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What Cattle Breeds Produce the Best Beef?
You're probably used to buying beef based on its USDA grade or a specific cut, but cattle's breed — and the breed of any animal, for that matter — should be factored into your decision. Though store-bought meat doesn't always list the animal's breed on the packaging (Certified Angus Beef tends to be the main exception), it has significant effects on flavor, quality, and fat content. Studies have found that intramuscular fat content, also known as marbling, ranges from 0.99% to 2.72% among different breeds. Considering that USDA beef quality grades are assigned largely based on marbling, cattle lineage has huge implications on quality, so it's worth exploring the key differences among the 4 most popular beef breeds raised in America.
Key Takeaways
- Breed plays a key role in marbling, flavor, and quality, often even more than USDA grade
- Angus delivers consistently well-marbled, juicy meat and dominates premium beef markets
- Wagyu offers ultra-rich, buttery marbling; American Wagyu blends Wagyu and Angus for balanced flavor and texture
- Hereford yields budget-friendly, flavorful lean beef
- Piedmontese is extra-lean with double-muscling, ideal for healthy dishes though best when braised
Comparing Beef Breeds
Not all beef is created equal — the breed of cattle it comes from has a big impact on marbling, tenderness, and flavor. The chart below compares four popular beef breeds — Angus, Wagyu, Hereford, and Piedmontese — across origin, fat content, USDA grade, and the cuts they're best suited for.
| Breed | Origin | Marbling / Fat Content | Typical USDA Grade | Flavor & Texture | Best Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angus (Black/Red) | Scotland | Consistently well-marbled | Prime or Choice | High-quality, tender | Steaks, high-end cuts |
| Wagyu | Japan; American Wagyu = Wagyu x Angus cross | Exceptionally rich, plentiful marbling | Ultra-premium | Melt-in-your-mouth | Special-occasion steaks |
| Hereford | Herefordshire, England | Lower marbling than Angus | Prime or Choice | Less rich than Angus | Ground beef, budget-friendly steaks |
| Piedmontese | Piedmont, Italy | Minimal marbling, extra-lean | Rarely above Select | Lean, less flavorful | Best braised or stewed |
Angus Cattle
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Has become the most common cattle breed raised in America since arriving from Scotland in the late 1800s
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Well-marbled meat that typically earns Prime or Choice USDA grades
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Has surged in popularity in recent years, driven by that marbling quality
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Certified Angus Beef beef must meet 10 quality standards set by the American Angus Association
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Black Angus and Red Angus are genetically identical aside from hide color — treated as separate breeds in name only
What Is Certified Angus Beef?
In 1978, the American Angus Association established Certified Angus Beef as a stand-alone brand that represents the very best the breed has to offer. Beef bearing this seal must meet 10 quality standards set forth by the brand, though it’s still subject to USDA grading and generally hits Prime or Top Choice specifications. It should come as no surprise, then, that Certified Angus Beef is sold at a higher price than non-qualifying Angus meat, which often commands a greater cost than other breeds in its own right. You can find Certified Angus Beef as the top option in some markets and grocery stores.
What's the Difference Between Black Angus & Red Angus?
Though the US beef industry recognizes Black Angus and Red Angus as separate breeds, they’re identical in nearly every way — so much so that Angus is considered a single breed in many other countries. And the facts back that up: both are polled (hornless), hardy animals that produce highly marbled beef and have no genetic difference aside from the colors of their hides. Black Angus cattle have hides that are at least 51% black, while Red Angus stock possesses a primarily red hide. Yes, it’s really that simple!
The vast majority of Angus cattle currently raised in the USA is Black, so odds are you’ll see Black Angus marketed more frequently than Red Angus. Whether Black or Red, Angus cattle are so prized for their genetic disposition to major marbling that they’re often used in crossbreeding to improve the quality of other stocks.
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Wagyu Cattle
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Originally Japanese stock, produces beef so highly marbled it's considered a delicacy
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There are four sub-breeds of Wagyu: Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, and Japanese Polled
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Graded on a rigorous scale and is typically sold bearing the name of the region in which it was raised (e.g. Kobe beef from cattle bred in Kobe).
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Only 9 US restaurants are currently allowed to buy and sell authentic Kobe beef
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American Wagyu was developed by crossbreeding Japanese Wagyu with American Angus stock
American Wagyu
The domestic beef industry cleverly developed American Wagyu, the result of crossbreeding Japanese Wagyu cattle with American Angus stock. Despite the demand for purebred Wagyu, many Americans actually prefer the US-raised crossbreed for its ideal blend of Wagyu’s exquisite fat content and the beefy, robust texture we expect from Angus beef. The majority of Wagyu beef sold in high-end restaurants is sourced from the fatty-but-beefy American Wagyu stock. We stand by it as the most flavorful cut of beef out there, but it’s highly unlikely to be found in the majority of retail stores.
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Hereford Cattle
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Originated in Herefordshire, England, before arriving in the USA in the early 1800s
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Widely raised breed with a long history in American beef production
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Tends to grade lower than Angus among USDA inspectors, making it a cheaper option
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Produces decent steaks, good budget-friendly alternative to premium breeds
Piedmontese Cattle
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First raised in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy
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North American farmers developed their own Piedmontese breeds in the 1970s and early 1980s
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Known for a "double muscling" genetic trait, yielding more protein per cut
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Results in minimal marbling, producing lean — and sometimes tough — cuts
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Best when braised or used in stews
Does Cattle Gender Matter for Beef Flavor?
Regardless of the breed, bulls (male cattle) and cows (female cattle — that’s right, “cow” is actually a gendered term) produce beef of identical taste. Gender doesn’t play a role in cattle farming unless a cow has given birth, at which point she leaves the beef herd to become a milk cow in the dairy herd. Bet you didn’t think you’d leave this article with knowledge of cattle breeds and a bit of industry trivia, did you? Don’t worry, we won’t judge if you continue referring to all cattle as “cows.”
