Types of Cattle Breeds

Biological Types

• Modern cattle breeds originated with the ancestral Bos primigenius, or wild auroch, often seen depicted in the paleolithic cave paintings of France and Spain. Cattle, also called cows, belong to the Bovidae family, or bovids. Bos indicus species cattle are known as Zebu, a type of humped cow from India. Bos taurus species, or taurine cattle, are most often seen in Europe, Asia and isolated regions of Africa. Taurine cattle are better suited for cool and temperate climates.

Zebu Cattle

• Zebu cattle, also known as Braman, were developed as a distinctive breed in India. The males and females both have a pronounced neck hump, more noticeable in the bulls. There are 75 Zebu breeds in Africa and South Asia. Many Zebu herds were imported into Africa because of their adaptation to hot, tropical climates. Some taxonomists don't classify the Zebu breed as a separate species, but consider it a subspecies of Bos taurus.

Beef Cattle

• Beef cattle are raised for their finely marbled, high-quality meat. Of the 250 beef breeds worldwide, more than 60 are raised in the United States. Many popular American beef breeds originated in the British Isles. Known for high-grade meat, the breeds include Galloway, black and red Angus, both Polled and Horned Herefords and Shorthorn cattle. Leaner European breeds such as the Charolais, Limousin and Simmental were imported in the 1970s to cross breed with American herds.

Milk Cows

• Certain cattle breeds were selectively bred for milk production. The ubiquitous black and white Holstein breed came from northern Holland. Holsteins were imported in quantity during the 1850s. Developed in Scotland, the red and white Ayrshire became known for its high-quality milk. The British Isles of Guernsey and the Isle of Jersey gave American dairy farmers sources of high-butterfat content milk. Brown Swiss cattle are the oldest breed of dairy cattle, dating back 6,000 years.