Breed description
Charolais is the leading terminal beef sire noted for its fast growth and excellent conformation. Charolais cattle are creamy white through to wheaten in colour. Bulls are noted for muscling, with excellent loins, good hindquarters and deep second thigh, while females are less heavily muscled and have well developed udders. Charolais stand on four strong feet and legs and should be alert.
History
Charolais was the first Continental breed of cattle to be introduced to Great Britain and it revolutionized our beef industry. The initial importation of bulls, which was led by dairy producers seeking a superior sire to improve their calves’ conformation, arrived in the late 1950s. These bulls were licensed solely for use through AI companies. The importations met with fierce resistance in certain sectors, particularly since Britain was reputed to be the stockyard of the world.
On arrival, Charolais immediately demonstrated its superiority over native breeds in terms of growth rate, conformation and killing out percentage, not only to dairy producers but also to key players in the beef industry. The breeds general acceptance was confirmed in 1962 with the establishment of the British Charolais Cattle Society (BCCS)
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Function
Charolais also demonstrates tremendous flexibility within Britons varying beef management systems – Charolais crossbred cattle can be taken through to finishing from 12 months of age, and grade in the preferred specification. This combination of factors ensures that Charolais crossbreds consistently command a premium over any other Continental crossbred on a weight for age basis
In addition, BCCS has recognized Charolais has the potential as a functional suckler cow suited in particular to lowland units. This is supported by the fact that France has more than 1.2 million pure Charolais cows, while in Ireland, Charolais is the leading terminal sire in the suckler cow herd
Breed Development
During the last 40 years, Charolais has evolved to match the British cattle industries requirements. British Charolais breeders have carefully selected for the breeds key performance traits and also for ease of calving.
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