Breeds of Cattle - m

Madura cattle, also known as Madurese cattle, are a hybrid breed that has been created by crossbreeding Zebu and Banteng cattle found on the island of Madura in Indonesia. The original cattle population on the island was the wild Banteng, which is similar to Balinese cattle. The introduction of Sinhala cattle, a Zebu breed from Sri Lanka, more than 1500 years ago led to the creation of the hybrid breed through crossbreeding. The breed is known fo ...

Maine-Anjou cattle originated in the northwestern part of France. Their name comes from the Maine and Anjou river valleys.  

They are one of the largest cattle breeds developed in France, with mature bulls weighing from 2200 to 2700 pounds on the average. Mature cows will range from 1500 to 1900 pounds. They are a very dark red with white markings on their head, belly, rear legs, and tail. Black and roan are also seen. White on ...

The Mandalong Special is a breed of cattle that is recognized for its exceptional qualities. The breed is believed to have originated in the Mandalong area of New South Wales, Australia and is known for its distinctive appearance, strength, and adaptability. Characterized by its black and white coloring, this breed is known for its hardiness and ability to thrive in a variety of climates. It is also prized for its meat, which is considered to be ...

Mantequera Leonesa cattle, also known as Leonesa cattle, are a breed of cattle originating from the province of León in northwest Spain. Bred for meat production, they are characterized by their rust-colored coat and distinctive hump on the shoulder. With a compact and muscular physique, they are highly valued for their efficiency in converting feed into meat. These cattle have a gentle and docile temperament, making them easy to handle. The bree ...

Maramure Brown cattle are a breed of cattle that are characterized by their brown coloration. Originating from the Maramures region of Romania, they are well adapted to the local climate and are known for their hardiness and ability to produce high quality beef. These cattle are of medium size and have a muscular body, with males weighing between 700 to 900 kg and females weighing between 500 to 700 kg. They are considered a valuable asset in the ...

Marchigiana cattle are derived from long-horned cattle that reached Italy in the sixth century AD following barbarian invasions. Today, they have lost many of their original somatic traits and can be defined as "synthetic" beef cattle breed created in Italy.

During the second half of the nineteenth century, breeders from the Marches region had Chianina bulls mount their dams in order to improve the beef-production capacity of the ...

Maremmana cattle areaa descendent of the bos Taurus Macroceros, a longhorned cattle that spread from the Eurasian steppes throughout Europe and that, in Italy, can be traced as far back as the Etruscan era, as evinced by the archeological findings from Caere (modern-day Cerveteri) and by the taurine head from the Vetulonia museum. This cattle (the bos Silvestris described by Pliny in his Natural History) was crossed with the Podolica cattle ...

The Marinhoa cattle breed is known for its hardiness and ability to thrive in various climates, raised mainly for meat with a distinct flavor. It is characterized by its large size and muscular build, with bulls weighing up to 800 kg. The breed has a reddish-brown coat with a lighter underbelly and a docile, easy-going temperament. Conservation efforts are underway, with populations estimated in the thousands, mostly found in Central Portugal's A ...

The Maronesa breed of mountain cattle, traditionally found in the northern regions of Portugal, is named after the Serra do Marão. With its primary use being for draught power, this breed is valued for its strength and hardiness.

The origin of the Maronesa breed of cattle is a topic of controversy and its clarity is lacking. Historical evidence suggests that it was formed through cross-breeding of the Barrosã and Mirandesa breeds and ...

The Masai cattle breed is known for its distinctive long, spiraled horns and red coloration with white markings. They are native to the East African region, primarily in Kenya and Tanzania, where they are primarily raised by the Maasai people. They are well adapted to the harsh, semi-arid environment of their native range and are highly valued for their hardiness, resistance to disease, and milk production. Additionally, they are used for meat, l ...

The Mashona cattle breed is indigenous to Zimbabwe and is also known as the Rhodesian Shorthorn. They are medium-sized cattle with a compact and muscular build, and have a distinctive hump over the shoulder. The coat color is usually red or white, and the cattle have long and upward-curving horns. The Mashona breed is well adapted to the hot and dry climate of Zimbabwe and are known for their disease resistance and ability to forage for food. The ...

The Menorquina is an endangered breed of cattle from the Mediterranean island of Menorca, in the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It belongs to the group of convex-profiled red cattle, whose distribution across the northern Mediterranean region is thought to have followed the path of the Bell-Beaker Culture. It is one of only two autochthonous Spanish breeds of dairy cattle, the other being the Pasiega. The milk is particular ...

The Mertolenga is a Portuguese breed of cattle. It is named for the concelho of Mértola in south-eastern Alentejo, bordering Spain.? In 2003 it was one of thirteen registered Portuguese cattle breeds, constituting approximately 19 per cent of cattle in the country.

The origin of the Mertolenga is said to be as a color variant within the Alentejana cattle in south-eastern Portugal and is believed to have descended partly from the Spanish ...

The Meuse-Rhine-Issel breed is a Dutch dual-purpose cattle that is raised for both meat and milk production. The breed is classified as part of the Lowland-Pied group of North European cattle and is known for its red-pied color and medium-large size.

The Meuse-Rhine-Issel was developed in two main regions of Holland, including the eastern part of Noord-Brabant along the Meuse and Rhine rivers, and the area of the IJssel river in Salland ...

Minhota, or Galega, cattle are a Portuguese cattle breed. They are principally bred for beef; in the past it was used also as a draught beast and for milk. They originated in the former Minho province of northern Portugal.

In the past, they were widespread and numerous; in the middle years of the nineteenth century they numbered about 65 000 head, and constituted some 50% of all cattle in Minho. By 1940 their numbers had fallen to abou ...

Miniature cattle are small-sized breeds of domesticated cattle that are kept as pets, for show, or for beef and dairy production on a smaller scale. They typically grow to a height of 36-48 inches and weigh between 600-900 pounds. Some common breeds of miniature cattle include Dexter, Highland, and Miniature Zebu. These breeds are known for their gentle and friendly dispositions, making them popular among small farmers and homesteaders. Miniature ...

The Mirandesa is a cattle breed from Portugal. The Mirandesa breed has the protected geographical status of DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) from the European Commission.

The breed has a wide neck with a raised and prominent head, marked by a thick and long mane that always covers the base of the color in red. Their horns are curly, thin, small-scale, and end with tips that are turned upwards and inwards, making the level slightl ...

This breed seems to have been originated from the light golden -coated cattle quite similar to present day Reggiana, at several steps crossbred with Podolico grey cattle. It takes its name from the area of distribution around the provinces of Modena, Reggio Emilia, Mantova, Ferrara, Bologna, where it was highly appreciated for its very good milk production.

In 1960 there were about 142.000 heads, at present their number has great ...

Modicana cattle ares made up of various Sicilian cattle breeds from Modicana, also called Mezzalina and Montanina. The origin as well as the present spreading is situated around the Peloritani mountains, the Nebrodi and the Madonie (Sicily), all of them are difficult areas as to climate and food.

Withers height: from 125 to 130 cm. The color of the coat is golden red to dark red towards wine red and black. Horns: short lira-shaped in ...

Modicana cattle come from the ex-county of Modica (province of Ragusa-Sicily). From there it spread throughout the whole island. It was exported into Sardinia giving birth to the Modicana Sarda. It is the most important cattle breed in Sicily, for its consistency and quality as well. Very rustic and frugal breed, lately it has spread around the whole region being easily apt to any pedoclimatic situation.

Since 1985 the Registry O ...

The Monchina ( Basque: Behi montxina) is a Spanish breed of mountain cattle indigenous to the autonomous communities of Cantabria and the Basque Country in northern Spain. It is related to the Betizu and possibly to the Terreña breeds of cattle of the Basque Country, and is closely associated with the Villano de las Encartaciones breed of dog, which is traditionally used in managing it. It is classified by the Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y A ...

Mongolian cattle, a Chinese indigenous breed, are primarily found in Inner Mongolia, but some also exist in the northeast, north, and northwest. Their coat colors vary, including brindle or reddish brown, and can occasionally be seen in black, yellow, or pied. There are two types of Mongolian cattle: Ujumqin and Halhïn Gol. In 1949, limited crossbreeding with European breeds was introduced to improve the breed.

For centuries, Mongoli ...

Montbéliarde, are a breed of red-pied dairy cattle from the area of Montbéliard, in the département of Doubs, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of eastern France. They are mainly bred for milk production - particularly for cheesemaking.

The name Montbéliarde was first used by Joseph Graber in 1872, when exhibiting a group of cattle at the Langres agricultural competition. Before this the local stock from indigenous multipurpose bre ...

Hailing from the picturesque Serchio Valley in Tuscany, the Mucca Pisana is a rare breed facing a fight for survival. Born in the mid-19th century from a union of Bruna and Chianina cattle, these distinctive creatures boast a dark brown to black coat and a wide, white-glowing muzzle. While medium-sized, they stand tall and graceful, adding a touch of elegance to their rustic charm.

Sadly, despite their historical significance and uniqu ...

In Austria, Murboden Cattle are primarily bred in Carinthia, Styria, and Lower Austria, and in Slovenia. These mountain cattle serve as beef and milk producers and also as draught animals. They have hair that ranges in color from yellow to light red or gray, with deeper red markings around their horns, eyes, and nose. In Slovenia, the breed is known as Pomurska, and some purebred herds still exist.

People mixed older local mountain bre ...

Murnau-Werdenfels Cattle are an old, robust dairy breed from Upper Bavaria, the southernmost part of Germany.

Murboden Cattle are brown-yellow with color variations ranging from straw-yellow to reddish brown. They have black hooves and horn tips, a white rim around their dark muzzle, and are known for their long life and fertility. This German breed adapts well to husbandry in boggy landscapes and originated in Tyrol, Austria. It is cl ...

Murray Grey cattle were evolved in the upper Murray River region in southern New South Wales, Australia in the early 1900’s. They are a cross between an Angus bull and a roan Shorthorn cow.  

Murray Grey cattle are medium in size and fairly early maturing. Their preferred color is silver-gray although there are many variations in the shading of gray. The calves of the breed are small at birth. The cows are good mothers and milk ...

Mursi cattle are a sub-breed of Zebu Cattle. See Zebu cattle to learn more.