Meat and dairy productivity of cattle, but there are individuals that evoke admiration not for their slaughter weight and high milk yield, but for their body dimensions. The largest cow in the world, weighing more than 1000 kg, was included in the Guinness Book of Records. The existence of giant animals was made possible thanks to careful selection. Almost all the breeds listed in the rating are bred in Russia.
Description and characteristics of the largest breeds of cows
A big cow is the pride of not only the farmer, but also the country.The awe-inspiring animals are bred not only for slaughter, milk production and breeding, but also for exhibition purposes.
The table shows the ranking of the largest breeds by body weight of adult animals.
| Place in the ranking | Breed name | Weight, kg |
| 1 | chianina (kian) | more than 1000 |
| 2 | blue Belgian | 900 |
| 3 | Hereford | 800-850 |
| 4 | Bestuzhevskaya | 800 |
| 5 | Kostroma | 800 |
| 6 | Holstein | 700-750 |
| 7 | Charolais | 700-750 |
| 8 | Montbéliarde | 600-650 |
| 9 | Tagil | 550-600 |
| 10 | Anglerskaya | 550 |
Chianina
An Italian meat breed that has existed since ancient Rome. Bred by the inhabitants of the Italian Val di Chiana valley, popular in South America and Canada. The height of an adult cow at the withers reaches 1.6 m, length - 1.7 m. The chest is voluminous, the withers stand out, and there are short horns on the neat head. Calves are born large, weigh 45-50 kg, develop quickly, and eat 2 kg per day. The color of adult individuals is beige, sometimes with a yellowish tint. Newborn calves are red, becoming lighter as they grow. Due to the complex nature and tendency of the Italian cow to attack, its horns have to be sawed off.
Belgian Blue
Big beef cow developed in Belgium in the 18th century. The progenitors are Friesian and Shorthorn animals. In the 19th century, to increase meatiness, representatives of the Belgian breed were crossed with French Charolais. The cow recently acquired a frightening appearance due to mutational muscle hypertrophy. The color is predominantly light blue. There is almost no fur, the skin is thin and covers protruding muscles.
The only drawback is the requirement for care and maintenance. Therefore, the large Belgian breed is popular in Western European countries, but in Russia it is still considered exotic.
Hereford
Popular on all continents, the breed is especially in demand in North America, Australia, and Kazakhstan. The large, deep red cow 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 short, stocky, with voluminous sides. White horns with black tips point forward. A newborn calf weighs from 30 kg.
The only negative is the demanding conditions of detention.
Bestuzhevskaya
A large breed of meat and dairy production was bred at the end of the 18th century on the farm of the nobleman Bestuzhev in the Simbirsk province. Today, large livestock are available in Bashkortostan, Samara, and Ulyanovsk regions. The pet's body is powerful, the chest is voluminous, the back is straight. The fur is a rich red color, in some animals it is decorated with white spots.
Kostromskaya
The large meat breed was bred in Kostroma in the 1940s after lengthy selection efforts 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 among Russian farmers for its adaptation to local climatic conditions. The color of the cow is brown-gray or deep brown. A remarkable feature of the breed is the individual character of each individual.
Montbeliardskaya
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 the breed's qualities continued. In 1889, the Montbéliarde cow was shown at the Paris World Exhibition.
In France, the breed is bred mainly by farmers in the foothills and mountainous regions. The cows are beautiful, stately, with a classic spotted color, considered elite, popular in countries where the production of beef and high-quality dairy products flourishes.
Due to their attractive appearance and harmonious physique, representatives of the breed are often used in filming advertisements for dairy products.
Charolais
The large beef cow was developed in France in the early 19th century by crossing Shorthorn and Simmental animals. Today there are numerous populations in hundreds of countries around the world.
In terms of body size, representatives of the breed compete with their Kian relatives. The height of an adult pet at the withers reaches 155 cm, length – 220 cm. Newborn calf weight - more than 30 kg, and some cubs are born weighing 50-60 kg. The color is beige, the body is massive, heavy, with developed muscles. Horns of medium length.
The only drawback is sensitivity to temperature fluctuations. The cow has thick muscle mass but a thin layer of fat under the skin. The animal experiences discomfort in cold weather and gains little weight. Therefore, the breed is kept exclusively in warm climatic regions.
Holstein
The large breed was developed in the USA in the 19th century through many years of painstaking selection. Holstein cow classic black and white color quickly became popular on all continents not only for its impressive body size, but also for its high milk yield. The largest livestock is in Israel, where animals, thanks to optimized care and maintenance, are the most productive.
The only negative is that they are demanding in terms of living conditions and quality of feeding. Holstein cows are fastidious and clean; they must live in a warm, lighted, spacious barn, where there are no drafts.
Anglerskaya
The Germans developed the hardy brown-red cow on the Angeln Peninsula in the 1600s. The crossbreeding involved productive Shorthorn animals. The result was a large cow with high both meat and milk productivity. German cows came to Russia at the beginning of the 19th century. Today there are large populations in Germany, the USA, and Russia.
The Angler pet's skin is of the best quality in the world; it is used in furriery and is suitable for creating expensive leather goods.
The only negative is the restive nature of some individuals.
Tagilskaya
The large breed was developed in the 19th century by crossing Ural animals with Dutch cows to improve body structure and milk production. Tagil pets come in both meat and dairy varieties; the former are more popular. The cow is stocky, short, but massive, with a strong skeleton and developed chest. Any color, but black and white individuals are more common.
The largest individuals in the world
Among the large cows, there are record holders listed in the Guinness Book, causing admiration and amazement with their dimensions. In the American state of Illinois, there lives a cow named Blossom, which in 2016 was named the tallest on the planet. Neighbors urged owner Patty Hanson to hand over her infertile, milk-defying pet to slaughter. But the owner fell in love with the cow, into which she invested a lot of effort and money, and believed that she would become famous. And so it happened, the record-breaking cow weighs 900 kg and is 1.93 cm tall.
Another record holder lives in the English county of Dorset - 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 numerous visitors to the farm. The pet grew up exclusively on natural food; its diet does not include hormonal drugs or supplements for weight gain.
Large cows are the result of painstaking selection and care of the owners. Bred to produce more milk and meat, they have become the pride and living landmark of their countries of origin.
