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Breeds
In
Australia there are more than 40 different breeds of cattle.
Some breeds are better suited to particular areas than others.
For example, Brahman cattle perform well in the hot, harsh
climate of northern Australia and Herefords prefer the cooler
climate of southern Australia.
Cattle
can be divided into two basic groups - Bos indicus and Bos
taurus. These terms provide an indication of the origin or
the breed, its characteristics and the climate it is
most suited to.
Bos Taurus (Temperate)
Breeds
The
Bos taurus breeds are often referred to as temperate cattle,
as they are found in the more moderate/temperate climates.
The cattle usually include all breeds originating from Europe
and the United Kingdom such as the Hereford, Angus and Simmental.
They prefer cooler climates where they are able to mature
quickly, and have rapid growth rates – often due to an abundance
of feed. Their coats are often thicker than the Bos Indicus
cattle.
Angus
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Origin:
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Scotland
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Introduced to Australia:
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1840’s
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Colour:
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Black
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Popular breed; early maturing.
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Beef Shorthorn
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Origin:
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United
Kingdom
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Introduced to Australia:
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1800’s
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Colour:
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Red, white
and roan (mixture of red and white).
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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Popular
breed; early maturing.
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Belted Galloway
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Origin:
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Scotland
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Introduced to Australia:
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Mid 1950’s
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Colour:
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Black to dun with a white band around middle of body.
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Similar to the Galloway in conformation.
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Blonde D’Aquitaine
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Origin:
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France
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Introduced to Australia:
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Early 1970’s
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Colour:
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White to light brown.
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Horns:
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Yes and No
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Other:
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Large frame; late maturing breed.
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British White
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Origin:
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Britain
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Introduced to Australia:
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1958
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Colour:
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White with black points.
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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One of Britain’s oldest breeds.
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Charolais
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Origin:
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France
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1969
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Colour:
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White
to light straw.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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Large frame;
heavily muscled.
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Chianina
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Origin:
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Italy
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1973
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Colour:
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White with
black skin.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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Largest
breed in the world.
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Devon
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Origin:
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England
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Early in
the colony’s development.
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Colour:
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Ruby red
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Horns:
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Mostly horned,
although some polled (hornless) do occur.
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Other:
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Used as
draught animal in early days of Australian settlement.
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Dexter
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Origin:
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Ireland
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Early 1900’s,
although popularity has increased in last decade.
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Colour:
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Black is
the most common, although can be found in red and dun
in the United Kingdom.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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One of the
smallest breeds in the world.
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Galloway
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Origin:
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Scotland
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Early days
of colony.
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Colour:
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Black to
dun.
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Early maturing;
hair is long and wavy.
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Hereford
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Origin:
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England
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1826
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Colour:
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Deep red
body with a creamy, white face, chest, flanks and leg
points.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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One of oldest
established breeds in Australia.
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Highland
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Origin:
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Scotland
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Recent years
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Colour:
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Red is most
common, although can range from black to yellow.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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Shaggy,
long coat.
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Limousin
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Origin:
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France
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1973
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Colour:
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Light apricot
to black. Light brown is most common.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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Heavily
muscled; late maturing.
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Lincoln
Red
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Origin:
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United Kingdom
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Early 1900’s
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Colour:
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Deep red
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Horns:
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Yes, although
some strains can be polled (naturally hornless).
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Other:
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Early maturing;
not prone to eye problems.
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Lowline
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Origin:
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Trangie,
Australia.
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Developed
between 1973 and 1993. Breed Society established in
1992.
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Colour:
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Black
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Developed
from Angus cattle, specially selected for size; one
of the smallest breeds in the world.
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Maine
Anjou
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Origin:
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France
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1973
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Colour:
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Deep red
with white patches.
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Late maturing
breed.
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Mandalong
Special
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Origin:
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Australia
(Sydney)
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Developed
in the mid 1960’s.
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Colour:
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Light
cream to dun.
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Horns:
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Yes,
although some polled (naturally hornless) strains do
exist.
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Other:
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Developed
by crossing Chianina, Charolais, Poll Shorthorn, British
White and Brahman.
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Murray
Grey
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Origin:
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Australia
(NSW/Victorian border on Murray River).
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Developed
in the early 1900’s.
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Colour:
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Silver
grey to dark grey.
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Noted
for good muscling and marbling (fat dispersed through
muscle) – suited to Japanese market.
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Poll
Hereford
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Origin:
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United
States of America
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1918
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Colour:
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Deep
red body with a creamy, white face, chest, flanks and
leg points.
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Horns:
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No
(although may show scurs - horn remnants).
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Other:
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Has
the greatest number of registered cattle studs in Australia;
similar conformation and markings to the Hereford.
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Red
Angus
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Origin:
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Scotland
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Gene
for red colour has existed in Angus (black) cattle.
They were introduced in the 1840’s. Only in recent years
it has increased in popularity.
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Colour:
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Red
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Similar
conformation to Angus (derived from same genetics, however,
selection has favoured the black gene.
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Red
Poll
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Origin:
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Britain
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1800’s
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Colour:
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Dark
red
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Early
maturing; cows are noted for longevity (long life).
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Romagnola
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Origin:
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Italy
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1970’s
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Colour:
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White
to light grey with black pigmentation around eyes and
nose.
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Horns:
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No,
(although remnants of horns may be present).
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Other:
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Large,
well-muscled breed.
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Salers
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Origin:
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France
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Recent
years
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Colour:
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Solid
red
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Horns:
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Yes
and no.
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Other:
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High
levels of fertility; udders and eyelids are; pigmented
resulting in low levels of skin cancer.
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Shorthorn
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Origin:
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England
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Early
days of colony.
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Colour:
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Red,
white and roan (mixture of red and white).
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Horns:
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Yes
and no.
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Other:
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Early
maturing.
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Simmental
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Origin:
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Europe
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1972
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Colour:
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Red/yellow
body with white face, legs, tailbrush, belly and brisket.
White patches may occur on body.
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Horns:
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Yes
and no.
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Other:
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Large
frame; cows noted for excellent milking ability.
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Bos Indicus
(Tropical) Breeds
Bos
indicus, often referred to as Zebu or tropical cattle, include
breeds such as the Brahman and Sahiwal. Bos indicus derived
cattle include breeds such as the Braford and Santa Gertrudis,
which have Bos indicus in the genetic make-up.
Bos
indicus cattle are able to withstand hot climates. They have
short, often light coloured coats that reflect the sun and
dark pigmented skin that prevents sunburn and skin problems
such as eye cancer. These cattle have very loose skin and
extra sweat glands to help keep them cool.
Belmont
Red
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Origin:
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Australia
(Queensland)
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Developed
by CSIRO.
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Colour:
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Red
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Horns:
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Yes and
No
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Other:
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Developed
by crossing Africander (50%), Hereford (25%0m and Shorthorn
(25%).
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Braford
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Origin:
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Australia
(Queensland)
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1946-1952
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Colour:
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Mainly red
body with white face and leg points.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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Found mainly
in Queensland and northern NSW; heat tolerant and tick
resistant.
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Brahman
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Origin:
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United States
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1933
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Colour:
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Grey to
red
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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They are
humped; heat tolerant; tick resistant; Australia has
over 6 million Brahman/Brahman derived cattle.
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Brangus
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Origin:
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Australia
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1950’s
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Colour:
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Black
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Horns:
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No
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Other:
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Heat tolerant
and tick resistant.
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Charbray
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Origin:
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Initially
developed in Texas however, breed was established in
Australia.
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Breed
was established in Australia in the 1970’s.
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Colour:
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White
to light red.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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Developed
by crossing Brahman and Charolais cattle; largest tropical
breed (bulls up to 1,300kg).
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Droughtmaster
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Origin:
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North
Queensland, Australia
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Developed
in the 1940’s. Breed Society established in 1956.
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Colour:
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Dark
red to honey colour.
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Horns:
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Yes
and no.
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Other:
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Heat
tolerant; tick resistant and high levels of fertility.
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Sahiwal
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Origin:
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Pakistan
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Introduced
to Australia:
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Early
1950’s
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Colour:
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Reddish-
brown with white on neck and underline.
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Horns:
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Yes
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Other:
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Initially
used as a dual purpose breed; used in the development
of 2 Australian tropical dairy breeds – Australian Friesian
Sahiwal and Australian Milking Zebu.
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Santa
Gertrudis
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Origin:
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Texas,
USA
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Introduced
to Australia:
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1956
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Colour:
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Cherry
red
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Horns:
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Yes
and no.
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Other:
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Result
of crossing Brahman and Shorthorn cattle.
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