All breeds of cows are divided into three large groups: meat, dairy and meat-and-milk. Of course, the most popular type of cattle is the second. However, beef cows are kept quite often on farms. There are many breeds of such animals. The most popular in Russia are only five.
Meat breeds of bulls, in turn, are divided into three main groups:
British origin. This group includes the Aberdeen Angus, Galloway, Shorthorn and Hereford breeds. The main distinguishing feature of cows of this variety is precocity. The best meat breeds of bulls in this group are Hereford and Aberdeen Angus.
Franco-Italian origin - Light Aquitaine, Charolais, Maine-Anjou, Kian, Marchian, Piedmont, Simmental. Common features of these breeds are considered to be large weight and late maturity. The meat of the gobies of this group does not contain too much fat.
In our country, the following varieties of beef cows are most often bred:
Kazakh white-headed. It was obtained by crossing the British Herefords and the local Kazakh-Kalmyk population. The breed was bred in the USSR in the first third of the twentieth century.
Aberdeen Angus. This breed originated in Scotland.
Hereford. Bred in England from local unproductive cattle.
Limousinskaya. The birthplace of this cow is France.
Kalmyk. It ranks first in terms of numbers in our country. It was bred a long time ago by the Kalmyk nomadic tribes.
This variety is bred in almost all regions of our country. The bull-calf of meat breed (Kazakh white-headed) has:
strong bones;
short legs;
barrel-shaped body, overgrown with thick hair in winter.
The withers, back and sides of the gobies of this variety are red, and the legs, stomach, head and chest are white. The breed is characterized by precocity and a very high yield of meat - 58-68%. Adult bulls reach a weight of 900 kg. Depending on the region and conditions of detention, the last figure may increase or decrease by 200-300 kg.
One of the distinguishing features of the Kazakh white-headed is that it tolerates heat very well. This breed is grown mainly according to pasture technology. Gobies of meat breeds (the photos presented on the page clearly demonstrate their impressive size) in most cases are quite whimsical to feed. This almost does not apply to the white-headed Kazakh. In winter, these animals are even allowed to feed straw instead of hay.
Gobies of this species are also bred everywhere in our country. The main features of the Kalmyk breed are:
light skeleton;
crescent-shaped horns;
the presence of an occipital crest on the head.
Most of these cows have a red coat with white markings. Sometimes there are also individuals of a brown-motley suit. The average weight of an adult Kalmyk bull is 950 kg, but in some cases it can reach 1100 kg.
This variety has gained popularity among farmers primarily due to its precocity and rare ability to quickly fatten. In autumn, before the start of wintering, the Kalmyk goby specially accumulates a reserve of nutrients (fat in the form of "marble" layers).
The skin of cows of this variety contains several outlets of the sebaceous glands at once. Due to this feature, these animals are distinguished by insensitivity to precipitation. Also, these cows have a fatty layer under the skin, which allows them to easily endure both heat and cold. Such features, according to scientists, do not have any other breed of meat gobies. Some disadvantage of the Kalmyk breed is considered to be sensitivity to lack of water.
On the territory of Russia, this breed is bred mainly in the Volga region, Bryansk and Kaluga regions. Also, such cows can be found in the North Caucasus and in the central regions of the country. The main distinguishing features of the Aberdeen Angus breed are:
rounded short body;
short legs and neck;
a small head with a convex forehead;
muscular back, lower back and sacrum;
thin loose skin with noticeable fiber;
hornlessness (hornlessness).
Most bulls and cows of this breed have a dark color. Adult animals reach a weight of 850 kg. The breed is characterized by precocity and high quality meat. Slaughter yield can reach 70%.
The main advantages of cows of this breed are fast adaptation to any climatic conditions, fertility and easy calving. Unfortunately, the Aberdeen Angus beef goby can have a wild disposition and even show aggression towards humans. This is considered the main disadvantage of this variety.
This breed is in the second largest place in Russia after the Kalmyk. It is distributed in the Orenburg, Chelyabinsk, Saratov, Rostov regions, as well as in the Altai Territory. The main distinguishing features of the representatives are:
barrel-shaped squat torso;
strongly protruding dewlap.
The color of the Hereford bulls is dark red. At the same time, the legs below, the head, the dewlap of the withers and the belly are white. The body weight of adult bulls of this breed is 850-1000 kg, cows - 550-650 kg. In this case, the slaughter yield is 58-62%. The breed tolerates adverse weather conditions and hauls well.
Gobies of this variety are not as widespread in our country as the breeds described above, but still sometimes bred by farmers (about 1.8% of the total). The main distinguishing features of the Limousin cattle are:
thin skeleton;
developed muscles;
strong legs and hooves;
wide sacrum.
The color of the Limousin meat goby can be red, brown or golden brown (the horns and hooves are light). The meat of these animals contains very little fat. Limousin cattle can reach a weight of 580-1100 kg. Slaughter yield - 63-65%.
Fattening bulls of meat breeds is a profitable business in most cases. This is explained quite simply. The meat of such cattle is distinguished by “marbling” and fine fiber, and therefore is expensive. All the breeds described above gain weight quickly, and are unpretentious in care.
Fattening bulls for meat has recently become an increasingly popular form of income. Raising bulls for meat is hard work, because it requires not only material investments, but also physical effort. All cattle are divided into dairy, meat and milk-meat. In this article, we will talk about what breeds of beef bulls are best grown for fattening.
For many breeders, fattening bulls for meat is not only the most effective way to earn money from the household, but also a good opportunity to get high-quality, lean meat that is suitable even for children. The most common classification of meat breeds of bulls for fattening is as follows: British meat breeds, Franco-Italian and Zebu-shaped. Each of these groups differs in the rate of maturation, the level of productivity and the conditions of detention. We will talk further about which meat breeds of bulls are better to take for fattening.
British meat bull breeds are considered the most popular among farmers. There are about 200 million representatives of this group in the world. British cows are characterized by precocity and high productivity. They adapt well to life on pastures and tolerate temperate continental climates well.
Important!The meat of bulls of British breeds has "marbling" - a feature of meat with a uniform arrangement of fatty veins, which resembles a cut of a stone.
Franco-Italian breeds of beef bulls are becoming increasingly popular among livestock breeders. The most important and attractive characteristic is that bulls of the Franco-Italian group quickly gain live weight, without fat accumulation and fat deposits. The meat of these gobies contains a minimum of dry matter and does not have marbling, so they are most often taken for fattening. With regard to the negative features of the Franco-Italian meat breeds, this includes difficulties during calving and the birth of dead calves.
Did you know?Franco-Italian breeds are considered one of the oldest beef bull breeds.
Zebu-shaped are unique breeds suitable for cultivation even in particularly arid regions of the country. Bulls of these breeds are adapted to harsh conditions of heat and drought. Zebu-like bulls appeared by crossing European and British breeds of cattle with zebu. These breeds are valued not only for their unpretentiousness in maintenance, but also for their resistance to diseases, especially to blood-sucking insects. Zebu bulls can feed on reeds and sedge, which indicates a lower quality of meat and a low level of productivity.
Before choosing a particular breed of steer, it is necessary to become familiar with the rearing conditions suitable for the particular breeds, how the calves develop, and what kind of feed is needed to achieve the highest performance ratio. We will talk more about the most popular beef bull breeds later.
Most often, cattle breeders choose the Hereford breed for feeding bulls for meat. Herefords are hardy bulls that adapt well to a long life on pastures and are unpretentious in forage. They cope well with long hauls and quickly gain weight. Bulls look like this: animals with a large barrel-shaped body, with large muscles. Color - red-white (body - red, legs to the knees, head and tail tip - white). Herefords are divided into three groups: tall, medium and compact. The mass of a mature bull is from 850 to 1200 kg. During the day, the average weight gain is 1.5 kg. Meat yield ranges from 58% to 72%. Gobies are born with a weight of 30-33 kg. Herefords enter the country from Canada, the USA and England. Hereford bulls often become the "base" for breeding new meat breeds.
Did you know?The Hereford breed retains its color when crossed with other breeds.
The Shorthorn bull breed is the oldest breed of the British beef breed group. The ancestor of the Shortgon breed is the Tiswater breed, which is bred in York and Durgam (another name is the Durgam breed). The first mention of the Shorthorn breed dates back to 1822, based on a comparative analysis of Durgam and Tiswater cattle, conducted by N.P. Kuleshov. Shorthorn bulls are large animals, the height of which is about 130 cm (at the withers), and the oblique body length can reach 155 cm. The size of the head is proportional to the size of the body, with a short front. The neck is short. Every part of the body is well muscled. The color is varied: red, red-motley, roan. The live weight is 900-1000 kg (in some cases - 1277 kg), and the meat yield can reach 62%. Weight of calves - 25 - 30 kg.
Important!A distinctive feature of the Shorthorn breed are short horns, for which they got their name (short-short, horn-horn).
Aberdeen Angus Cattle is a breed from Switzerland that has gained wide popularity around the world. The first documentary evidence of this breed has been known since 1862, when the first stud book of this species was published, and in 1878 the first purebred herd of cows of this breed was bred in the USA.
The height of the bulls reaches 150 cm, the body is rounded, not long, the neck is short, the head is proportional to the size of the body with a short front part. Color black and red. The weight of a mature bull is about 850 kg, and the mass of meat at the outlet is 65% -70%. A distinctive feature of the breed is rapid growth and a tendency to early obesity. Aberdeen Angus bulls adapt well to temperate and cold climates and tolerate pasture conditions well.
Did you know?In order to get the "marbling" of meat, Aberdeen Angus bulls need to be provided with abundant food and a warm place to sleep.
Charolais bulls were bred in France in the 18th century. These bulls are distinguished by their white color and large mass. In France, this breed has been bred since the 18th century and has 1,834,513 heads. The breed has good adaptability to living conditions and is bred in 70 countries around the world. A wide body (girth in the chest can be about two meters) with a poorly developed dewlap. Back slightly sagging. Height at the withers - 141-145 cm. The neck is short with a smooth transition to the head. The mass of an adult bull reaches 1200 kg.
Important!The disadvantages of the breed are: heaviness in calving, bifurcation of the shoulder blades, hypertrophy of the back of the body.
Cattle of this breed are characterized by excellent acclimatization abilities and high productivity: animals can be used up to 15 years. The meat of bulls has marbling, and By building muscle instead of fat, the meat is lean and palatable.
The Kazakh breed is the result of crossing Hereford bulls with local Kazakh breeds. The experiment began in 1930, and the breed was finally bred in 1951. During the experiments, the breed was divided into two types: meat and combined. The Kazakh breed is very similar to the Herefords, but the head of the representatives of the Kazakh breed is larger. The height of the bulls of the Kazakh breed is 125 cm, and the depth of the chest part is 70 cm. The length of the body is 155 cm, and the girth of the backbone is 20 cm. The hairline becomes long and hard for the winter. A newborn bull weighs an average of 30 kg, an adult bull grows up to 1100 kg, and the meat yield is 65% of the mass. The meat is not fatty, but deposits of fat are noted between the muscles.
Bulls of the Kazakh breed feel good in a sharply continental climate and are favorable to living on pastures.
The Kalmyk breed comes from Mongolia, where it was known 350 years ago. The bulls are large, the body structure is symmetrical. Bulls can reach up to 950 kg in weight, and the yield of live meat is about 62%. Most often the color is red, sometimes there are white spots. Bulls of the Kalmyk breed are often used for crossing in order to improve meat performance. Gobies adapt well to life in dry, cool places. During the pasture season, 60 kg of subcutaneous fat accumulates in the body, which allows the bulls not to lose weight even in winter.
Did you know? A distinctive feature of the bulls of the Kalmyk breed is the shape of the horns - they are quite long, in the shape of a crescent, slightly wrapped in the middle.
The Saler breed of bulls was used not only as a source of meat and milk, but also as an additional labor force. Breeding this breed began in the 19th century in France, not far from the village of the same name. The body of the representatives of this breed is rectangular in shape, with a deep chest and a strongly developed dewlap. The color is brown, the hairline is rather small, but in the neck area the hair is similar to the wool of a ram, a tone darker than the color of the rest of the body. The mass of adult bulls is 1000-1300 kg, and the meat yield at slaughter is 60% of the mass of the bull. Bulls of this breed have excellent adaptive qualities and are quite calm in growing.
On farms, cattle are bred for meat and dairy purposes. Beef is valued for its nutritional value, low fat content and excellent taste. There are specially bred meat breeds of bulls that quickly gain weight, even with poor feeding. Their choice should depend on climatic conditions, as well as the capabilities of the livestock farm. In Russia, the breeding of beef bulls is very popular and has a promising future.
Breeds of the meat direction differ from others in the structure of the body. Bulls have sloping hips, an elongated body with well-developed muscles, rough and elastic skin, higher height and weight. The udder is underdeveloped, due to which milk productivity is quite low.
Meat-oriented breeds are divided into three groups:
Breeds with high productivity begin to accumulate body fat from a young age. Their meat contains a large amount of proteins, and is also valued for its juiciness. This group is quite common in Russia. Bulls with slow growth reach peak weight gain at 1.5-2 years. They do not need special conditions of detention and are little susceptible to diseases. Large animals belonging to the third group were obtained by breeding wild zebu and domesticated individuals. Bulls of such breeds are well tolerated by hot weather.
Each meat breed differs in the content of calories, fat and even bones. The composition of the feed and the amount of food served have a great influence. Cattle should be kept in light and large paddocks, or on pasture pasture.
Advice! Meat bulls should be fed with balanced feed.
You can give hay, straw, green grass, compound feed and concentrates. Young animals from two weeks should be soldered with vitamins that enhance growth.
The most popular and productive breeds are:
Hereford has a significantly large population in Russia. The breed originated more than a century ago, the birthplace is England. Bulls are distinguished by increased meat productivity, unpretentiousness to the weather and conditions of detention.
Description:
A newborn Hereford usually weighs between 34 and 37 kg. Young animals are characterized by good survival, but due to insufficient milk supply from cows, calves have to be fed. The output of the final product can reach 70%. The bone mass is relatively small, only 1 kg per 5 kg of meat. Other bulls are crossed with the Hereford breed to improve productivity.
Kalmyk bulls are the oldest known breeds. They quickly gain weight and accumulate fatty subcutaneous deposits. They have a double layer of wool, which allows them to be grown in drastically changing conditions.
Appearance characteristic:
Calves appear with a weight of 25 kg. Their daily weight gain is 900 grams. They are characterized by a high level of survival, like the Hereford. Cows are able to feed their offspring themselves, since the fat content in their milk is 4.5%.
This breed of bulls is very unpretentious to food and living conditions. The meat of young animals is dark in color, and the meat of an adult animal is marble-red. The disadvantage can be considered the aggressive behavior of the female with the calf, she does not allow anyone to approach.
The Kazakh white-headed came about as a result of selection of the Hereford bull, Kalmyk women and Kazakh meat-oriented cows. Livestock breeders often wonder which breeds are resistant to sudden changes in temperature and can eat sparse steppe vegetation without reducing their productivity. White-headed cows have the best adaptive abilities.
Distinctive features:
The weight of a small bull is approximately 27 kg. Weight gain is rapid and amounts to 1 kg per day. The calves receive suckling milk. With a high survival rate and unpretentiousness to feed, cows quickly recover. In summer, meat individuals feed on natural pasture food, and in winter they are given hay, silage and straw. With the onset of cold weather, the coat lengthens and twists into rings, and the subcutaneous fat layer increases.
Aberdeen Angus bulls originate from Scotland and are well adapted to the cold. The breed is on the second position in breeding in Russia. You can get economic benefits when keeping for breeding purposes in the central and northern regions of our country.
Characteristic signs:
The daily increase is 800 grams, with a birth weight of 25 kg. Good quality meat, very juicy and tasty. Its marbling is determined by a thin layer of fat. The diet is best made up of cereals and legumes, root crops, silage and mixed fodder.
Advice! This breed is kept in summer on pastures, and in winter - in warm paddocks.
The birthplace of the Belgian blue breed can be considered French territories. As a result of selection experiments, a gene was eliminated that stops the growth of body muscles.
Such heavy beef bulls are characterized by:
The breed has French roots. The main difference between the Charolais bulls is the ability of a long-term build-up of meat without fat deposits. Animals can be used as draft power. Differ in high adaptive abilities.
External description:
A calf that has just been born has a weight of 40 to 45 kg. Weight gain per day is up to 1.1 kg. A negative factor in breeding are frequent genetic pathologies.
The Shorthorn beef breed originated within the British borders. It is characterized by both meat and dairy orientation.
The appearance of bulls has beautiful features, of which it can be noted:
Young animals increase their weight by 1.5 kg in one day. The negative point is the low reproductive level, high sensitivity to infections, as well as exactingness to growing conditions.
Santa Gertrude originated in the USA by crossing a female Shorthorn with a wild zebu bull. This meat breed easily tolerates heat, undemanding to food and living conditions.
Main distinguishing features:
The bulls that were born already have a mass of 30 kg. Almost all individuals survive. Animals get better even on low-quality feed. Disease susceptibility is very low.
Advice! Santa Gertrude is ideal for breeding in hot climates.
Currently, there are many different breeds of cattle, mainly for meat, and every year their number is replenished even more. But not all bulls are suitable for a particular farm. The choice should be based on weather conditions, the possibilities and goals of the farm. If desired, you can choose a meat breed that will be easy to maintain, breed and profitably sell the final product. This will help knowledge about the genetic characteristics and productivity of certain meat breeds of bulls.
Kira Stoletova
Meat breeds of 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.
These animals differ in appearance, as their coat has a bright black color with an acceptable red tan. The body shape is traditionally large, the same is possessed by other breeds of meat cows:
What is the meat of an Aberdeen Angus cow:
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 at a fairly early age. So, bulls can weigh in some cases up to 1 ton, and cows - up to 600 kg.
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 caring for this breed is not difficult, since cows and bulls take root well in any territory and climate, have a comfortable, calm character, and live a long time.
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.
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.
Meat breeds of cattle. Exhibition Golden Autumn-2015
All breeds of cows. Over 300 breeds
On the pros and cons of beef cattle breeding (GTRK Vyatka)
Simmental bull. Show of meat cattle. Exhibition Golden Autumn-2015.
COWS AND BULLS BODYBUILDERS. BELGIAN BLUE Meet the Super Cow
This subspecies is ideal for keeping in those areas where there is no dense vegetation. The animal has a well-built body structure:
Animals gain about 1.2 kg per day, while not reaching record weights, the same applies to offspring:
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.
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.
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.
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.
The purpose of the breed suggests that cows will be used in agriculture as a power 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?
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.
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:
At sexually mature age, animals grow to an impressive size, their weight is:
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, 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:
Exterior:
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:
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.
Now the cultivation of bulls for meat at home is experiencing another boom. But not all novice breeders clearly understand all the subtleties and nuances in keeping and fattening calves for meat. The result is wasted time, nerves and money. To be honest, the business is really profitable, although at first you will have to spend a little money and sweat a lot. If this does not scare you, then we will talk about the main points of the purchase, maintenance, nutrition and sale of meat gobies.
The first mistake breeders make is saving on calves. People buy the cheapest calf from the first cow they find. The fact is that there are dairy, meat and mixed breeds of cattle. So for fattening for meat, you need to take either meat or mixed breeds. If you take a bull of a purely dairy breed, then by the age of one and a half years, at best, it will grow to 300 kg, which will barely pay for the money spent on it.
If we talk specifically about breeds, then in Russian conditions the best results are shown by breeds:
It cannot be said that any breed is better or worse. But, for example, from Charolais bulls and from Herefords, with proper nutrition, you can get real marbled beef. True, you will have to spend a lot on feed, plus special care is needed there, in general, it is expensive for a small farm.
There is one more thing. It is advisable to take calves already with all the necessary vaccinations. This information is in the documents for the bull, so if it is not possible to go to the farm with a veterinarian, then make inquiries and write out for yourself exactly what vaccinations are done in your area.
For growing bulls at home, one "seedy" barn is not enough. Remember - a bull is not a pig, and if you close it in a limited space and feed it abundantly, then at first it will start to hurt. And then, if he lives to a lethal age, then there can be no talk of any lean beef, the bull will simply get fat.
According to the rules, in order to grow one bull for meat, he must first build a barn measuring at least 12 square meters. m. For a good set of muscle mass, the bull needs to be put out to pasture every day. If there are no pastures nearby, then you will still have to build a summer corral with a canopy, where for each bull there will already be from 30 square meters. m.
Another problem is drafts and frosts. In winter, the temperature in the barn should not fall below 10 degrees. In order to constantly maintain it, you will have to insulate windows and doors, and then put a stove in the room. Gobies are even more afraid of drafts than frost. Up to six months, a calf can catch a cold from the slightest draft.
It is advisable to make the floors in the stalls under a slope and equip them with a manure channel at the end. The most effective way to keep it clean and dry is to clean twice a day and sprinkle it with charcoal.
Some novice breeders, in an effort to save money, buy very small calves. Indeed, a monthly calf will cost at least 2 times cheaper than a bull aged 3-4 months. But feeding such calves requires patience, knowledge and additional financial investments.
The calf is still dairy, so every day he will have to feed 6-8 liters of milk. You can’t feed a baby with milk alone, because his scar (the storage part of the stomach) should stretch. To do this, he needs to be given oatmeal jelly and grated root crops, potatoes, pumpkin, etc. daily. In the warm season, already from the age of one month, the calf can be taken to the meadow. In winter, be sure to give hay.
By the way, in winter, even in cold weather, calves need to be taken out for a walk, at least for a short while, such a hardening exercise will ensure your young animals good health.
From the age of 3 months, so-called starter feeds are introduced into the calf's diet. These mixtures make it easier for calves to transition to roughage, plus they get the full amount of nutrients. By 4 months, the lion's share of the diet is already made up of hay, root crops and compound feed, and by six months, calves are switching to an adult menu.
As practice has shown, buying dairy calves and fattening them on their own is no cheaper than purchasing a ready-made four-month-old calf. Add to that the risk of disease and the cost of vaccinations. It will immediately become clear that it is better not to mess around, but immediately take grown and prepared bulls.
At 4 months, milk already acts as a top dressing, and it is not necessary to buy real cow's milk, you can use dry mixes and even whey. In this case, it is important to concentrate on nutritious feed.
In breeding farms, they try to distribute work so that calves are born in winter. Accordingly, by the end of April, you can already buy a well-formed bull, which can be taken out to pasture.
But meat fattening has its own characteristics. Even the most "smart" water meadows will not give the desired weight gain. Moreover, the proportion of hay or succulent grass should be about 30-40%. The rest of the diet of calves is selected from cereals, legumes and energy-rich feed, do not forget about root crops.
From six months, bulls can be given potato peels, but in the first 2-3 months these peels need to be boiled and crushed.
Now experts do not have a common opinion about the castration of meat bulls. If the bull is castrated, he will become calm and peaceful. Accordingly, free-range calves will no longer injure themselves. Again, a castrated calf has a significantly increased appetite, which young breeders are incredibly happy about.
But seasoned farmers know that a castrated bull's good appetite does not guarantee the same weight gain. In such calves, energy is more processed into fat mass than into muscle. There is, of course, an option to drive such a bull, but these procedures can lead to weight loss.
What definitely cannot be done is to castrate the bull at an early age, you will ruin the calf. Meat breeds are capable of fertilization as early as 6 months, which means that at this time they become more aggressive. But if the bull is castrated in six months, then growth will seriously slow down. Therefore, in order to maintain the ability to gain muscle mass, it is advisable to castrate bulls no earlier than a year.
Let's start with the fact that it makes sense to engage in such a business only in rural areas. Moreover, it is desirable that the meadows be accessible. If you drive calves through the mountains, they will never gain weight. And next to the swamps, animals will simply get poisoned. To build a more or less decent barn, at least for 20-30 heads, you will have to spend from 300 thousand rubles. Plus good meadows may also have to be rented.
On average, it takes about 15 thousand rubles to fatten one bull. If you keep 5-7 heads, then although it is difficult, it is still realistic to take care of the calves yourself. When there are more animals, you will have to hire a shepherd and a couple of cattlemen. For households up to 10 heads, the tax office has no claims, then you will have to issue an IP. Plus, we need equipment for harvesting and delivering feed.
In terms of profits, things are about the same. A meat bull is slaughtered at 18-20 months. The useful yield from such gobies ranges from 60 to 80%. Normal slaughter weight is 400-500 kg. The benefit from selling in bulk is small. Profitability will skyrocket if you yourself slaughter bulls and sell meat.
Another controversial issue is the use of drugs that stimulate muscle growth. Such medicines are divided into 2 directions. The first direction activates the work of the body, as a result of which muscles grow. The second is represented by steroid feeds and anabolics.
Ideally, any medical intervention in this area is highly undesirable. But in practice, the use or rejection of this method remains on the conscience of the breeders themselves. The sanitary epidemiological station on the market is indifferent to steroids, but supermarket owners, restaurant owners and advanced consumers can easily identify such drugs with the help of special tests.
Plus, breeding calves for meat at home provides that you and your family will eat part of this meat. And now you rarely meet a person who agrees to feed their children with meat stuffed with steroids.
The beef calf business will only grow. We will not argue that it is daunting, but there is nothing for a lazy amateur to do there. Share the article with your friends and perhaps your like will keep someone from rash decisions or vice versa will arouse interest in this business.
