Valuable foreign beef cattle breeds: diffusion in Italy

Best beef cattle breeds in the world

There are valuable cattle breeds and others that are much less so. The distinction is directly linked to the type of product obtained and the environment in which the animal is raised. Some differ in their particular diet which requires only and exclusively grazing in the wild, others stand out for their majesty and resistance, still others for a particular coat which translates into a product with a unique and particular flavour.

Some of these populate our panorama, while others remain anchored to the area of ​​origin where there - and only there - they can make the most of and keep the concept of animal welfare intact. The herd book of cattle breeds allows you to delve deeper and uncover particular traditions and characteristics.

Although Italian cattle breeds are able to respond in the best way to the culinary excellence of the Bel Paese, knowing what the world offers becomes an excellent added value for finding rare and valuable cattle breeds.

Atlas of cattle breeds

A virtual trip around the world and it's immediately steak watering. Grilled, pan-fried, seared or in other cuts, the best beef breeds manage to amaze in every form. Let's begin the journey among the cattle breeds of the world.

Aberdeen Angus cattle

The first stage of the journey chooses Scotland. Green meadows, humid and hilly expanses represent the perfect habitat for a medium-small sized bovine with a predominant aptitude for meat. The small size and rather common meat make the breed unsuitable for reproduction and therefore unattractive for export.

Angler breed cattle

Far from any Englishness, the breed is of German origin. Imposing and majestic, it lends itself to milk production, which is why it is registered in the herd book.

Its diffusion goes beyond its land of origin and falls among the categories of dairy cattle breeds that best offer results in terms of nutritional values. Adaptable and rather fertile, it manages to resist multiple aptitudes given its robustness and physical conformation.

Aubrac breed cattle

Among French cattle breeds, the Aubrac retains a place of honor. Among the cattle breeds in danger of extinction in the 1970s, it found its revival thanks to a group of conservative breeders who, in 1979, created an association and chose to preserve the breed. Today it finds its diffusion in several countries, among which Canada, New Zealand and the United States stand out. It lives in harsh conditions and incorporates multiple aptitudes including longevity, maternal instinct and reproduction.

Beefmaster breed cattle

The name says it all and is fully included among the beef cattle breeds. The Beefmaster is originally from Texas and was born thanks to the innovative spirit of a breeder who wanted to create a breed suited to the complicated life in South Texas.

Even today, the breed is being defined and the traits that best distinguish it are: docility in milking processes, size, structure, rusticity and fertility. The Beefmaster is the most curious of the American cattle breeds which, being in a constant study phase, becomes a perfect starting point for obtaining excellent meat and milk.

Blonde d'Aquitaine cattle

Among the best beef cattle breeds, the Blonde d'Aquitaine, coming from France, highlights its grandeur and rusticity combined with its rather majestic size and delicately colored coat. Initially used as a working animal, over time it was decided to delve deeper into the qualities of the meat and underline its particularities. Blonde has thus reached the ranking of prized cattle breeds by offering fine-grained meat with a low quantity of fat due to the constant movement of the animal in the spaces used for breeding.

Dexter breed cattle

A small size, dual attitude and little praise to underline. The Dexter dairy and beef cattle breed has always been considered mediocre and this was enough to see it disappear from its homeland - Ireland.

However, England and the United States have chosen to preserve the particular breed and keep it intact on a limited number of farms given its adaptability to different weather conditions and a rather good milk production which leads to quality dairy products. These follow the reduced size of the meat and appear small, tender and lean.

Highland cattle

Several studies seem to lead towards Asian origins, it seems in fact that the bovine breed derives from the cross between the Bos Longifrons and the Bos Primigenius. This is demonstrated by the physical characteristics: from the first the breed inherited the long horns, from the second the thick, thick and hairy coat. The Highland reaches the Scottish Islands and settles here, thanks to the favorable climatic conditions. Various modifications of the breed lead to a breed with rustic traits, easily adaptable, long-lived and with an excellent maternal instinct.

Salers breed cattle

The atlas of cattle breeds with little expansion in Italy shows another type with large size and mainly used for meat production. The Salers is a rather adaptable animal which, unfortunately, is often also used in intensive farming given the particular conformation of the pelvis which leads to an ease in giving birth unrivaled by other breeds.

Salers milk is of excellent quality especially for weaning and allows calves to avoid food supplements during the specified period.

Wagyu cattle

The breed is also gaining ground in Italy thanks to the characteristics of the meat which bring to mind the imitation Kobe meat: perfect marbling, an intense flavor and a full flavour. Among the prized cattle breeds, Wagyu was born in Japan and here blends perfectly with the hostile and impervious environment, the result is a meat of great value thanks to the tissues rich in marbled fat.

Endangered cattle breeds and new ideas

The family tree of beef and dairy cattle breeds represents a perfect starting point for keeping traditions and characteristics intact. The tool also allows us to improve endangered cattle breeds and be able to reactivate the production cycle by highlighting certain traits that could disappear.

The best cattle breeds also find a further starting point to evolve, shape themselves and settle into new spaces.

The example of Carne Genuina is its vast selection of beef which chooses to highlight the characteristics of the breeds and propose an excellent solution of absolute excellence. Knowing the breeds is therefore essential for a breeder who, by doing so, can best express the proceeds of his breeding by combining traditional traits.