Beef Cattle Breeds Lesson Plan

Natalie Sanchez

Objectives o Teach students the differences between common cattle breeds

o Improve memorization skills
o Improve their ability to distinguish between different breeds and
their backgrounds
Standards o C7.2 Compare genetic characteristics among cattle, sheep, swine,
and horse breeds.
Materials/  Individual breed notes cards (one breed per student)
 PowerPoint with pictures of the breeds and their different
Accommodations characteristics
 Notes handout that goes along with PowerPoint
 Colored visual aid within notes
 Keep instructions and direction chunked
 Proved extra time if needed as well as repetition
Procedure o Ask the students if they know any cattle breeds
o Introduction for lesson- students are given a note card with a
picture of a specific breed on it as they walk into the door.
o Directions for the introduction of the lesson- this is an introduction
strategy that is used as a pre assessment of the students knowledge
of different beef breeds.
o On the white board, there will be the 8 different breeds in writing.
The students have to go up to the board and with their specific
note card, place it under the breed name that they believe their
picture represents. There is no wrong or right answer.
o Following placing of students note cards on the board, Present
PowerPoint of breeds.
o Students should be following along with their given notes
throughout the PowerPoint presentation.
o Checking for understanding throughout the presentation
Information  Angus:
Originated in Scotland
Color- solid black
Pros- good carcass, efficient feeders, moderate size
Cons- They sometimes can be too small to cross with other breeds and
they are lighter muscled
 Charolais
Originated in France
Color- White, but there is a variation in shades of white
Pros: heavy muscled and they adapt well to most areas
Cons: high feed efficiency ratio and they are typically horned
 Hereford
Origin: England
Color: shades of red with white
 Pros: docile, efficient feeders, hardy, and easily crossed up
Cons: horned, and their typical white color pattern is dominant and hard to
breed out
 Polled Hereford
Origin- Iowa
Color- same as horned Hereford
Pros: no horns
Cons: Slightly less muscled.
 Limousin
Origin: France
Color: light yellow to dark red, brown, and black
Pros: heavy muscled, lean carcass, and large loins
Cons: they are hard to cross with and they can be horned
 Shorthorn
Origin: England
Color: red, white, and a mixture of red and white known as roan
Pros: they are docile, crossable with mostly anything, very adaptable, and
good carcass and mothers.
Cons: can be horned
 Simmental
Origin: Switzerland
Color: black, red, brown, tan, yellow, all with or without white
Pros: fast growers, heavy muscled, and they adapt well to any climate
Cons: horned, can be too big and their coloring is inconsistent
 Maine-Anjou
Origin: France
Color: red and black, with or without white
Pros: they are great breed producers, they are also docile and crossable
Cons: they can be horned and their coloring isn’t consistent
 Brahman
Origin: Southwest U.S.
Color: light gray to red to black, the most common color is light to
medium gray
Pros: Crossed to create new breeds in the U.S, they are heat, insect, and
disease tolerant, and they are good mothers
Cons: unpredictable dispositions
Assessment Checking for Understanding:
1. Which beef breed is solid black?
2. Which breed is considered early maturing as well as a “motherly
breed?
3. Which breed is naturally hornless?
4. Which breed is heavy muscles, has a lean carcass, and large loins?
5. Which breed is considered to be fast growers, heavy muscled, and
adapt to any climate?

Finally, closure of the lesson:

1. Have the students get out of their seats and go back up to the board
and put their picture note card under the right breed name.