Beef Cattle breed profile
Charolais
- Continental European beef breed
- France
- extra large
- Temperament: moderate
Charolais is the dominant continental terminal sire in U.S. commercial crossbreeding. Used over British-bred cows to add growth and yield to feeder calves. Calving difficulty in heifers is the standard caution; the breed is rarely used as a heifer sire.
Production & size
Mature size and output.
Female weight
1400–1800 lbs
Male weight
2200–3000 lbs
Daily gain
3.2 lbs/day
Reproductive traits
Gestation
287 days
Seasonality
year round
Maternal
fair
Health & climate
Parasite resistance
good
Heat tolerance
fair
Cold hardiness
good
Humidity tolerance
fair
Common health concerns
- Calving difficulty in heifers (use as terminal sire only on mature cows)
- Higher input requirements than British breeds
Management requirements
Experience
experienced
Housing
basic shelter
Fencing
standard
Feed system
pasture, grain supplement, total mixed ration
Market access
Commercial market
excellent
Direct-market appeal
fair
Primary purposes