Dairy vs Beef Cattle
Cattle are one of the closest animal friends of humans, as they have been useful for people in many, many ways. Ever since cattle were domesticated, they have been providing the nutritional requirements for humans in the form of milk and meat, which are in addition to their assistance in transportation and companionship. However, there are some important differences between cattle used for milk and for meat (dairy and beef cattle respectively).
Dairy Cattle
Dairy cattle are the cattle bred for the purpose of milk and dairy production. Since only the females produce milk from their mammary glands, all the dairy cattle include the females. Their mammary glands are well developed, and the whole set of glands is known as the udder. Thus, it is said that dairy cattle have a well-developed udder. People have studied the hormonal, and other important physiological and environmental parameters to produce the highest possible amount of milk. In addition, cattle are bred in such a way that produces the best yielding cattle breeds. There is a wide range of dairy cattle breeds, and they have a great demand for their great quality and quantity of milk production.
Usually, dairy cattle are found mostly in temperate countries. The low humidity and mild temperature in those countries have been discovered favourable for a high yield of milk. Additionally, the fresh green and unpolluted pure water is essential for the production of high quality milk. There are stud males to make females pregnant and get ready to start milking in every dairy cattle farm. The worldwide demand for milk and its products has no other answer than the dairy cattle. Different types of cheese, ice cream, milk powder, and many other products are derivatives of dairy milk.
Beef Cattle
These are the cattle raised for meat production. The meat of these cattle is extracted after they have been raised. Beef cattle have a well-built body frame that is packed with a great mass of muscles. They should be slaughtered at an age where their muscle mass would be adequately grown. Usually, the potential of their sexual abilities is ceased at a young age in order to promote a big mass of meat in the body. That is mainly because the sexual abilities use a considerable amount of energy from the stored food to produce hormones and physical energy which could disturb their growth to the targeted size by the farmers. Usually, the neutering of beef cattle is performed by removing the genitals or through inhibiting the sexual potentials. However, beef cattle still have a fair amount of aggression, which could easily be threatening for human. Beef cattle could be raised successfully under many climates including both warm-humid and cool low-humid conditions.
What is the difference between Dairy Cattle and Beef Cattle?
• Dairy cattle are raised for milk production and dairy purposes, but the beef cattle are raised for meat purposes.
• Production of milk comes only from females in dairy cattle, whereas the meat production could come from either males or females in beef cattle.
• Dairy cattle have a better developed udder than beef cattle do.
• Beef cattle are larger in size with stout muscles than the dairy cattle are.
• Dairy cattle are fertile, and the hormonal activity is natural, while beef cattle are usually neutered and their endocrinology is modified.