February 2, 2007

China rolls out first cattle breed created for beef production

The Miyang cow has been certified by specialists from the National Livestock Genetic Resource Committee as China's first beef cattle breed created specifically for beef production.

Henan's Miyang County is at the eastern edge of the Nanyang basin, the birthplace of Nanyang cattle. Miyang County began the search for a suitable beef species in 1988, under the directive of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Provincial Livestock Department.

The certification committee chairman, Professor Zhang Yuan from China's Agricultural University said the Miyang Cattle is a breakthrough achievement for the improvement of cattle breeds in China and would be the country's first cattle breed created specifically for beef.