The biggest cow in the world: top 10 large breeds and champion sizes

For farmers, the meat and milk productivity of cattle is important, but there are individuals that cause admiration not for slaughter weight and high milk yield, but for body dimensions. The largest cow in the world, whose weight exceeds 1000 kg, was included in the Guinness Book of Records. The existence of giant animals was made possible by careful selection. Almost all the breeds listed in the rating are bred in Russia.

Description and characteristics of the largest breeds of cows

The big cow is the pride of not only the farmer, but also the country. The admirable animals are bred not only for slaughter, milking and breeding, but also for show purposes.

The table shows the ranking of the largest breeds by body weight of adult animals.

Chianina (Chian)more than 10002blue Belgian9003Hereford800-8504Bestuzhevskaya800 5Kostroma800 6 7 Charolais700-750 Montbéliarde Tagilian Anglerian

Ranking	Breed name	Weight, kg
1
Holstein	700-750
		8
600-650		9
550-600		10
550

Chianina

Italian meat breed that has existed since ancient Rome. Bred by residents of the Italian Val di Chiana valley, popular in South America, Canada. The growth of an adult cow at the withers reaches 1.6 m, length - 1.7 m.The chest is voluminous, withers stand out, short horns on a neat head. Calves are born large, weigh 45-50 kg, develop rapidly, eat 2 kg per day. The color of adults is beige, sometimes with a yellowish tinge. Newborn calves are red, brighten as they grow. Due to the difficult nature and tendency of the Italian cow to attack, she has to saw off her horns.

Pros and consthe largest breed in existence;harmonious physique;high meat productivity: slaughter weight - from 65%.aggressive, unpredictable behavior;low milk yield due to meat origin.I like it I don't like it

Belgian Blue

Big beef cow bred in Belgium in the 18th century.The progenitors are Frisian and Shorthorn animals. In the 19th century, to increase the fleshiness, representatives of the Belgian breed were crossed with French Charolais. A frightening appearance due to mutational muscle hypertrophy, the cow has recently acquired. The color is predominantly light blue. There is almost no coat, the skin is thin, covering protruding muscles.

Pros and conscalm, peaceful, docile character;ultra-high productivity - slaughter weight reaches 70-80%;milk productivity - 4500 liters of milk per year;fat content of milk - 4.5%.

The only drawback is the exactingness of care and maintenance. Therefore, the large Belgian breed is popular in Western European countries, while in Russia it is still considered exotic.

I like it I don't like it

Hereford

Popular on all continents, the breed is especially in demand in North America, Australia, Kazakhstan. A large cow of rich red color was bred by the British in the 18th century. Cattle came to Russia from England in the 1930s, today Hereford cows are in second place in demand among meat breeds in our country. Cows are undersized, stocky, with voluminous sides. White horns with black tips point forward. A newborn calf weighs from 30 kg.

Pros and conshigh productivity;fast maturation;adaptation to climatic conditions;high quality "marble" meat.

The only negative is the demands on the conditions of detention.

In order for a large English cow to feel good, the barn must be spacious, bright, ventilated. Drafts and high humidity are unacceptable.

I like it I don't like it

Bestuzhevskaya

A large breed of meat and dairy orientation was bred at the end of the 18th century in the farm of the nobleman Bestuzhev in the Simbirsk province. Today there are large livestock in Bashkortostan, Samara, Ulyanovsk regions. The body of the pet is powerful, the chest is voluminous, the back is straight. The coat is rich red, some animals are decorated with white spots.

Pros and conslarge slaughter weight;non-capriciousness in care and feeding (but the barn should be clean);immunity to diseases;resistance to harsh climatic conditions.I like it I don't like it

Kostroma

A large beef breed was bred in Kostroma in the 1940s after lengthy breeding activities aimed at increasing the productivity of local animals. The cow, considered the best in Russia in terms of meat productivity, is distinguished not only by its large body, but also by its good milk yield. It is inferior to foreign breeds in terms of productivity, but is popular with Russian farmers for being adapted to local climatic conditions. The color of the cow is brown-gray or rich brown. A remarkable feature of the breed is the individual character of each individual.

Pros and conscarelessness in care and nutrition;immunity to temperature fluctuations;possibility of use in dairy production.the violent, nervous nature of individual animals;the breed is not suitable for cultivation in the steppe regions.I like it I don't like it

Montbéliarde

A hardy, unpretentious, highly productive cow was bred by Swiss breeders. Breeding activities began in the 18th century, then the animals were transported to France, where the improvement of breed qualities continued. In 1889, the Montbéliarde cow was shown at the World Exhibition in Paris.

In France, the breeding of the breed is carried out mainly by farmers in the foothills and mountainous areas. Cows are beautiful, stately, classic spotted color, considered elite, popular in countries where the production of beef and high-quality dairy products is flourishing.

Due to their attractive appearance and harmonious physique, representatives of the breed are often used on the set of commercials for dairy products.

Pros and conshigh meat and milk productivity;high annual milk yield - up to 8000 l;milk fat content - up to 4%, protein content - up to 3.5%;slaughter weight - up to 70%;meat with excellent taste;lactation period - 300 days.I like it I don't like it

Charolais

The large beef cow was bred in France in the early 19th century by crossing Shorthorn and Simmental animals. Today, there are numerous livestock in hundreds of countries around the world.

In terms of body size, representatives of the breed compete with Kian relatives. The growth of an adult pet at the withers reaches 155 cm, length - 220 cm. The weight of a newborn calf is more than 30 kg, and some cubs are born weighing 50-60 kg.The color is beige, the body is massive, heavy, with well-developed muscles. Medium length horns.

Pros and conshigh slaughter weight - above 65%;insipidity in nutrition.

The only drawback is the sensitivity to temperature fluctuations. The cow has a thick muscle mass, but a thin layer of fat under the skin. The animal experiences discomfort in cold weather, weakly gaining weight. Therefore, the breed is kept exclusively in warm climatic regions.

I like it I don't like it

Holstein

A large breed was bred in the USA in the 19th century through many years of painstaking selection. The Holstein cow of the classic black and white color quickly became popular on all continents, not only for its impressive body size, but also for its high milk production.The largest livestock in Israel, where animals, thanks to the optimization of care and maintenance, are most productive.

Pros and consmilk yield from 8000 to 10000 liters per year;active growth of the calf;fertility;high fat content of milk - above 3.5%;high palatability of beef.

The only negative is the demands on the conditions of detention and the quality of feeding. Holstein cows are squeamish and clean, and should live in a warm, lit, airy barn where there are no drafts.

I like it I don't like it

Anglerian

The Germans bred a hardy brown-red cow on the Angeln Peninsula in the 1600s. Productive shorthorn animals participated in crossing.The result is a large cow with high both meat and milk productivity. German cows ended up in Russia at the beginning of the 19th century. Today there are large livestock in Germany, USA, Russia.

The Angler pet has the best quality skin in the world, used in furriery, suitable for creating expensive leather goods.

Pros and consimmunity to frost, heat, negative climatic conditions;adaptation to the conditions of detention;saturation of milk with proteins and fats;juicy and tender beef.skittish nature of individual individuals.

The only negative is the skittish nature of individuals.

I like it I don't like it

Tagil

Large breed bred in the 19th century by crossing Ural animals with Dutch cows in order to improve body structure and milk production. Tagil pets are both meat and dairy, the former are more popular. The cow is stocky, low, but massive, with a strong skeleton and developed chest. Any color, but black and white individuals are more common.

Pros and consadaptation to climatic conditions;preservation of milk productivity in a harsh climate;undemanding to the care and quality of food (but the barn should be clean);trouble-free breeding;high annual milk yield - up to 5000 l;peaceful, docile character, affection for the owner.I like it I don't like itFinal ranking tableChianinaBelgian blueHerefordBestuzhevskayaKostromaMontbeliardeCharolaisHolsteinAnglerskayaTagil

The largest individuals in the world

Among large cows, there are record holders listed in the Guinness Book, causing admiration and amazement with their dimensions. In the US state of Illinois lives a cow named Blossom, which in 2016 was named the highest on the planet. Neighbors urged owner Patty Hanson to hand over her barren, non-milking pet to the slaughterhouse. But the hostess fell in love with the cow, in which she invested a lot of effort and money, she believed that she would become famous. And so it happened, the record-breaking cow weighs 900 kg, and is 1.93 cm tall.

In the English county of Dorset lives another record holder - the heaviest cow - Rio, weighing 1250 kg with a height of 1.8 m.

It is also barren and unproductive, but it attracts crowds of tourists to the farm. Rio has a complex and capricious character, the owner had to saw off her horns so that she would not harm the many visitors to the farm. The pet has grown exclusively on natural food, her diet does not include hormonal drugs and mass gain supplements.

Big cows are the result of painstaking selection and care of the owners. Bred for more milk and meat, they have become the pride and living landmark of their countries of origin.

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