Top 5 Beef Cattle Breeds (2024)

  • Angus cattle top the list. Who follows?
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1. Angus

The Angus breed was first imported to Victoria, Kansas, from Scotland in 1873. Since then, it has become the most dominant beef cattle breed in the United States. The American Angus Association reports that 70% of U.S. cow herds are covered by Angus bulls. To qualify as Certified Angus Beef, animals must meet 10 strict requirements, including hide color, marbling, and rib-eye size.

Related:Popular U.S. Cattle Breeds

2. Hereford

Before the Angus, but after the Texas Longhorn (and briefly the Durham), the Hereford was the dominant American beef breed. Originally, it was imported from Herefordshire, England, in 1817. The breed then spread with settlers as they fenced off the American West, and the Hereford became popular for its early maturity and efficiency. Hereford remained the dominant breed through the 1960s and remains influential in many crossbreeding programs.

3. Gelbvieh

The Gelbvieh breed is one of the oldest German cattle breeds. It was first developed around 1850 in three Franconian districts of Bavaria. After World War II, Germany used a stringent selection program to repopulate its cowherd, using conformation, carcass quality, and milk production in the progeny-testing system. The breed, which has approximately 45,000 active, registered Gelbvieh cows, was first imported to the United States in 1971 (when U.S. regulations were passed to allow for importation).

4. Limousin

The Limousin breed is native to the old provinces of Limousin and Marche in central France. French breeders placed a great deal of emphasis on a deep chest, strong topline, well-placed tailhead, and strongly muscled hindquarters. The result was an efficient, hardy, and adaptable animal that is well suited for meat production. Imported to the United States since 1971, the Limousin breed (muscle and efficiency) has been bred with the Angus breed (marbling and maternal traits) to create the popular Lim-Flex hybrid/cross.

Related:From Pasture to Plate

5. Simmental

Developed in the Swiss Canton of Berne, the Simmental was officially established in 1806 and was first imported to the United States in 1971. Among all cattle breeds worldwide, this breed is second in numbers only to Brahman. The American Simmental produces outstanding performance and productivity thanks to expansive within-breed blending.

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Top 5 Beef Cattle Breeds (2024)

FAQs

Top 5 Beef Cattle Breeds? ›

What are five common breeds of beef cattle? There are more than 250 breeds of beef cattle all over the world but most popular among these are Angus, Brahman

Brahman
The Brahman is an American breed of zebuine-taurine hybrid beef cattle. It was bred in the United States from 1885 from cattle originating in India, imported at various times from the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › American_Brahman
, Beef Master, Piedmontese, Herefordshire, Gelbvieh, and Limousin.

What are the top 5 beef cattle in the US? ›

Top 5 Beef Cattle Breeds
  • Angus.
  • Hereford.
  • Gelbvieh.
  • Limousin.
  • Simmental.
Jun 6, 2022

Which cattle breed is the best beef producer? ›

Angus Cattle

These days, the top percentage of Angus beef is favored by high-end restaurants and meat distributors because of its consistently outstanding quality.

What is the easiest beef cattle to raise? ›

If you would like a few cattle to control pastures and to provide meat for your family, a small herd of steers of an easily maintained beef–producing breed such as poll Hereford or Angus would best suit. If you are interested in running a niche small-breed, the Dexter or Belted Galloway may be ideal.

What is Texas #1 beef cattle breed? ›

Longhorn: No discussion about Texas cattle breeds would be complete without mentioning the iconic Longhorn. These cattle played a vital role in Texas history and have become synonymous with the state's ranching heritage.

Which is better, Hereford or Angus? ›

Both breeds are moderate in size and are reasonably fertile. The Angus breed is recognized for its maternal ability and marbling while many producers like Hereford cattle because of their adaptability to harsh conditions.

Is Belted Galloway meat better than Angus? ›

For instance, on average the beef from Beltie's is 46% lower in calories, 72% lower in fat calories, 68% lower in total fat, 69% lower in saturated fat, 57% lower in cholesterol, and 19% higher in protein than Angus and other comparable beef breeds.

What is the most profitable beef cattle? ›

What breed of cattle is most profitable? Angus: This is the most popular breed of beef cattle. Their meat quality is excellent and they provide 50 percent of their weight in the meat. Highland Cattle: Though they are not as popular as they once were, they are still in demand by people who know love their meat.

What is the best tasting beef cow? ›

ANGUS is the most popular breed of cattle raised for the dining pleasure of Americans. This breed is well known for its excellent marbling. It is typically the highest quality beef that you can buy at the grocery store.

How old is a 500 pound Angus calf? ›

Beef calves should be weaned between 7 and 9 months of age, weighing between 500 and 700 pounds on average. Feed calves post weaning until they reach a finished weight target of between 1,100 and 1,300 pounds. This weight gain is most easily achieved utilizing available energy-dense grain-based feedstuffs.

What is the poor man's cow breed? ›

The Dexter originated in the South Western region of Ireland where they were originally kept by small landholders and known as the "poorman's cow". Like the Kerry, they are descended from the predominately black cattle of the early Celts.

What is the most gentle breed of beef cattle? ›

The research demonstrates that devon cattle mature more quickly then other breeds and are more fertile. Their naturally docile demeanor results in behaviors that make for great mothers.

Which cow is most yielding? ›

Holstein is a breed of cattle known today as the world's highest production dairy animal.

What are the most fertile beef cattle? ›

Devons are one of the most highly fertile of all cattle breeds. Calving percentages in the high nineties can be expected on good nutrition. Because of high fertility there is only a short time between calving and the next conception. This means shorter joining and calving periods.

What breed is the Star 5 cow? ›

The Santa Gertrudis grading-up program, known as the STAR 5 program, provides SGBI members the ability to progress from a non-Santa Gertrudis-based herd to purebred Santa Gertrudis status. Because of Santa Gertrudis' ability to perform well when crossed with a variety of breeds, the possibilities are nearly endless.

What state is number 1 in beef cattle? ›

Texas stands as the undisputed leader, boasting a staggering 4.115 million head of beef cows. This remarkable figure accounts for nearly 15 percent of all beef cows in the United States. The beef cattle industry is a cornerstone of American agriculture, providing a significant contribution to the nation's economy.

What are the top 5 beef cattle states in the US based on number of head? ›

Collectively, Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri make up approximately 28 percent of the nation's total beef cows. In the hierarchy of beef cow states, Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, and Montana emerge as the next contenders.

What is the highest quality beef in the US? ›

USDA Prime Beef is the top grade of beef available. On average, 35% of our beef grades out to prime with abundant marbling for exceptional tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. The cattle in this program never receive added hormones or antibiotics, which slows the process down, creating a superior product.

What are the top 5 dairy breeds in the US? ›

The major US dairy breeds are Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey, and Milking Shorthorn. The largest dairy breed in terms of number of cows is the Holstein.

What are the top cow counties in the US? ›

Cherry County, Neb., is America's top beef cow county with 184,716 cows, more than twice the number as the county with the second most, Holt County, also in Nebraska. A third Nebraska county, Lincoln, lands in the sixth spot of the Top 33 beef cow counties with 75,582 cows.

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