To most people, a cow is a cow. However, just because the animal says “moo!” doesn’t mean it has the same purpose. Let’s talk beef cow vs dairy cow. They’re from the same bovine species, but they are different cattle breeds and have different purposes.
In the United States, farmers and ranchers raise cattle to produce beef and milk for human consumption. All breeds of cattle produce meat and all female cattle produce milk after they give birth. However, within the cattle industry, specific breeds of cattle are classified as either “beef” or “dairy” cattle due to their efficiency in producing either meat or milk.
Just like dogs or cats, different type of cattle breeds have certain characteristics. For example, if you want a dog that doesn’t shed, you will likely get a poodle or a doodle-mix. If you want a social and friendly cat, you would consider a maine coon breed.
Farmers and ranchers in the dairy industry and beef industry look at their cattle herds the same way. There is a big difference between beef cow vs dairy cow. Depending upon their focus, farmers build herds based upon specific genetic traits, like lifespan, weight, milk production, fat content of the meat, animal health, disease resistance, and more.
Cattle terminology
Before discussing the differences between beef cows and dairy cows, here’s a quick reminder of cattle terminology:
- Bovine: An animal in the cattle group, which includes cow, heifer, steer, bull, bison, and buffaloes.
- Cow: A cow is a female bovine who has given birth to a calf. Female cattle have udders. Using everyday lingo, cows are the “moms”
- Heifer: A heifer is a female bovine who has not given birth to a calf.
- Steer: A steer is a male bovine who has been castrated and cannot reproduce.
- Bull: A bull is a male bovine that is at least two-years old, is fertile and used for breeding.
- Calf: A calf is a baby bovine, male or female.
Beef Cattle
Since we raise beef cattle on our farm, let’s talk about beef cattle first.
As you’d guess from their name, beef cattle are raised for beef. There are many different breeds of beef cattle such as Angus, Hereford, Braham, and Simmental. On our farm, we have an Angus-based herd, but we cross-breed for different genetic characteristics so our cattle are different colors.
What makes beef cattle unique is their ability to convert grass into muscle. They have a stockier build, rounded bodies, and short necks. They are sometimes compared to a weight lifter because of their appearance and because their energy goes toward building muscle and storing fat. This results in great quality meat — you want lean beef with marbling for texture and flavor.
When a cattle farmer or rancher is selecting a beef cattle breed, they look at characteristics like growth rate, fat content of the meat, and disease resistance.
In the United States, the beef cattle industry is primarily made up of small, family farms with cow-calf operations. This means a farmer owns a female cow herd that stays on the farm for their entire lives. Each cow in the herd has a calf every year. The calf drinks its mother’s milk for about the first 6 months of life. At 6 months, the calf is about 500 lbs. and its body can effectively convert grass to nutrients. It will grow and gain muscle from the grass’s nutrients. At approximately 16 months of age, the calf is large enough to be sold for income. When raising beef cattle for meat production, it takes about 2-3 years for cattle to go from farm to fork.
Do steaks come from cows or steers?
Heifers, steers, and cows are all used to produce meat. Meat that comes from steers and heifers is usually higher quality.
Do beef cattle produce milk?
Beef cattle do produce milk, but only enough milk to feed their calves. On average, they will produce about 1-2 gallons a day, which is much less than the amount produced by dairy cows.
What other by-products come from beef cattle?
In addition to the beef we eat, by-products from beef cattle can be used to create products we use every day like leather, gelatin, baseballs, soccer balls, pet food, marshmallows, medicine, insulin, and much more.
Dairy Cows
When most people think of a cow, they think of Holstein cows with black and white spots. The Holstein is one of six common dairy cow breeds in the U.S. that farmers use for dairy production. The other common milk cows are Jersey, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Ayrshire, and Milking Shorthorn.
If beef cows are body builders, dairy cattle are long-distance marathon runners. They have long, lanky, thin frames. When you look at a dairy cow’s body you will notice large udders, and thin bodies and narrow legs. Some people think they look underfed, but that’s just their build.
Dairy cows use their energy into producing large quantities of milk, not meat. They can make an average of 7 to 10 gallons of milk per day. Farmers milk cows two to three times a day in a milking parlor. Today, automatic milking machines are used that help the dairy farmer keep accurate records of milk production from each cow.
Once a dairy cow is milked, it takes about two-days for the milk to travel from the farm to the store. During this time, it goes through many steps to ensure its high-quality milk. In fact, milk is one of the most regulated foods you can buy at the store.
In the United States, there has been a decline in dairy farms in recent years. According to the USDA, twenty years ago, there were 70,375 dairy herds in the U.S, and in 2022, there were 27,932 herds. Over the past 20 years, the U.S. has lost, on average, about 2,300 dairy herds per year.
Are dairy cattle used for beef?
Yes, but they don’t have the same quality of beef as you’d expect from a Prime steak. Dairy cows’ purpose is to make milk. Their bodies use energy to make milk, not fat and muscle like beef cattle.
What are other dairy by-products from the dairy sector?
Dairy products are essential to strong, healthy bones. One dairy cow’s daily milk production (about 70 pounds) can produce 8 gallons of milk or 3.3 pounds of butter or 7 pounds of cheese. High-quality dairy products can be found in milk, butter, ice-cream, custard, cheese, and whey.
One more thing!
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Nice to Meet You!
We're Matt & Jessica, fifth-generation cattle farmers & the owners of Clover Meadows Beef. Good food starts with knowing where it comes from. On our blog, you'll find easy beef recipes, cooking tips, stories of how we raise our cattle, and how to buy farm-fresh beef locally. Our goal is to make cooking beef easy so you feel confident cooking any cut of beef in your home kitchen.