When you think of cattle, you think of herds of magnificent beasts thundering on the range. Think Ponderosa Ranch. Think Rawhide. The year 2009 saw the beef cattle genetics mapped, the first such livestock for which this remarkable milestone in molecular biological research was met. We eat their muscle as beef. We drink their milk and process it into butter, cheese and other dairy products. We use them on the farm as beasts of burden.
The earliest known herd of cattle numbered about 80 in members and dwelt in Turkey. Today, this modest population has mushroomed into 1.3 billion beasts across the globe, about four times the entire population of the United States. In addition to meat, milk, butter and cheese, other products made from these highly useful animals are leather and fuel (derived from dung).
Among the many breeds of animal that have evolved from the original herd in Turkey are the Angus. These come from two counties in north Scotland in the United Kingdom, Aberdeenshire and Angus. They are solid in color, usually red or black with matching udders, although these may also be white. The most common variety of this breed in the USA are the Black Angus. Here, they are bred for their dairy products, beef and as working partners on the farm.
Limousin are highly muscled and come from France. Raised originally as draft creatures, they were eventually discovered for their high quality, tender, lean meat around two hundred years ago. They are a popular breed to raise because their calves tend to be smaller, making them easier for the cows to deliver.
Japan gave us the Wagyu breeds. This meat is heavily marbled with highly desirable unsaturated fat. The feed of these cattle are sometimes flavored with beer or sake in an effort to aid digestion and to boost appetite during the hot, humid period of the year. In case you are wondering, these additives are not detectable in the final product.
A curious hybrid is the Beefalo, derived from buffalo (usually a female) and domestic cattle (usually a male). These beasts were engineered for their ability to withstand cold, harsh winters. The down side to this breeding program is a decrease in the population numbers of the American bison. Of these, there are only four pure herds left, only one of which is disease free. These may be found in South Dakota.
The Belgian Blue actually does have blue hair, albeit mottled with gray. It can vary along a spectrum from white to black. These animals are known for their ability to easily convert feed into lean, low-fat muscle. This characteristic is reflected in their stature.
The Brangus breed is a robust cross between Angus and Brahman. England, in the United Kingdom, gave us the Hereford cow, which has migrated to no fewer than 50 countries around the world. Lowline cows come from Australia. These animals are small in nature, without being dwarf specimens. This characteristic makes them perfect for children to display at county fairs and other livestock shows.
The earliest known herd of cattle numbered about 80 in members and dwelt in Turkey. Today, this modest population has mushroomed into 1.3 billion beasts across the globe, about four times the entire population of the United States. In addition to meat, milk, butter and cheese, other products made from these highly useful animals are leather and fuel (derived from dung).
Among the many breeds of animal that have evolved from the original herd in Turkey are the Angus. These come from two counties in north Scotland in the United Kingdom, Aberdeenshire and Angus. They are solid in color, usually red or black with matching udders, although these may also be white. The most common variety of this breed in the USA are the Black Angus. Here, they are bred for their dairy products, beef and as working partners on the farm.
Limousin are highly muscled and come from France. Raised originally as draft creatures, they were eventually discovered for their high quality, tender, lean meat around two hundred years ago. They are a popular breed to raise because their calves tend to be smaller, making them easier for the cows to deliver.
Japan gave us the Wagyu breeds. This meat is heavily marbled with highly desirable unsaturated fat. The feed of these cattle are sometimes flavored with beer or sake in an effort to aid digestion and to boost appetite during the hot, humid period of the year. In case you are wondering, these additives are not detectable in the final product.
A curious hybrid is the Beefalo, derived from buffalo (usually a female) and domestic cattle (usually a male). These beasts were engineered for their ability to withstand cold, harsh winters. The down side to this breeding program is a decrease in the population numbers of the American bison. Of these, there are only four pure herds left, only one of which is disease free. These may be found in South Dakota.
The Belgian Blue actually does have blue hair, albeit mottled with gray. It can vary along a spectrum from white to black. These animals are known for their ability to easily convert feed into lean, low-fat muscle. This characteristic is reflected in their stature.
The Brangus breed is a robust cross between Angus and Brahman. England, in the United Kingdom, gave us the Hereford cow, which has migrated to no fewer than 50 countries around the world. Lowline cows come from Australia. These animals are small in nature, without being dwarf specimens. This characteristic makes them perfect for children to display at county fairs and other livestock shows.
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