Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

History

The Charolais originated in west-central to southeastern France, in the old French provinces of Charolles and neighboring Nievre. The exact origins of the Charolais are not known but it must have been developed from cattle found in the area. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

Legend has it that white cattle were first noticed in the region as early as 878 A.D., and by the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were popular in French markets, especially at Lyon and Villefranche. Selection developed a white breed of cattle which, like other cattle of continental Europe, were used for draft, milk and meat. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

The cattle were generally confined to the area in which they originated until the French Revolution. But, in 1773, Claude Mathieu, a farmer and cattle producers from the Charolles region, moved to the Nievre province, taking his herd of white cattle with him. The breed flourished there, so much so that the improved cattle were known more widely as Nivemais cattle for a time than by their original name of Charolais.

One of the early influential herds in the region was started in 1840 by the Count Charles de Bouille. His selective breeding led him to set up a herd book in 1864 for the breed at Villars near the village of Magny-Cours. Breeders in the Charolles vicinity. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

The French have long selected their cattle for size and muscling. They selected for bone and power to a greater extent than was true in the British Isles. The French breeders stressed rapid growth in addition to cattle that would ultimately reach a large size. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

These were men that wanted cattle that not only grew out well but could be depended upon for draft power. Little attention was paid to refinement, but great stress was laid on utility. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

It was only after the second world war that Charolais made its appearance in other parts of the world. At first small exports, such as four bulls and six females to Brazil in 1950; five bulls and eleven females to Argentina in 1955; one bull and three cows to South Africa in 1955 followed by three bulls and 15 females in 1956, took place.

This small trickle developed into a big stream. In 1964 for instance 259 bulls and 1,605 cows were exported from France and this trend is still increasing. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

Characteristic

The typical Charolais is white in color with a pink muzzle and pale hooves, horned, long bodied, and good milkers with a general coarseness to the animal not being uncommon. There are now Charolais cattle being bred black and red in color.

Charolais are medium to large framed beef cattle with a very deep and broad body. They have a short, broad head and heavily muscled loins and haunches. Charolais have demonstrated growth ability, efficient feedlot gains and in carcass cut-out values.

With excellent meat conformation, especially of the valuable parts and relative late maturity they are well suited to fattening for high finished weight. They are well suited to all purpose cross breeding. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

Statistics

• Charolais are good for growth and uniformity
• They have superior natural liveweight gain for age
• Tremendous muscling and conformity
• Easy to manage in terms of temperament
• Ease of calving
• The ability to fit into any system – grass based or intensive
• Charolais delivers a distinct color code, Charolais cross calves have dominant color markings which provides a guarantee of their parentage
• Charolais cattle are one of the world’s finest beef cattle. They produce excellent quality beef and often are used to improve herds of other cattle breeds. In addition, they are good-natured, easy to travel, and adapt to various environmental changes.
• They are well suited to all-purpose crossbreeding. Crossbred calves bred from Charolais sires are hailed as successful and healthy, with high growth rates, and they often do well in contributing to commercial herds, too. Charolais bulls also are bred to Angus, Hereford, and Brahma cows to produce hardy offspring and improve herds. The offspring of such crosses typically retain the best aspects of the Charolais breed.

The Optimal Weight Gain Curve

Charolais, like Limousine, is a large-bodied terminal beef breed and can produce at about 2 kg/day in average, but up to 3 kg/day during fattening. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

The weaning weight (bull: 240-260 kg, heifer: 220-240 kg) is usually reached by at the age of 205 days. In the case, where a calf nursery is also used during rearing, the weaning weight can be approach 300 kg, in the case of bulls it can be 350-400 kg.

This breed brings an average weight gain of 1,500-1,700 grams/day in all conditions, but in many cases, the daily weight gain of over 2,000 grams is easily achieved. In order to achieve adequate structural strength, it is not necessarily good for the breeding animals to gain 2 kg or more per day – the expert says. Buy Charolais Cows For Sale

The animals reach 600-650 kg at the age of one year, but the breed can be economically fattened up to 750-800 kg, since subcutaneous fat grows slower till that. Due to the fact that a heavier slaughter animal can be produced by the end of fattening, the specific cost of rearing and producing calves will be lower.

Why Choose This Beef Breed

• They have an exceptionally high natural live weight gain
• Enormous muscularity and fitness
• Easy to handle in terms of temperament
• Easy calving,
• Ability to fit into any system: grassy or intense
• Ability to withstand cold winters and warm summers, handle extreme weather conditions
• Good ability to travel