Weizhou Yellow Cattle

Weizhou Yellow Cattle

Weizhou Yellow Cattle is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Weizhou Yellow Cattle is one of the fine local livestock breeds in Guangxi and has a long history of being raised in Beihai, Guangxi. The cattle’s coat comes in three colors: yellow, brown, and black. They have moderately sized heads with flat foreheads, thick and round horn bases, and outwardly splayed horns. Their necks are short and thick with well-developed dewlaps. Originally native to Weizhou and Xiyang islands in Beihai City, Guangxi, Weizhou Yellow Cattle are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Morphological Characteristics

　　Their coats come in three colors: yellow, brown, and black. They have moderately sized heads with flat foreheads, thick and round horn bases, and outwardly splayed horns. Their necks are short and thick with well-developed dewlaps. Bulls have prominent shoulder humps, averaging 12.4 cm in height, deep and wide chests, straight backs and loins, sloping rumps, sturdy limbs, and well-developed muscles. Cows have well-proportioned udders and slender legs. Adult bulls stand 115 cm tall and weigh 280 kg, while cows measure 100 cm in height and weigh 200 kg. The slaughter rate for bulls is 56.9%, with a bone-to-meat ratio of 1:5. The eye muscle area is 74.5 square centimeters. Cows are first bred at 1.5 to 2 years of age, with a breeding rate of 76.2%.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The central production areas of Weizhou Yellow Cattle are Weizhou and Xiyang islands in Beihai City, Guangxi, but they are also distributed across various towns and villages in Beihai’s one county and three districts. The geographical coordinates are: 108°50′ to 109°47′ east longitude and 20°26′ to 21°55′ north latitude. The protected area spans 3,337 square kilometers, including 24.74 square kilometers on Weizhou Island (with the highest point at 79.6 meters above sea level) and 1.89 square kilometers on Xiyang Island. The annual herd size exceeds 26,000 head.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Features: Medium build with well-proportioned body parts, short and dense coat that is glossy. Coat colors are yellow, brown, and black. Colors gradually lighten on the belly, lower thighs, and lower legs. The nose mirror is mostly dark brown, with a few being flesh-colored. Ears are horizontally set, pointed at the tips, and thin-skinned. Horn bases are thick and round, often forming an inverted V shape, usually blackish-brown or wax-colored. Dewlaps are well-developed. The tail extends to the lower part of the hock, with a large black tail brush. Bulls have prominent shoulder humps. Cows have refined heads and necks, with teats that are black or brownish-yellow. The rumen contains bacteria capable of degrading mimosine and its metabolite DHP, allowing the cattle to consume Leucaena without poisoning. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Weizhou Yellow Beef is tender and elastic, light red in color, with a sweet taste and no fishy odor. Internal quality indicators: beef protein: 21.9%, fat: 0.68%, moisture: 76.2%, ash: 1.08%, total amino acids: 18.43%, calories: 400.4 kj/100g. (3) Safety Requirements: Compliant with safety standards outlined in “NY5034-2005 Pollution-Free Animal Meat and By-products,” “NY5030-2006 Pollution-Free Animal Husbandry - Veterinary Drug Use Guidelines,” and “NY/T5038-2006 Pollution-Free Poultry Farming Production Management Standards.”