattle is at least 0.5-1 kg.

Technology of fattening bulls for meat

Fattening bulls at home involves not just feeding animals with the above components. The proportions of each of the components of the diet may change during the growth and development of the calf. Therefore, there are certain technologies that make it possible to ensure a bull's weight gain of at least 600 g per day and at the same time not to overfeed him.

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

1-2 months. At this time, the calf is just beginning to wean from milk. The new diet should be introduced gradually. For starters, 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 a full-fledged fattening feeding. The main task is to provide enough protein. The basis of nutrition is silage and high-quality hay, which is supplemented with crushed grain and vegetables. With such a diet, the animal quickly gains weight.
7-9 months. On the 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 summer, it is better to replace hay with grass from pastures. The number 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. Special attention give concentrates, the volume of which reaches 3 kg per day. As a result, by the age of one year, the bull weighs at least 400 kg. It is important during this period to completely exclude waste, pulp and other components from food that can spoil the taste of meat.

In the presence of a good food base, fattening can be carried out until 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 for 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.

Meat care

It should be noted that the correct diet is far from the only important point in the cultivation of meat breeds of bulls. Proper living conditions and proper care of animals should also be ensured.

It is best to keep bulls for fattening, combining the stall method with regular walking. In the stall, the animal will gain weight faster, and walking will help reduce the bull's violent behavior and strengthen his immune system. Moreover, it is necessary to walk the cattle for several hours every day. For a quality paddock for 10 bulls, at least 30 acres of land is required. When kept in a stall, a bull-calf must be fixed with chains.

A prerequisite for keeping bulls in a barn is regular cleaning of the premises. 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, it should be borne in mind that the barn should 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. Gobies up to 6 months are best fed 4 times a day. After six months of maintenance, this rate can be reduced to 3 times.

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

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

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

The issue of castration of a bull for fattening for meat is rather ambiguous. Many breeders advocate this procedure. In castrated individuals, the meat has a more delicate texture and good taste. This is often the way meat becomes marbling. In uncastrated animals, the meat is leaner.

But, it is worth noting that under equal conditions of keeping, for each kilogram of weight gain, castrated animals take 0.5-1.2 kg more feed than an ordinary bull-calf. In addition, the difference in live weight by 12 months of age can be tens of kilograms in favor of uncastrated individuals.

Also, after the castration of the bull, the amount of secreted 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, castrated cattle often develop obesity.

An important point is also the time of castration. Many breeders castrate bulls even before fattening, some carry out the procedure at 3 months of age. But, it is worth noting that none of the approaches is justified. It is at this time that the animal is actively growing, gaining muscle mass. And if you castrate the bull in the future, it can be 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 has already been formed by this age and castration will not greatly affect the growth rate. It is best to carry out the procedure in the spring, when the herd has not yet entered the pasture. If age does not allow observing this period, castration can be postponed to autumn.

In general, many experts recommend castrating only those individuals that are kept on pastures and pastures for most of the year. This will significantly calm their temper and make them less aggressive. Accordingly, the care of castrated animals will be simpler and safer.

For livestock kept on chain stalls, such a measure would be redundant and only hinder good growth and mass gain of the animal.

Conclusion

Keeping meat bulls 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 area occupies one of the leading places all over the world, as it is the main source of food for mankind. Breeding cattle of various breeds is a profitable occupation for farmers. Particular emphasis is now placed on meat cattle, as there is a trend of stable growth 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 meat, there are dairy cows and dairy and meat. Livestock raised only for meat is different big weight and fast growth. Moreover, the bulls of the meat direction do not require special care for themselves, they 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 breastfeeding, with the transition to artificial;
full fattening of young cattle.

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

To get meat with a more juicy and rich taste, you need to carefully approach to food selection. Calves, starting from the 15th day after birth, begin to be fed with hay, and then they switch to concentrated feed.

Gallery: meat breeds of cows (25 photos)

Types of breeds of cows for meat

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

The most popular breeds of bulls for meat in Russia are the Hereford, Shorthorn, Galloway, Whitehead and Kalmyk.
The most hardy and unpretentious in care are: Charolais, Aquinas, Markingzhan and Limousin. Their total body weight is dominated by meat, not fat.
More recently, breeding beef cows have appeared: brangus, sharbrei, simbrazinskaya and bramuzinskaya. They are the largest of all available, and also tolerate heat and dry climate better than others.

Having become acquainted with characteristic features each breed, it will not be difficult to choose the most suitable option.

Especially popular among farmers around the world used by Herefords. They deserve 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 supplemented, as females cannot produce much milk. With the right approach, young animals will gain up to 1.5 kg every day.

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

Cows and bulls of a large proportional physique with small horns stretched upwards. Their legs are long and thin.
Mostly have a dark red color, sometimes with separate white spots.
It feeds on everything that catches its eye. Walking through the pasture, cattle absorbs not only grass, but also various thorns, flowers and other greens.
Undemanding to the conditions of detention, calmly endure drought and steppe wind.
The net weight of an adult varies from 450 to 900 kg.

If Kalmyk women are kept on a constant range, then they gaining fat very quickly. Some farmers prefer stall keeping. In warm winters, you can let the cattle go free so that it can eat grass.

Mothers of the Kalmyk breed are able to provide their calves with full breastfeeding. At birth, gobies 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 valued for its taste characteristics and is considered one of the best.

By crossing the Kalmyk and Kazakh breed with Herefords, a very worthy variety was bred - Kazakh white-headed. Gobies of meat breed have a juicy brown color with white stains on the body. The fleshy constitution and large forms are striking. In summer, they are covered with smooth and shiny hair, 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 anything. Being constantly in a stall or on a walk, by the age of one and a half years she is gaining meat weight up to 1 ton. In females, the average weight is about 550 kg.

The productive capacity is not less than that of other meat breeds of cattle. Calves stop breastfeeding when they reach a weight of 200 kg. This once again confirms that the breeding of such early-ripening meat species will only be profitable. At the output, they give more than 50% of juicy and tasty cattle meat.

Another no less productive representative of cattle for meat - it's a limousine. Initially, they were attributed exclusively to 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 in a year and a half grow up to 350 kg. The cows and bulls themselves are not too big, but strong and muscular.

Location selection

In order not to waste your efforts in vain, when choosing a meat breed, cattle are taken into account local climate data. If your climate zone is not suitable for the animal, 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 areas for breeding bull meat breeds are: North Caucasus, Western and Eastern Siberia.

Recipe for success

Targeting high yield beef cattle finished products, without a large forage base is indispensable. And for this you need to calculate your real possibilities and draw the appropriate conclusions. One consumed unit requires 1 kg of oats, which means that with a crop of 20-30 centners, you can count on 110-120 goals.

Another key to success is the method of keeping cattle. She feels best 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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