The Maine-Anjou cattle are a dual purpose and large breed of cattle originating in the Anjou region in West France. They are also called Maine-Anjou and Rouge des Prés in French.
The breed is raised for both milk and meat production, but it was also used as a draught animal in the past. Maine-Anjou cattle breed was created by the Viscount Olivier de Rougé in Chenillé-Changé in 1908. Currently the breed is primarily used for beef production.
The cattle in the northwestern part of France were large and well-muscled animals at the beginning of the 19th century. These animals were known as the Mancelle breed and they were popular for easy fattening.
And the Maine-Anjou cattle breed probably developed from Mancelle breed. The Maine-Anjou were first imported live in 1969 to Canada, and then later into the United States through artificial insemination.
The official Society of Maine-Anjou Cattle Breeders was established in 1908. Read some more information about the breed below.
Maine-Anjou Cattle Characteristics
Maine-Anjou cattle are a large breed of cattle and they are mainly red and white in color (sometimes black or roan). They have white patches on the head, tail, underside and rear legs.
They can be either horned or polled. The cows on average weight about 680 to 862 kg. And average body weight of the bulls vary from 998 to 1406 kg. Photo and info from Wikipedia.
Uses
The Maine-Anjou cattle were developed as a dual purpose breed. But they are now used primarily as a beef cattle breed. They were also used as a draught animal in the past.
Special Notes
The Maine-Anjou cattle breed is famous for it’s muscling and easy fattening. They grow relatively faster like some other beef cattle breeds. They are known to have a pleasant temperament, but the bulls can be sometimes aggressive.
The cows calve easily with no reported common problems. The cows are very good mothers and they produce high quality milk. And the cows are also used for milk production in France.
But currently the breed is mainly used for beef production. Review full breed profile of this breed in the chart below.
| Breed Name | Maine-Anjou | |
| Other Name | Also called Maine-Anjou and Rouge des Prés in French | |
| Breed Purpose | Mainly meat, also milk | |
| Special Notes | Large, fast growers, easy calving, pleasant temperament | |
| Breed Size | Large | |
| Bulls | 998-1406 kg | |
| Cows | 680 to 862 kg | |
| Climate Tolerance | All Climates | |
| Coat Color | Mainly red and white, but sometimes black or roan | |
| Horned | Yes or polled | |
| Milk Yield | Good | |
| Rarity | Common | |
| Country/Place of Origin | France |
