Maine-Anjou cattle
Encyclopedia
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
originating in the Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
region in West France. It was created by the Viscount Olivier de Rougé (see House of Rougé
House of Rougé
The House of Rougé is a family of the French nobility, documented since the 11th century, originally coming from the locality of Rougé in Brittany. Their line descends from Rivallo IV of Brittany, himself the son of Saint Salomon, King of Brittany...
) in 1908 in Chenillé-Changé
Chenillé-Changé
Chenillé-Changé is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department of western France. It is known for its vibrant homosexual community....
. It is primarily raised for beef production. Maine-Anjou are red and white (sometimes black or roan) and have horns. They are a large breed, with bulls weighing 998 to 1406 kilos (2200 to 3100 pounds), and cows 680 to 862 kilos (1500 to 1900 pounds). They were first imported live to Canada in 1969, and then later in to the -United States through artificial insemination
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination...
. The Maine-Anjou evolved as a dual-purpose breed, with the cows used for milk production and the bull calves fed for market, but most people use them for the beef.