Cattle are a staple of any Hobby Farm. Even if you only have an acre or two of grazing pasture, having a couple of bucket calves can be a fun way to “start small” and work your way up. If you have a lot of pasture land, then a few head (or a full herd) of cattle can be a great way to utilize the acreage and provide an additional source of income off your land.
The breed of cattle that you choose will depend greatly on what you want to accomplish. If you are looking for a couple of cows that will provide Milk for your family, then dairy breeds such as: Holstein, Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorn, or Jersey would be a good place to start looking.
If you are interested in raising cattle for meat production (for yourself or to sell) then breeds like: Angus, Charloias, Simmental, Limousin, or Hereford would be good first choices.
Still, some Hobby Farm owners like the unique characteristics of some of the more unique breeds of cattle, and are less interested in their milk or meat production. Unusual breeds such as: Scottish Highlander, Texas Longhorn, Ankole-Watusi, Belgian Blue, Dexter, Zebu, and Brahma all have their own special place in people’s hearts.
Check below to see the listings for cattle by specific breed near you!
| Picture | Breed |
|---|---|
 | Akaushi: Origin: Japan Coloring: Red Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Great marbled meat |
 | Angus: Origin: Scotland Coloring: Black or Red Production: Meat Production Breed Note: Most common breed of beef cattle in the US |
 | Ankole-Watusi: Origin: Africa Coloring: Multiple Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Horns can reach up to 8ft in length, Also regulate heat |
 | Ayrshire: Origin: Scotland Coloring: Red, white Production: Milk Breed Note: Fully grown horns can reach up to a foot in length |
 | Beefmaster: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Red, white Production: Milk Breed Note: Very resistant to disease and parasites |
 | Belgian Blue: Origin: Belgium Coloring: Blue, gray, white, black Production: Meat Breed Note: Great at converting less food into more muscle |
 | Belted Galloway: Origin: Scotland Coloring: Black, white, red Production: Meat Breed Note: Considered a "light grazer" meaning they don’t damage land while grazing |
 | Black Baldy: Origin: Unknown Coloring: White, black, red Production: Meat, breeding Breed Note: Noted for their great motherhood. Great calf survival rate. |
 | Black Hereford: Origin: British Isles Coloring: White, black, red Production: Breeding, meat Breed Note: Mature early in life providing more breeding |
 | Braford: Origin: Australia( 1946) - U.S.(1947) Coloring: Red, white Production: Meat, sport Breed Note: Heat and insect resistance because of increased sweat glands |
 | Brahman: Origin: U.S. Coloring: White to gray Production: Breeding, milk Breed Note: Known for extreme tolerance to heat and insects |
 | Brangus: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Black Production: Breeding, milk Breed Note: Noted to resistance of hot and cold temperatures |
 | Braunvieh: Origin: Switzerland Coloring: Black, gray, brown Production: Breeding, meat Breed Note: Social breed, like to stay in larger groups |
 | British White: Origin: Britan Coloring: White mostly, black, red Production: Meat Breed Note: Will eat almost anything they are near. Can clear an entire tree or shrub with ease |
 | Brown Swiss: Origin: Switzerland Coloring: Brown, tan, white, almost black Production: Milk Breed Note: Known for large gestation period, size, and large furry ears. |
 | Charolais: Origin: France Coloring: White, creamy, red, black Production: Meat Breed Note: Cows and bulls can weigh over two thousand pounds |
 | Chianina: Origin: Italy Coloring: White to gray Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Because of their long bodies and legs they can walk long distances with ease |
 | Corriente: Origin: Unknown for sure Coloring: Multiple Production: Sport (rodeo) Breed Note: Known as escape artists as most can get out of their cages |
 | Devon: Origin: England Coloring: Shades of red Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Labeled as an "easy keeper" as they would eat anything and are easy to manage |
 | Dexter: Origin: Ireland Coloring: Black, red, dun Production: Milk Breed Note: These are sometimes sold as a novelty because of their size |
 | Dutch Belted: Origin: Switzerland and Austria Coloring: Black or Red Production: Milk, breeding Breed Note: Can live to be about 20 years old |
 | Fleckvieh: Origin: Austria, and Germany Coloring: Yellow, red, white Production: Milk, meat, breeding Breed Note: Second largest cattle breed in the world |
 | Florida Cracker: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Multiple Production: Meat, competition Breed Note: One of the oldest U.S. cattle breeds |
 | Galloway: Origin: Scotland Coloring: Multiple Production: Meat Breed Note: Their fur coat provides a dual purpose of insulation and shedding wind and rain |
 | Gelbvieh: Origin: Germany Coloring: Shades of red, black, yellow Production: Meat, breeding, milk Breed Note: Quick in maturity, able to adapt to different climates easily |
 | Guernsey: Origin: Guernsey Coloring: Orange/red, white Production: Milk Breed Note: Inbreeding has become a concern due to a small gene pool in some areas |
 | Heck: Origin: Germany Coloring: Multiple Production: Environmental purposes. basically none to humans Breed Note: Extremely aggressive, can attack without warning |
 | Hereford: Origin: United Kingdom Coloring: Brown, red, white Production: Meat Breed Note: One of the most highly adaptive breeds in the world |
 | Highland: Origin: Scotland Coloring: Multiple Production: Meat Breed Note: Due to their long hair they cannot handle heat as well as other cattle breeds |
 | Holstein: Origin: Netherlands Coloring: Black, red, white Production: Milk Breed Note: Known for their outstanding milk production. About 2,674 gallons of milk each lactation cycle |
 | Jersey: Origin: Channel Islands (Europe) Coloring: Brown, black Production: Milk Breed Note: Smallest dairy cattle. Very curious breed of cattle |
 | Limousin: Origin: France Coloring: Shades of red, black Production: Meat, breeding Breed Note: Known for muscularity, feed efficiency, and carcass quality |
 | Lowline: Origin: Australia Coloring: Black Production: Meat, pets Breed Note: These cattle are small in size without having a dwarf gene |
 | Lowline Angus: Origin: Australia Coloring: Black Production: meat, pets Breed Note: These cattle are small in size without having a dwarf gene |
 | Maine Anjou: Origin: France Coloring: Red, white, black Production: meat Breed Note: Bulls can weigh in range from 2,200 to 3,100 pounds |
 | Milking Shorthorn: Origin: Great Britan Coloring: Red, white Production: Milk Breed Note: Known for ease of longevity and calving |
 | Murray Grey: Origin: Austra Coloring: Shades of grey Production: Milk Breed Note: Their grey skin tone actually helps them reflect more heat than other cattle with different colors |
 | Normande: Origin: France Coloring: Brown, black, white Production: Milk, beef Breed Note: This breed tends to darken in color as they age |
 | Piedmontese: Origin: Italy Coloring: White, gray, black Production: Meat, mik Breed Note: This breed has birthing problems because of the bulkiness of their offspring |
 | Pineywoods: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Red, brown, white, black Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: One of the oldest cattle breeds in the U.S. |
 | Pinzgauer: Origin: Austria Coloring: shades of red, white Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Large in frame, mature bulls can weigh up to 2,000 pounds |
 | Polled Hereford: Origin: England Coloring: Red, white Production: Meat Breed Note: Considered one of the most gentle cattle breeds |
 | Randall: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Black, white, blue, gray Production: Breed Note: Extremely adaptive to extensive or low input farming systems |
 | Red Angus: Origin: England and scotland Coloring: Red Production: Meat Breed Note: Resistant to harsh weather, undemanding, adaptable, good natured |
 | Red Brangus: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Red Production: Milk, meat Breed Note: Because of their color it provides them easier foraging in the heat compared to other colored breeds |
 | Red Poll: Origin: Suffolk and Norfolk Coloring: Shades of red, white Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: The breed is universally polled, meaning without horns |
 | Santa Gertrudis: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Red, white Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: The first beef breed formed in the U.S. in 1940 |
 | Scottish Highland: Origin: Not well recorded Coloring: Multiple Production: Meat Breed Note: One of the oldest cattle breeds in the world |
 | Senepol: Origin: Caribbean island of St. Croix Coloring: Red, black, brown Production: Milk, meat Breed Note: This breed has greater immune responses than other cattle breeds according to the USDA |
 | Shorthorn: Origin: Northcumberland, Durham, lincoln, york Coloring: Red, roan, white Production: Milk, meat, breeding Breed Note: Some may get a genetic defect that will cripple legs |
 | SimAngus: Origin: Unknown Coloring: Black, red Production: Meat Breed Note: This was a crossbreed between the angus and red angus cattle |
 | Simmental: Origin: Switzerland Coloring: Gold, red, white Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Bred all over the world for their high beef yields |
 | Tarentaise: Origin: France Coloring: Auburn Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Suited for rough conditions and high elevations |
 | Texas Longhorn: Origin: U.S. Coloring: Red, white Production: Beef, breeding, sport Breed Note: This breed can survive in almost any climates |
 | Wagyu: Origin: Japan Coloring: Black or Red Production: Meat Breed Note: Originally selected for their agricultural and physical endurance |
 | White Park: Origin: Ireland, Scottland,England Coloring: White, black, red Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Cows average 1,000 pounds while bulls average about 1,700 |
 | Zebu: Origin: Asia Coloring: Gray, white, red Production: Meat, milk Breed Note: Very tolerant to intense environments |
Looking to purchase Gelbvieh. R theses the only 2 you have? Where r u located?
Looking for Guernsey cow in milk or bred heifer ,has to be A2A2
Interested in Wagyu cattle.
Looking for a Charolais for meat.
Looking for red poll cattle in texas
Hanna Like to lease Belted Galloway bull (black and white) for 5 head of cows 60 days
FFA project
Looking for scottish highlands
Hi,
We live in Brevard Co FL which has high humidity and highs in teh low 90s from about May through September.
Thinking of moving onto some land and would love to have some farm animals. I am partial to Scottish Highland cows. Any opinion on if these would thrive and tolerate this heat well?
Looking for Texas Longhorns for sale near Palmetto, FL
Looking for a young Chianina bull for breeding my charalios. Reasonable price
Looking for a reasonable priced full blood Chianina bull
What is the best way to start a lowline farm and where can I buy some to start I have 4 acres
looking to buy aberdeen (lowline) black angus steers to finish for slaughter later in 2019. Any for sale?