Cattle breed profile
Rouge des Prés
Origin : France — Haut-Anjou, western France
How can this breed be identified?
The Rouge des Prés is a large French beef cattle breed, calm, voluminous and powerful. It is recognised by its red pied coat, often strongly marked, with light-coloured mucous membranes.
The head is usually red and frequently shows a white heart-shaped marking on the forehead. The ends of the legs are white. The animals give an impression of volume, length and power, with a large frame and good growth ability.
The animals are usually horned. Selection involving the introduction of the polled gene is in progress, but this trait is not yet a common feature for identifying the Rouge des Prés.
Overview, origin and history
The Rouge des Prés is a large French cattle breed, formerly known as Maine-Anjou. It was created at the Domaine des Rues, in Chenillé-Changé, in the Haut-Anjou region, on a model farm built in 1836 by the Rougé family.
For a long time, it was used as a dual-purpose breed. Since the 1980s, it has been oriented exclusively towards beef production. It is a calm, hardy and modern suckler breed, able to adapt to different farming systems.
The Rouge des Prés mainly lives outdoors. Grazing is a major part of its diet, and the breed is known for its ability to make good use of coarse forage. It also retains good maternal milk potential, allowing cows to feed their calves properly.
The breed is associated with the PDO Maine-Anjou, created in 2004, one of the rare French protected designations of origin dedicated to beef.
While maintaining its large frame, volume and beef qualities, the Rouge des Prés has gained in bone fineness. Current selection also focuses on feed efficiency, in order to maintain a grass-based, economical breed adapted to modern farming systems.
Identification hint
Look for a large French beef cattle breed, red pied and powerful, often with a red head marked by a white heart shape.
Other names
- Historical name
- Maine Anjou — France
Institutional references
Official text
Légifrance
- Reference name
- Rouge des Prés
Sources and contributions
SICA Rouge des Prés
Source title : Brochure de présentation de la race Rouge des Prés
Identification hint · Game · Overview and history · Visual identification · Key facts
Profile validations
Ophélie PRIAULT — SICA DOMAINE ROUGE DES PRES
Approved photographs · Approved description · Game · Overview and history · Visual identification · Key facts
Scea Ferme de la Cense
Approved photographs
Eliot Renaudin
Approved photographs