The following list of cattle breeds is a big list of breeds of cattle. More than 800 breeds of cattle are recognized worldwide. Some of them adapted to the local climate, others were raised by man for specialized uses. Races are divided into two main types, considered as either closely related species, or two subspecies of a species.
Bos indicus (or Bos taurus Indica) of zebu cattle, also called, adapt to warm climates. Bos taurus (or Bos taurus Taurus) is the typical animal of Europe, northeastern Asia, and parts of Africa, and many adapt to colder climates. Taurus/Hybrid Indica are widely bred in many warmer regions, combining features of both types of ancestral (such as Sanga cattle from Africa).
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In some parts of the world, new species of cattle are found (both in the wild and domestic animals), and some of them are so closely related to Taurus and Indicus Cattle among species that hybrids have been bred. You Can Also Read Cattle Diseases
Examples include the Lulu cattle dwarfs of the Nepal mountains with yak blood, North American Beefalo with bison genes, Selembu breed of India and Bhutan with gayal genes. The Madura race of Indonesia may have Banteng in their paternity.
The Dzo of Nepal is an infertile crossing of yak-cattle that are bred for agricultural work. Like the mule that is infertile, they have to be continuously generated from the parent species.
Multiple Purposes Cattle Breeds
Breed | Country/Region of origin | Meat | Dairy |
Aberdeen Angus | Scotland | Meat | Dairy |
Abergele | Ethiopia | Meat | Dairy |
Abigar | Ethiopia | — | Dairy |
Abondance | France | Meat | Dairy |
Abyssinian Shorthorned Zebu | Ethiopia | — | — |
Aceh | Indonesia | Meat | — |
Achham | Nepal | — | Dairy |
Adamawa | Nigeria | Meat | Dairy |
Adaptaur | Australia | Meat | — |
Afar | Ethiopia | Meat | Dairy |
Africangus | United States | Meat | — |
Afrikaner | South Africa | Meat | — |
Agerolese | Italy | — | Dairy |
Alambadi | India | — | — |
Alatau | Kazakhstan | Meat | Dairy |
Albanian | Albania | — | Dairy |
Albera | Spain | Meat | — |
Alderney | Channel Islands | — | Dairy |
Alentejana | Portugal | Meat | — |
Aleutian wild cattle | United States | — | — |
Aliad Dinka | South Sudan | — | — |
Alistana-Sanabresa | Spain | — | — |
Allmogekor | Sweden | Meat | — |
Alur | Democratic Republic of the Congo | — | — |
American | United States | Meat | — |
American Angus | United States | — | — |
American Beef Friesian | United States | — | — |
American Brown Swiss | United States | — | Dairy |
American Milking Devon | United States | Meat | Dairy |
American White Park | United States | Meat | Dairy |
Amerifax | United States | Meat | Dairy |
Amrit Mahal | India | — | — |
Amsterdam Island cattle | Amsterdam Island | — | — |
Anatolian Black | Turkey | Meat | Dairy |
Andalusian Black | Spain | Meat | — |
Andalusian Blond | Spain | — | — |
Andalusian Grey | Spain | — | — |
Angeln | Germany | — | Dairy |
Angoni | Malawi | — | — |
Ankina | United States | — | — |
Ankole | East Africa | meat | dairy |
Ankole-Watusi | United States | ||
Aracena | Spain | — | — |
Arado | Ethiopia | Meat | Dairy |
Argentine Criollo | Argentina | Meat | Dairy |
Argentine Friesian | Argentina | — | Dairy |
Armorican | France | Meat | Dairy |
Arouquesa | Portugal | Meat | Dairy |
Arsi | Ethiopia | — | — |
Asturian Mountain | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Asturian Valley | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Aubrac | France | Meat | Dairy |
Aulie-Ata | Kazakhstan | — | Dairy |
Aure et Saint-Girons | France | Meat | Dairy |
Australian Braford | Australia | Meat | — |
Australian Brangus | Australia | Meat | — |
Australian Charbray | Australia | Meat | — |
Australian Friesian Sahiwal | Australia | — | Dairy |
Australian Lowline | Australia | Meat | — |
Australian Milking Zebu | Australia | — | Dairy |
Australian Shorthorn | Australia | Meat | — |
Austrian Simmental | Austria | — | — |
Austrian Yellow | Austria | — | — |
Avétonou | Togo | — | — |
Avileña-Negra Ibérica | Spain | — | — |
Aweil Dinka | South Sudan | — | — |
Ayrshire | Scotland | — | Dairy |
Azaouak | Mali | — | — |
Azebuado | Brazil | — | — |
Azerbaijan Zebu | Azerbaijan | — | — |
Azores | Portugal | — | — |
Bachaur cattle | India | — | Dairy |
Baherie cattle | Eritrea | Meat | Dairy |
Bakosi cattle | Cameroon | Meat | — |
Balancer | United States | Meat | Dairy |
Baoule | Ivory Coast | — | Dairy |
Bargur cattle | India | — | Dairy |
Barrosã | Portugal | Meat | — |
Barzona | United States | Meat | — |
Bazadaise | France | Meat | — |
Beef Freisian | United States | Meat | Dairy |
Beefalo | United States | Meat | — |
Beefmaker | United States | Meat | — |
Beefmaster | United States | Meat | — |
Begayt | Ethiopia | Meat | Dairy |
Belgian Blue | Belgium | Meat | Dairy |
Belgian Red | Belgium | Meat | Dairy |
Belgian Red Pied | Belgium | Meat | Dairy |
Belgian White-and-Red | Belgium | Meat | Dairy |
Belmont Red | Australia | Meat | — |
Belted Galloway | Scotland | Dairy | — |
Bernese | Switzerland | — | — |
Berrenda cattle | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Betizu | Spain/France | Meat | — |
Bianca Modenese | Italy | Meat | Dairy |
Blaarkop | Netherlands | Meat | Dairy |
Black Angus | Scotland | Meat | Dairy |
Black Baldy | Australia | Meat | — |
Black Hereford | England | Meat | — |
Blanca Cacereña | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Blanco Orejinegro BON | Colombia | Meat | Dairy |
Blonde d’Aquitaine | France | Meat | Dairy |
Blue Albion | Great Britain | Meat | — |
Blue Grey | Great Britain | Meat | — |
Bohuskulla | Sweden | — | — |
Bonsmara | South Africa | Meat | — |
Boran | eastern Africa | Meat | — |
Boškarin | Croatia, Slovenia | Meat | Dairy |
Braford | United States | Meat | — |
Brahman | India | Meat | Dairy |
Brahmousin | United States | Meat | — |
Brangus | United States | Meat | — |
Braunvieh | Switzerland | Meat | Dairy |
Brava | Spain | — | — |
Bretonne Pie Noir | France | — | Dairy |
British White | Great Britain | Meat | Dairy |
British Friesian | Great Britain | — | Dairy |
Brown Carpathian | Ukraine | — | — |
Brown Caucasian | Armenia | Meat | Dairy |
Brown Swiss | Switzerland | — | Dairy |
Bue Lingo | United States | Meat | Dairy |
Burlina | Italy | — | Dairy |
Buša cattle | former Yugoslavia | Meat | Dairy |
Butana cattle | Sudan | — | Dairy |
Bushuyev | Uzbekistan | — | Dairy |
Cachena | Portugal/Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Caldelana | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Camargue | France | Meat | — |
Campbell Island cattle | New Zealand | — | — |
Canadian Speckle Park | Canada | Meat | — |
Canadienne | Canada | Meat | Dairy |
Canaria | Spain | Meat | — |
Canchim | Brazil | Meat | — |
Caracu | Brazil | Meat | Dairy |
Cárdena Andaluza | Spain | Meat | — |
Carinthian Blondvieh | Austria | Meat | Dairy |
Carora | Venezuelan | Meat | Dairy |
Charbray | United States | Meat | — |
Charolais | France | Meat | — |
Chateaubriand | — | — | — |
Chiangus | — | Meat | — |
Chianina | Italy | Meat | — |
Chillingham cattle | England | — | — |
Chinese Black Pied | China | — | Dairy |
Cholistani | Pakistan | — | Dairy |
Cika cattle | Slovenia | Meat | Dairy |
Coloursided White Back | — | Meat | Dairy |
Commercial | — | — | — |
Corriente | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Corsican cattle | Corsica | Meat | — |
Costeño con Cuernos | Colombia | Meat | — |
Crioulo Lageano | — | — | — |
Dajal | Pakistan | Meat | Dairy |
Dangi cattle | India | — | — |
Danish Black-Pied | Denmark | — | — |
Danish Jersey | Denmark | — | Dairy |
Danish Red | Denmark | Meat | Dairy |
Deep Red cattle | — | Meat | Dairy |
Deoni | India | — | Dairy |
Devon | England | Meat | Dairy |
Dexter cattle | Ireland | Meat | Dairy |
Dhanni | Pakistan | Meat | Dairy |
Doayo cattle | Cameroon | — | — |
Doela | — | — | — |
Drakensberger | South Africa | Meat | Dairy |
Dølafe | Norway | Meat | Dairy |
Droughtmaster | Australia | Meat | — |
Dulong’ | — | Meat | — |
Dutch Belted | Netherlands | Meat | Dairy |
Dutch Friesian | Netherlands | Meat | Dairy |
Dwarf Lulu | — | — | — |
East Anatolian Red | — | — | Dairy |
Eastern Finncattle | Finland | Meat | Dairy |
Eastern Red Polled | — | — | — |
Enderby Island cattle | New Zealand | — | — |
English Longhorn | England | Meat | Dairy |
Ennstaler Bergscheck | Austria | Meat | — |
Estonian Holstein | Estonia | — | Dairy |
Estonian Native | Estonia | — | — |
Estonian Red cattle | Estonia | Meat | Dairy |
Évolène cattle | Switzerland | — | Dairy |
FÄ“ng Cattle | China | Meat | Diary |
Finnish Ayrshire | Finland | — | — |
Finncattle | Finland | Meat | Dairy |
Finnish Holstein-Friesian | Finland | — | — |
Fjäll | Sweden | Meat | Dairy |
Fleckvieh | Austria | Meat | Dairy |
Florida Cracker cattle | United States | Meat | — |
Fogera | Ethiopia | Meat | Dairy |
French Simmental | France | Meat | Dairy |
Fribourgeoise | Switzerland | — | — |
Friesian Red and White | — | Meat | Dairy |
Fulani Sudanese | — | Meat | Dairy |
Galician Blond | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Galloway cattle | Scotland | Meat | Dairy |
Gangatiri | India | — | Dairy |
Gaolao | India | — | Dairy |
Garvonesa | Portugal | Meat | — |
Gascon cattle | France | Meat | — |
Gelbvieh | Germany | Meat | Dairy |
Georgian Mountain cattle | Georgia | Meat | Dairy |
German Angus | Germany | Meat | — |
German Black Pied cattle | Germany | — | Dairy |
German Black Pied Dairy | Germany | — | Dairy |
German Red Pied | Germany | Meat | Dairy |
Gir | India | — | Dairy |
Glamorgan cattle | England | Meat | Dairy |
Glan cattle | Germany | Meat | Dairy |
Gloucester | England | Meat | Dairy |
Gobra | — | Meat | — |
Greek Shorthorn | Greece | Meat | Dairy |
Greek Steppe | Greece | Meat | Dairy |
Greyman cattle | Australia | Meat | — |
Gudali | Iran/Persia | — | Dairy |
Guernsey cattle | Channel Islands | — | Dairy |
Guzerá | Brazil | Meat | — |
Hallikar[4] | India | — | |
Hanwoo | Korea | Meat | — |
Hariana cattle | India | — | Dairy |
Hartón del Valle | Colombia | Meat | Dairy |
Harzer Rotvieh | Germany | Meat | Dairy |
Hays Converter | Canada | Meat | — |
Heck cattle | Germany | — | — |
Hereford | England | Meat | — |
Herens | Switzerland | Meat | — |
Hybridmaster | — | Meat | Dairy |
Highland cattle | Scotland | Meat | — |
Hinterwald | Germany | Meat | Dairy |
Holando-Argentino | Argentina | Meat | Dairy |
Holstein Friesian cattle | Germany, the Netherlands | Meat | Dairy |
Horro | Ethiopia | Meat | — |
Huáng Cattle | China | Meat | Dairy |
Hungarian Grey | Hungary | Meat | — |
Iberian cattle | Spain | — | — |
Icelandic | Iceland | — | Dairy |
Illawarra cattle | Australia | Meat | Dairy |
Improved Red and White | — | Meat | — |
Indo-Brazilian | — | Meat | — |
Irish Moiled | Ireland | Meat | Dairy |
Israeli Holstein | — | — | Dairy |
Israeli Red | — | Meat | Dairy |
Istoben cattle | — | Meat | Dairy |
Istrian cattle | |||
Jamaica Black | Jamaica | Meat | Dairy |
Jamaica Hope | Jamaica | — | Dairy |
Jamaica Red | Jamaica | Meat | — |
Japanese Brown | Japan | Meat | — |
Jarmelista | Portugal | Meat | — |
Javari cattle | India | — | — |
Jersey cattle | Channel Islands | — | Dairy |
Jutland cattle | Denmark | Meat | Dairy |
Kabin Buri cattle | Thailand | Meat | Dairy |
Kalmyk cattle | Russia | Meat | Dairy |
Kangayam | India | — | Dairy |
Kankrej | India | — | — |
Kamphaeng Saen cattle | Thailand | Meat | — |
Karan Swiss | — | Meat | Dairy |
Kasaragod Dwarf cattle | India | — | Dairy |
Kathiawadi | India | — | — |
Kazakh Whiteheaded | — | Meat | Dairy |
Kenana cattle | Sudan | — | Dairy |
Kenkatha cattle | India | — | — |
Kerry cattle | Ireland | Meat | Dairy |
Kherigarh | India | — | — |
Khillari cattle | India | — | — |
Kholomogory | Russia | Meat | Dairy |
Korat Wagyu | Thailand | Meat | — |
Kostroma cattle | Russia | Meat | Dairy |
Krishna Valley cattle | India | — | Dairy |
Kuri | — | Meat | Dairy |
Kurgan cattle | Russia | Meat | Dairy |
La Reina cattle | Nicaragua | Meat | Dairy |
Lakenvelder cattle | Netherlands | — | Dairy |
Lampurger | — | — | — |
Latvian Blue | — | — | — |
Latvian Brown | Latvia | Meat | Dairy |
Latvian Danish Red | Latvia | Meat | Dairy |
Lebedyn | Ukraine | — | — |
Levantina | — | Meat | — |
Limia cattle | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Limousin | France | Meat | — |
Limpurger | — | Meat | Dairy |
Lincoln Red | England | Meat | — |
Lineback | Canada | — | Dairy |
Lithuanian Black-and-White | — | — | — |
Lithuanian Light Grey | — | — | — |
Lithuanian Red | Lithuania | Meat | — |
Lithuanian White-Backed | — | — | — |
Lohani cattle | — | Meat | — |
Lourdais | France | Meat | Dairy |
Lucerna cattle | South America | — | — |
Luing | Scotland | Meat | — |
Madagascar Zebu | — | Meat | Dairy |
Madura | Indonesia | Meat | Dairy |
Maine-Anjou | France | Meat | Dairy |
Malnad Gidda | India | — | Dairy |
Malvi | India | — | Dairy |
Mandalong Special | — | Meat | — |
Mantequera Leonesa | — | Meat | Dairy |
Maramureş Brown | Romania | — | — |
Marchigiana | Italy | Meat | — |
Maremmana | Italy | Meat | Dairy |
Marinhoa | Portugal | Meat | Dairy |
Maronesa | Portugal | Meat | Dairy |
Masai | — | Meat | — |
Mashona | — | Meat | — |
Menorquina | — | — | Dairy |
Mertolenga | Portugal | Meat | — |
Meuse-Rhine-Issel | Netherlands | Meat | Dairy |
Mewati | India | — | Dairy |
Milking Shorthorn | Great Britain | Meat | Dairy |
Minhota | Portugal | Meat | Dairy |
Mirandesa | Portugal | Meat | — |
Mirkadim | Bangladesh | Meat | — |
Mocăniţă | Romania | — | — |
Mollie | Spain | Meat | — |
Monchina | Spain | Meat | — |
Mongolian | China | Meat | — |
Montbéliarde | France | Meat | Dairy |
Morucha | — | Meat | — |
Muturu | Nigeria | Meat | Dairy |
Murboden | Austria | Meat | Dairy |
Murnau-Werdenfels | Germany | — | Dairy |
Murray Grey | Australia | Meat | — |
Nagori | India | — | — |
N’Dama | Guinea | Meat | Dairy |
Negra Andaluza | Spain | Meat | — |
Nelore | Brazil | Meat | — |
Nguni | Southern Africa | Meat | Dairy |
Nimari | India | — | — |
Normande | France | Meat | Dairy |
North Bengal Grey | Bangladesh | Meat | Dairy |
Northern Finncattle | Finland | Meat | Dairy |
Northern Shorthorn | Great Britain | — | Dairy |
Norwegian Red | Norway | Meat | Dairy |
Ongole | India | Meat | Dairy |
Original Simmental | Switzerland | Meat | Dairy |
Pajuna | Spain | Meat | — |
Palmera | — | Meat | — |
Pantaneiro | Brazil | — | — |
Parda Alpina | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Parthenaise | France | Meat | — |
Pasiega | Spain | — | Dairy |
Pembroke | Wales | Meat | Dairy |
Philippine Native | Philippines | Meat | Dairy |
Pie Rouge des Plaines | France | — | Dairy |
Piedmontese cattle | Italy | Meat | Dairy |
Pineywoods | — | Meat | Dairy |
Pinzgauer | Austria | Meat | Dairy |
Pirenaica | — | Meat | — |
Podolac | Croatia | Meat | Dairy |
Podolica | Italy | Meat | Dairy |
Polish Black-and-White | — | — | — |
Polish Red | Poland | Meat | Dairy |
Polled Hereford | England | Meat | — |
Poll Shorthorn | Australia | Meat | — |
Polled Shorthorn | United States | Meat | — |
Ponwar | India | — | — |
Preta | Portugal | Meat | — |
Prim’Holstein | France | Meat | Dairy |
Punganur | India | Meat | Dairy |
Pulikulam | India | — | Dairy |
Pustertaler Sprinzen | — | Meat | — |
Qinchaun | China | Meat | — |
Queensland Miniature Boran | — | Meat | — |
R[edit] | |||
Ramo Grande | Portugal | Meat | Dairy |
Randall | United States | Meat | Dairy |
Raramuri Criollo | Chihuahua, Mexico | Meat | Dairy |
Rathi | India | — | Dairy |
Rätisches Grauvieh | Switzerland | meat | dairy |
Raya | Ethiopia | Meat | Dairy |
Red Angus | Scotland | Meat | Dairy |
Red Brangus | — | Meat | — |
Red Chittagong | Bangladesh | — | — |
Red Fulani | West Africa | Meat | — |
Red Gorbatov | Russia | — | Dairy |
Red Holstein | — | — | Dairy |
Red Kandhari | India | — | — |
Red Mingrelian | Georgia | Meat | Dairy |
Red Poll | England | Meat | Dairy |
Red Polled Østland | Norway | Meat | Dairy |
Red Sindhi | India/Pakistan | Meat | Dairy |
Retinta | — | Meat | — |
Riggit Galloway | — | Meat | — |
Ringamåla | Sweden | — | Dairy |
Rohjan | — | Meat | — |
Romagnola | Italy | Meat | — |
Romanian Bălţata | Romania | — | — |
Romanian Steppe Gray | Romania | — | — |
Romosinuano | Colombia | Meat | — |
Russian Black Pied | Russia | Meat | Dairy |
RX3 | — | Meat | — |
Sahiwal | India/Pakistan | — | Dairy |
Salers | France | Meat | — |
Salorn | — | Meat | — |
Sanga | — | Meat | — |
Sanhe | — | Meat | Dairy |
Santa Cruz | United States | Meat | — |
Santa Gertrudis | United States | Meat | — |
Sayaguesa | Spain | Meat | — |
Schwyz | — | — | — |
Selembu | — | Meat | Dairy |
Senepol | — | Meat | — |
Serbian Pied | Serbia | — | Dairy |
Serbian Steppe | Serbia | — | — |
Sheko | Ethiopia | — | — |
Shetland | Scotland | Meat | — |
Shorthorn | England | Meat | — |
Siboney de Cuba | — | Meat | — |
Simbrah | — | Meat | — |
Simford | — | Meat | — |
Simmental | Switzerland | Meat | Dairy |
Siri | Bhutan | — | Dairy |
South Devon | England | Meat | Dairy |
Spanish Fighting Bull | Spain | Meat | — |
Speckle Park | Canada | Meat | — |
Square Meater | Australia | Meat | — |
Sussex | England | Meat | — |
Swedish Friesian | — | — | Dairy |
Swedish Polled | — | — | Dairy |
Swedish Red Pied | — | — | Dairy |
Swedish Red Polled | — | Meat | Dairy |
Swedish Red-and-White | — | Meat | Dairy |
Tabapuã | Brazil | Meat | Dairy |
Tarentaise | France | Meat | Dairy |
Tasmanian Grey | — | Meat | — |
Tauros | — | — | — |
Telemark | Norway | Meat | Dairy |
Texas Longhorn | United States | Meat | Dairy |
Texon | — | Meat | — |
Thai Black | Thailand | Meat | — |
Thai Fighting Bull | Thailand | — | — |
Thai Friesian | Thailand | — | Dairy |
Thai Milking Zebu | Thailand | — | Dairy |
Tharparkar | India/ Pakistan | — | Dairy |
Tswana | Botswana | Meat | Dairy |
Tudanca | Spain | Meat | Dairy |
Tuli | Zimbabwe | Meat | Dairy |
Tulim | — | Meat | — |
Turkish Grey Steppe | — | Meat | — |
Tux-Zillertal | — | — | Dairy |
Tyrol Grey | Austria | Meat | Dairy |
Umblachery | India | — | Dairy |
Ukrainian Grey | Ukraine | — | — |
Valdostana Castana | Italy | — | — |
Valdostana Pezzata Nera | Italy | — | — |
Valdostana Pezzata Rossa | Italy | — | — |
Väneko | Sweden | — | — |
Vaynol | Scotland | Meat | — |
Vechur[8] | India | — | Dairy |
Vestland Fjord | Norway | Meat | Dairy |
Vestland Red Polled | Norway | Meat | Dairy |
Vianesa | — | Meat | Dairy |
Volinian Beef | Ukraine | Meat | — |
Vorderwald | Germany | Meat | Dairy |
Vosgienne | France | Meat | Dairy |
Wagyu | Japan | Meat | — |
Waguli | USA | Meat | — |
Wangus | — | Meat | — |
Welsh Black | Wales | Meat | — |
Western Finncattle | Finland | Meat | Dairy |
White Cáceres | — | Meat | — |
White Fulani | — | Meat | — |
White Lamphun | Thailand | — | — |
White Park | Great Britain | Meat | Dairy |
Whitebred Shorthorn | Great Britain | Meat | — |
Xingjiang Brown | — | Meat | Dairy |
Yakutian | Russia | Meat | Dairy |
Yanbian | China | — | — |
Yanhuang | China | ||
Yurino | Ukraine | — | — |
Żubroń | Poland | Meat | — |
Zebu | — | Meat | Dairy |
Conclusion
Cattle are some of the oldest domesticated animals. There are more than 800 breeds of cattle recognized worldwide, with many subspecies and races within each breed. Some adapted to their local climate while others were raised by man for specialized uses like dairy or beef production. The list below is a big list of breeds that represent just a small fraction of all the different types you may come across when purchasing your next cow! Good luck with your search!
As A Reference: Wikipedia