What cattle do we get our "beef" from in the US?

As someone who has raised beef cattle (here in Oklahoma) I must say the TFD is (unfortunately) mistaken, (at least here in the U.S.) Most cattle fall into one of two varieties, Beef and Dairy (there are also some breeds that are almost exclusively show cattle) The most popular (and common) Beef varieties are Angus, Limousine, Herefords, Longhorn; This list, including cross breeds (for instance, limangus, what I raise, is a cross of limousine and angus) and constitutes somewhere around 90% of beef production with in the US. (not include 'beef' used for things like dog food). I would consider that list to be in descending order of beef quality (but that is a matter of opinion...)

There are several varieties of cattle which are raised for dairy production, and these do not generally produce quality cuts of meat, but do produce copious quantities of milk. These breeds are led by Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Ayrshire, Jersey, and Milking Shorthorn.

Buffalo (or Bison) is a separate breed altogether and is no longer all that exotic. I regularly use bison to make chili.

Yes, cows are 'females' but not all cows are heifers, a heifer is a female that has not yet given birth to her first calf .

And @Scivitri while feeding and ranging cattle do make a difference the driving force in beef flavor is still the breed. I can tell the difference between breeds by flavor but the difference from feeding and ranging is really more about tenderness and texture.

What country are you in?

Most countries offer beef from all their cow varieties. Most are very similar, though some have slightly better properties for certain cooking styles. But these are mostly offset by condition on the animal, feed quality, and age

A good butcher would know not only what kind of cow it was, but what farm it came from (hopefully a local one!)

In countries with large dairy industries you will find plenty of very young beef from the excess stock of the milking cows

A free range, grass feed, happy and healthy cow, only a year or two old is generally going to have nicer meat than some "flash" brand cooped up and artificially feed

I was a butcher for 8 years in a grocery store. if you are not buying the animal for a speciality shop you are getting feed lot beef from a packing plant. If you are at a restaurant and they say they're serving Angus beef or Black Angus or Red Angus you ask him to prove it then I guarantee you that they can't.

• Herefords
• Wagyus

My grandpa sells Herefords to the best restaurants in NYC his meat is highly sought after. He treats his cows like his children and they produce some of the best meat here in Ohio. Our neighbor raises Wagyu and grandpa and him are both known to have some of the best cows in Ohio. Both have articles written about them. I have loved petting the cows since I was a kid they're very docile.