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There are hundreds of different cattle, hog, sheep, goats and poultry breeds that are used for meat production. Here on this page I just listed the livestock breeds that are most commonly known for their meat yield across the world.

Beef Cattle | Pork | Lamb & Goats | Poultry 


BEEF CATTLE

Angus
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Angus are solid black cattle, although white may appear on the udder.  They are resistant to harsh weather, undemanding, adaptable, good natured, mature extremely early and have a high carcass yield with nicely marbled meat. Angus are renowned as a carcass breed. They are used widely in crossbreeding to improve carcass quality and milking ability.

Herefordhereford_rind.gif Hereford are medium framed cattle with distinctive red body color with the head and front of the neck, the brisket, underside, and switch in white. They have well developed fore-quarters, a deep brisket, broad head. Most animals have short thick horns that typically curve down at the sides of the head. Herefords are generally docile and fast growing cattle with good beef quality.

Simmental
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Simmental can be traced to the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. Medium to large cattle with strong bones, bulls typically weigh 2200 to 2800 pounds at maturity and cows 1200 to 1600 pounds. In the feed yard they have a weight gain of 2 to 3 pounds a day and excellent feed conversion with about a 63% carcass yield. They are suited to all-purpose crossing with smaller breeds.

Brangus (Angus/Brahman cross)
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The Brangus breed was developed to utilize the superior traits of Angus and Brahman cattle. Their genetics are stabilized at 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus. The breed has proven resistant to heat and high humidity. Under conditions of cool and cold climate they seem to produce enough hair for adequate protection. Brangus yield excellent meat quality.

Beefmasters

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Beefmasters are a cross-breed of Hereford, Shorthorn and Brahman cattle.  The cattle were heavily selected on what has become known as the Six Essentials - Weight, Conformation, Milking Ability, Fertility, Hardiness and Disposition.

Limousinlimousin.gof.gif The Limousin is a newer European cattle breed initially introduced in Canada in 1968. Limousin cattle highlight three important traits within their breed: excellent feed efficiency, adaptability and high carcass yield. The red or golden colored cattle are good foragers and in feedlots are well able to convert feed into mass. The carcass of the Limousin yields good cutability and it is commonly said that they are genetically “trimmed”. The meat is tender and fine fibered because of their low fat levels.

More information about beef (external links)
Cattle Today
Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA)
Canadian Cattlemen's Association
Also check the links in the top right and left column of this website for more information.
 
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PORK

Deutsches Edelschwein (German Landrace)
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The German Landrace have been selectively breed for meatiness and are not as extreme in size and length as some of the Landrace strains of other nations. The color is white and the ears are heavy with the characteristic Landrace droop. the German Landrace is known for top quality meat and carcass yield with little fat.

Gloucestershire
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A large lop eared pig with a broad deep body. It is mainly white with a varying number of black spots. It is hardy animal and has good mothering qualities. Gloucestershire’s produce excellent meat quality with great carcass yield.

Middle White
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The Middle White is a well-fleshed, early maturing breed and the secret of success is to recognize maturity as a pork pig at 60 kgs liveweight. Such early maturing means that Middle White pigs are economical to keep with a low food conversion ratio.

Duroc
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The Duroc, a solid red, meat type animal, is noted for its carcass characteristics and feed efficiency. Strong feet and legs make the Duroc and excellent choice for rugged commercial feeding conditions. This breed is also noted for large litters, a characteristic retained even when used in a crossbreeding program.


More information about pork (external links)
Canadian Pork Council
Canadian Swine Breeders Association
Also check the links in the top right and left column of this website for more information.

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LAMB & GOATS

Romney
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The Romney is truly a versatile breed, as demonstrated by its ability to produce quality meat and wool under diverse climate conditions and management systems. It is so-named for the Romney Marsh region in Kent, England where it was developed as a dual purpose sheep.



Suffolk
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Suffolks are found throughout the world's sheep producing countries. They are a large breed with a distinctive all-black head and legs that are free of wool. Suffolk lambs grow faster than any other breed and yield heavy, high cutability carcasses of the type demanded by today's health conscience consumers.


Swiss White
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The Swiss White Alpine is a short-wooled breed kept primarily for meat.

Swiss Brown
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The Swiss Black-Brown Mountain originates from the ancient Swiss breeds Jura, Simmentaler, Saanen, Frutiger, Roux de Bagnes and Freiburger. It is a polled, medium-sized sheep, deep, and broad. The coat color is either black, chestnut colored, or light brown. Their bone is light, with a commendable meat to bone ratio.

Boer Goat

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The Boer goat was developed in South Africa in the early 1900s for meat production. They were selected for meat rather than milk production; due to selective breeding and improvement, the Boer goat has a fast growth rate and excellent carcass qualities, making it one of the most popular breeds of meat goat in the world.

More information about sheep and goats (external links)
The Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF-FCM)
Canadian Sheep Breeders Association
Canadian National Goat Federation (CNGF)
Also check the links in the top right and left column of this website for more information.

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POULTRY

Rode Island Red
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The Rhode Island Reds are tough birds, resistant to illness, good at foraging and free ranging, and are typically docile, quiet and friendly. Rode Island’s are terrific egg layers and produce a decent meat yield. The bird’s adaptability and resistance makes this the perfect chicken for a variety of climatic regions.




Buff Orpington
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The Orpington was bred as a dual-purpose breed (meat production and eggs). Their large size and soft appearance together with their rich color and gentle contours make them very attractive. The Orpington chicken is thought of as a highly docile bird and is suitable for small farms and the backyard chicken keeper. 

Cornish Rock
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The Cornish Rock are heavy meat producing bird and the first real meat producing land fowl in the world. The meat if full of flavor, richness and firmness that can not be beat. Due to its meat producing quality the Cornish Rock has been interbreed with many other chicken breeds.


More information about pork (external links)
Canadian Poultry Research Council
Chicken Farmers of Canada
Agriculture Canada-Poultry
Also check the links in the top right and left column of this website for more information.

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