Top 9 Popular Cattle Breeds for Farm Owner
- Feb 08, 2022
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Cattles are domesticated and bred for their specific quality. Whether for feedlot or for cow-calf operations - the cattle breeding markets in Australia are flourishing due to amazing farm advantages.
Since Australia is an island area, cattle breeds have largely evolved from British breeds or other breeds of the world.
This article has listed down the top cattle breeds in the Australian market that would for sure be an excellent piece of farm information for you. Here You may be surprised to know that the most popular cattle breeds in Australia are not originally from the region.
Check out the most popular cattle breeds in the Australian market.
Hereford cattle:
High demand breed- Renowned to convert low-quality forage to high yielding meat.
This breed originated in Australia around 1920 when three bulls and three cows were imported to Queensland from the USA. Later the breed expanded rapidly in southern states.
The breed is generally calm and their management is quite easy. They are in high demand for certain cross-breeding programmes- due to their good temperament, good fertility, mothering abilities, and better calving rate.
| Place of origin | England |
| Breed purpose | Beef |
| Climate tolerance | All-weather conditions |
| Colour | White flakes or marks on the face, crest, dewlap, underline, switch, and legs below the knee and have rust-brown to deep rich red colouring overall. |
| Other characteristics |
Polled (hornless) cattle with deep brisket, well-developed forequarters, large head, and stocky legs. Some animals may have typically short, thick horns curving on the side of the head while the polled breed is more common. Cows weigh 500-650 kg on average, whereas bulls weigh 900-1100 kg. |
| Specific traits | Fattening ability, Good milker, early maturity, high beef yielder, great mothers, Foraging ability, docile, easy calver and good fertility. |
Angus:
Maximum market versatility - excellent carcass quality, high muscling and moderate maturity patterns.
The ancient breed was developed in the northeastern part of Scotland From some well-defined breeds of polled cattle including Aberdeen-Angus, the Galloway and the red polled Norfolk and Suffolk breed. Agnus in Australia was first introduced into Tasmania in 1820 and in Queensland in 1840. Later breed numbers have increased steadily in the country.
Angus is the most sought after temperate beef breed in the world, where female breeds are used for breeding cattle and Angus steers and heifers are in demand for pasture and feedlot finishing programmes.
The breed is further classified into two varieties: Black Angus and Red Angus.
With its existence back over 1000 years, Angus is most popular for its carcass characteristics and marketed for yielding well-marbled, favourable beef.
| Place of origin | Scotland |
| Breed purpose | Beef production |
| Climate tolerance | All-climate |
| Colour | Black and red coloured while the udder of cows is generally white |
| Other characteristics | moderate-sized, muscular animals, carcass quality, motherly ability, milking ability, fertility, polled head, fine flesh, high dressing percentage. |
| Specific traits | Quite, docile, calm temperament, very hardy and muscular, known to adapt to cold climate |
Australian Lowline Cattle Breed:
Modest sized, docile Australian polled beef cattle.
This one is quite a unique breed among the Australian cattle community because it belongs to Aberdeen Angus ancestry and is thus known as a heritage breed. It fits both lifestyle farming and production farming. This type of breed is good for novice farmers and beginners in the farming industry.
This breed is highly fertile and excellently efficient in feeding. The quality of beef it produces is also outstanding along with other traits like breeding longevity and easy calving.
| Place of origin | Australia |
| Breed purpose | Meat production, show, pet |
| Climate tolerance | Adapt well in varying climate |
| Colour | Usually black in colour, occasionally red. have a white area on scrotum and udder. |
| Other characteristics | Polled, Small-sized, docile temperament, good behaviour, Active, Early maturity, Longevity, Sound feet and legs, |
| Specific traits |
high-quality beef, better Feed conversion Efficiency, High yield, high fertility, breeding longevity, feed efficiency, ease of calving. High milking Cow weighs: 320 kg |
Limousin:
The leading way in better feedlot performance And carcass yielding.
Limson first originated in Australia in 1971 and spread in other parts of Australia since then. The breed is more popular in intensive high-rainfall areas of the southern States and Western Australia.
The golden-red cattle are developed in limousin, France and are named after the place of origin. The ancient breed is commonly used for beef production and as draft animals to help turn rugged, rocky soil into fields for crops.
Limousins are horned naturally but they can be polled, when their horns are removed through cross-breeding. The size and maturity of the breed are somewhere between British and other European breeds.
| Place of origin | France |
| Breed purpose | Lean Beef, drafting and crossbreeding. |
| Climate tolerance | All Climate |
| Colour | Light wheat to dark brown, they have lighter colouration on belly, thighs, between the leg, testicles and tail tip |
| Other characteristics |
Commonly horned - they have fine rounded horns raised at the tips. Board and rounded chest, short neck. Cow weigh around - 650 to 700 kg |
| Specific traits | Heavy animal, hardy, active, low birth weight and minimum calving problem, better feed conversion efficiency, healthy meat yielder, genetic strength, high dressing rate |
Murray grey:
Easy care cattle known for quality beef in the domestic and international market.
The Murray Grey was created in the upper Murray River Valley, near the Victorian/New South Wales border. The Australian polled beef breed has grown into a very adaptable breed that yields higher meat and thrives in a variety of environmental conditions.
With over 1000 studs present throughout Australia, the cattle breed is the second-largest beef breed in the country.
| Place of origin | NSW, Australia |
| Breed purpose | Marbled Beef production, cross-breeding |
| Climate tolerance | All-climate condition |
| Colour | Range of colours between silver to dark grey. Also comes in dun and black colour, dark pigmentation on the skin. |
| Other characteristics |
Polled naturally, mid in size, and intermediate maturing compared to other breeds, strong, hardy, optimum fat coverage on the skin, rapid growth Cow weight ranges between- 500 to 700 kg |
| Specific traits | High yielding carcases, feed efficiency, great temperament, easy calving ability, easy milking, motherly ability, withstand the harsh climate |
Adaptaur Cattle Breed:
Renowned for tolerance to heat and raised for meat production
This breed is from the Bos Taurus cattle breed and was established from crosses between Hereford and Shorthorn cattle in Australia in the 1950s. They are hard enough to take all the tropical heat and still survive.
Usually, cattle of this breed mature earlier than similar breeds and showcase strong resistance towards internal parasites. It has a red coat. They look average in size, neither too big nor too small. These breeds can be seen in the northern areas of Australia.
When it comes to crossbreeding, It produces significant hybrid vigor. They are growing faster due to high fertility as compared to the Brahmans. They resist ticks and worms just like the Brahman breed and are 10% more efficient than the latter breed.
| Place of origin | Australia |
| Breed purpose | Meat production |
| Climate tolerance | Adaptability to native climatic conditions |
| Colour | Sleek coat, Dark and short pigmented coat mostly of Red Colour |
| Other characteristics | Midsize, strong, early maturing animals. Producing hybrid vigor, polled with no horns. Well pigmented eyes. |
| Specific traits | high resistance to cattle ticks and climate change, good resistance to internal parasites, favourable carcass qualities, more fertile |
Australian Braford Cattle Breed:
Genetically 50 percent Hereford and 50 percent Brahman
This one is from Queensland. Its origin is noted from midcentury from crossbreeding Brahman and Hereford breeds. This breed is known for its amazing characteristics like a short coat, hump, and skin being a little loose. These characteristics are quite similar to the Brahman breed. The colour reveals some markings from Hereford too.
| Place of origin | Queensland, Australia |
| Breed purpose | Primarily for meat production |
| Climate tolerance | Best for warm climate |
| Colour | Red coloured like Hereford with white hues on the underbelly, head and legs |
| Other characteristics |
Medium to large size, both polled and horned, Hooded and pigmented eye, short coat, loose skin, hump, hardy, fast grower, often aggressive Bull avg weight: 900-1000 kg |
| Specific traits | Superior motherly ability, heat and insect resistance, ease of calving, better milk production, early puberty, fertility, good carcasses |
Australian Brangus Cattle Breed:
Excellent forager and developed utilizing traits of Angus and Brahman
Brangus is a beef cattle belonging to coastal areas of Queensland in Australia. It originated in 1950 and comes out of the 2 known breeds Brahman and cross-breeding Angus. Probably that's why its name is Brangus where Br stands for Brahman and Angus. The ratio of the genetic mixture is 3:8. This means that 3 parts are of Brahman genetics and 5 parts are of Angus genetics.
This breed is also very sturdy when it comes to putting its tolerance power. It easily tolerates heat and ticks. They are usually Black. However, one can also see Red Brangus. The best thing about this breed is having a very negligible rate of eye cancer, unlike similar white-faced breeds.
| Place of origin | Queensland, Australia |
| Breed purpose | meat |
| Climate tolerance | Thrive in hot as well as cold climate |
| Colour | Completely black or red, polled, with a sleek coat and pigmented skin. |
| Other characteristics |
Rapid weight gain, moderate hump, medium to large ears, loose skin with neck folds, rounded rump, slightly late maturing, hardy in cold climates. Bulls weigh around 900 kg |
| Specific traits | Resistant to heat and high humidity, Good mothers, Resistance to ticks and bloat, A good forager, carcase without excessive fat |
Australian Charbray Cattle Breed:
Morden and versatile beef breeds that cope with all environments.
French Charolais and American Brahman cattle are the parent breed of Australian Charbray. This breed is originally from America from 1930 to 1969 and from 1969 it came to Australia. This breed is excellent in resisting heat, diseases, and parasites.
This crossbreed showcases the characteristics inherent from both parent breeds which include timid temperature, hardiness, loose skin, dewlap on the throat, and hump just like in a Brahman breed.
| Place of origin | Australia |
| Breed purpose | Meat production |
| Climate tolerance | Both hot and cold |
| Colour | Cream to light red coat colour |
| Other characteristics |
Heavy muscled, structurally sound, tight sheath, loose skin, good growth rate. Cow weight: 800 kg |
| Specific traits | Good fertility, rapid rebreeding, good milk production, early naturally |
Conclusion:
Undoubtedly, cattle are important for any farm and considering the different types of breeds, they indeed are unique in their own ways.
There is a vast variety of cattle breeds present in Australia, where each and every breed is different in terms of characteristics and usage. Meanwhile your location, climate and preferences are important considerations when deciding the right breed for you.
To shop or sell any of these farm-friendly cattle breeds, you may visit Farmtender Now.
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