Identify Salers Cattle
This is a good article that tells how to identify Salers cattle. Salers is a French breed, and is pronounced not "SAY-lers" but "Sa-LAIR" with the "s" at the end of this name being silent (as it always is in the French language). The "s" remains silent even when referring to the plural form of "Salers," which is the same as the singular form as indicated in the second sentence above.
Contents
Steps
- Do a search on the Internet or in your cattle breeds book on "Salers."
- Study the characteristics of the breed. Note the following:
- Colouration: Salers come in a deep mahogany-red. Some cattle may be a deeper red than others, and other cattle may also be black. Black colouration, just like in Simmentals, Charolais, Gelbvieh and Identify Maine Anjou Cattle cattle, is from the infusion of Angus genetics in this breed to take advantage of flexibility in a producer's breeding program.
- Body type and characteristics: Salers are an average-sized breed, but a lot of animals today are quite large-framed, and very blocky. Salers tend to be quite tall, in leg-to-body ratio, and long in body like Limousins. The breed also tends to be very deep from the rump to the shoulders, in both cows and bulls. Cows are relatively good milkers, though not as much as the Holstein, but generally may have a larger udder than other breeds like the Herefords. Salers also tend to have a lighter tail switch, and may have a curly hair coat throughout. Bulls typically have a curly forehead, much like Charolais do.
- Head characteristics:Traditional Salers are horned, since the males are primarily used as oxen in France. Their horns tend to curve out and up, like a Identify Texas Longhorn Cattle, but are not nearly as long as a longhorn's nor a highlander's. Polled Salers can be confused with Identify Red Poll Cattle and Red Angus, however the best way to tell Salers and Red Polls and RA's apart is by noticing how much more rugged and coarse a Saler's head is than an RA's or RP's. RA cows are much more feminine-looking than Salers are, and RA bulls always have either a black face with black on the front of each leg and a black line down the back and tail, or have lighter points on either side of the poll. RP's also have the more refined look than Salers, and come in a deep cherry red, not a mahogany red. Both breeds are naturally polled, unlike most Salers.
- Other characteristics: Unfortunately, Salers, like Limousins, are notorious for being very nervous and flighty. Though most European Salers are less wild, not much has been done for the North American Salers that exist today. But this is only a general rule, as you may come across one or two Salers breeding operations that have quite calm and docile cattle. Salers are known for their great carcass characteristics and ability to survive on rugged mountainous terrain and range-lands with little supplementation. They are good mothers, have great milking ability, and are relatively more free from diseases than other breeds.
- Memorize the details and characteristics of this breed.
- Go on a field trip or road trip and see if you can find farms and ranches with Salers cattle. Take pictures of what you thought were Salers cattle, and compare them with pictures of Salers on the Internet and in your cattle breeds book.
Tips
- Do not get Salers confused with Red Polls, Red Angus nor Red Charolais.
- Many Salers cattle are quite curly, which can be a distinguishing characteristic between this breed and Red Polls.
Warnings
- Do not get Salers confused with Red Polls. Red Polls are smaller in size, and are a British breed, not a Continental.
- As mentioned in Other characteristics above, Salers tend to be quite flighty and nervous, and may take flight for the hills if they see a stranger like you. If worse comes to worse, you may even be faced with a nasty bull or cow that is clearly letting you know they'd rather you be somewhere else than where they see you right now.
