The origin and evolution of cattle breeds was long explained only by historical sources, with questionable reliability. In recent years genetic and molecular data have become available that shed new light on this, revealing how, from neolithic times, breeds emerged by migratory movements and mutual influencing of gene pools. But while molecular breed characterization is now rapidly advancing, phenotypic characterization remains under-explored. This publication presents a classification of around 1,000 cattle breeds based on geographical and historical data and morphology. Males and females of every breed are portrayed by the author in watercolour and to scale. The illustrations are positioned next to each breed's description, completing the overall image.
Marleen Felius, Ph.D., is a visual artist internationally famed for her cattle paintings, and is also a renowned expert on cattle morphology and breed history. Her immense knowledge is laid down in numerous publications including Cattle Breeds: An Encyclopedia (1995) and On the Breeds of Cattle (Ph.D. thesis, 2016).