What are the differences between cattle breeds?
Contrary to popular belief, the pretty black and white kind and all the others are not the two primary cattle breeds in the United States. Cattle come in all shapes and sizes and depending on where and what type of operation a producer has, farmers and ranchers have a variety of options in deciding which breed, or combination of breeds, is best. A breed of cattle is defined as a race or variety, the members of which are related by descent and are similar in certain distinguishable characteristics. The most common breeds in the United States are Angus and Herefords and various crosses. But new cattle breeds are always in development. New breeds are developed by attempting to combine the desirable characteristics of several existing breeds. For example, the famous King Ranch in southern Texas created a new breed by combining cattle indigenous to hot climates and cool climate, British-type cattle. The Santa Gertrudis was created by crossing the Shorthorn and Brahman breeds. Breeds such as
