In 1971, Dr I Mason from the Institute of Animal Genetics in Edinburgh published an overview of the studies that had been undertaken in various countries during the previous decade which compared the performance of the large beef breeds of Western Europe. The breeds included the following:
Britain:
South Devon
Shorthorn
Hereford
Angus
Galloway
Sussex
Lincoln Red
Red Poll
Devon
Welsh Black
Switzerland:
Swiss Simmental
Swiss Brown
Germany:
German Simmental (Fleckvieh)
German Brown (Braunvieh)
German Yellow (Gelbvieh)
German Friesian
France:
Charolais
Maine-Anjou
Limousin
Blond Aquitaine
French Friesian
Normande
French Simmental (Montbeliard, Abondance)
French Brown
Holland:
Friesian
Meuse-Rhine-Yssel
Italy:
Piedmontese
Romagnola
Marchigiana
Chianina
Italian Simmental (Pezzata Rossa Friulana)
Scandinavia:
Danish Red
Danish Black Pied
Swedish Red-and-White
Most of the studies reviewed by Mason involved relatively few animals and compared only a relatively small number of breeds with each other. Despite this, he concluded by dividing the above breeds into four groups according to their growth rates:
|
Group 1
|
Group 2
|
Group 3
|
Group 4
|
|
Charolais
Simmental Gelbvieh Romagnola Marchigiana Chianina |
South
Devon
Maine-Anjou Blond Aquitaine Limousin Brown alpine cattle Piedmontese Meuse-Rhine-Yssel |
Friesians
Normande Swedish Red-and-White Danish Red Sussex Devon |
Hereford
Shorthorn Angus Galloway Lincoln Red Red Poll Welsh Black |
With regard to growth rates, Mason noted the negative correlation between average daily gain and the ability to fatten. He also noted that the larger animals tended to be more efficient in their net efficiency of food conversion.
Mason also noted that within each of the above groups there were breeds which were dual purpose with good maternal characteristics and which were therefore suitable for breeding replacement females, while other breeds were best considered for use as terminal sires. Thus, in Group I, he recommended the Simmental as a sire for replacement females, while the Charolais appeared more suitable for use as a terminal sire. Similarly in Group II, the South Devon was suitable as a maternal sire, while the Limousin was better reserved for use as a paternal sire.
As a result of Mason's review, it is clear that in the 1960's the South Devon was the largest of the British breeds, comparing favourably in growth with the large European breeds. It also ranked highly in terms of its maternal characteristics and in the quality of its meat.
Mason IL. Comparative Beef Performance of the Large Cattle Breeds of Western Europe. Animal Breeding Abstracts 1971;39:1-26. Back