List of Cattle Breeds & Cow Breeds in the World

What is Cattle?

Cattle is a type of domesticated ungulate mammal. That is, they are hoofed animals that are raised by humans for meat, milk or draught. A male cattle is called Bull. A female cattle is called Cow. The young of cattle is called Calf.

Types of Cattle or Cows

There are over 450 cattle breeds in the world, and they can be classified into one of four different types of cattle or cow. There are dairy breeds, beef breeds, dual-purpose breeds and draft breeds. Each breed has unique characteristics that make it well-suited for a specific purpose.

For example, Brahman cattle are resistant to tropical diseases and are well-adapted to the hot, humid climate of the tropics. Here is a more detailed look at each of the major cattle or cow breeds types.

1. Dairy breeds are the most common type of cattle, and they are bred for milk production. Dairy breeds of cattle include Holstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Brown Swiss, and Ayrshire.
2. Beef breeds are bred for meat production. The most popular beef breeds of cattle include the Angus, Hereford, Simmental, and Charolais.
3. Dual-purpose breeds are used for both milk and meat production. The most popular dual-purpose breeds of cattle include the Dutch Belted, Devon, and Shorthorn.
4. Draft breeds are bred for work rather than meat or milk production. The largest draft breed is the Belgian Blue, while the smallest is the Dexter.

A list of popular cattle or cow breeds in the world are presented in the table below:

List of Cattle Breeds