Nanyang Cattle

Nanyang Cattle

　　Originally from the Nanyang Basin in the southwestern part of Henan Province, the main production areas include Wulong District, Wancheng District, Tanghe, Dengzhou, Xinye, and Fangcheng in Nanyang City. The cattle are predominantly yellow in coat color, with some being red or straw-white; the face, eye area, and lower limbs are generally lighter in color, the nose mirror is mostly fleshy red or accompanied by black spots, and the hooves are mostly amber-colored with blood veins, of medium size; Nanyang cattle generally have a high withers, broad and thick shoulders, prominent breastbone, tightly spaced ribs, straight back and loin, well-formed limbs, and solid hooves. Adult bulls stand 144.9 cm tall, measure 159.8 cm in body length, have a chest circumference of 199.5 cm, and weigh 647.9 kg; cows measure 126.3 cm, 139.4 cm, 169.2 cm, and weigh 411.9 kg respectively.

　　Coat colors are mostly yellow, beige, yellow-red, and straw-white, with yellow accounting for 80.5% of the population. They have thin skin and fine hair. Nanyang cattle can be divided into three types based on body size and leg length: tall-legged, short-legged, and dwarf-legged. Some cattle exhibit shortcomings such as insufficient width and depth of the chest, sloping rumps, and shorter body length. The udders of cows are less developed.

　　Production Performance

　　Calves weigh between 21–32 kg at birth. They have good meat-producing capabilities. Under medium nutritional conditions, 18-month-old bulls average 441.7 kg in weight, gain 813 g per day, have a slaughter rate of 55.6%, a net meat yield of 46.6%, an eye muscle area of 92.6 cm², and tender meat with a bright red color, distinct marbling, delicious taste, and a cooked meat rate of 60.3%. Cows have a lactation period of 6–8 months, producing 600–800 kg of milk with a milk fat content of 4.5%–7.5%. They are highly adaptable and tolerant to coarse feed. Bulls reach sexual maturity at 8–12 months, and are suitable for breeding at 24 months.

　　 Nanyang cattle are a renowned dual-purpose breed in China, excelling in both work and meat production. They have strong meat-producing performance; under general conditions with coarse feed as the main diet, 1.5-year-old bulls have a slaughter rate of 55.6% and a net meat rate of 56.8%. The beef is fine-textured, with clear marbling and a delicious flavor. Nanyang cattle have a service life of 6–9 years.

　　Nanyang cattle have been introduced to 22 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across China. According to surveys in Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Yunnan, Hubei, and Hunan provinces, local cattle improved with Nanyang cattle lineage often produce calves that are mostly yellow-coated, exhibiting clear traits from the sire. These crossbred calves have higher birth weights and faster growth rates. Adult crossbred cattle show significant improvements in body size and weight compared to local breeds, with more compact builds; higher withers and longer legs give them stronger working ability; they also have better foraging capacity and adapt well to the local ecological environment.