How Many Livestock Breeds Can You Identify?

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
How Many Livestock Breeds Can You Identify?
Image: Jacky Parker Photography/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Animal husbandry, the practice of raising animals for agricultural purposes, dates back an incredibly long time. In fact, there's evidence of humans raising livestock as far back as 13,000 BC. That's literally older than farming itself, which makes sense when you think about it. The art of simply keeping an animal and raising it would have been much easier to wrap your head around than how to grow and cultivate crops at first. 

So for 15,000 years, humans and animals have been together in an agricultural setting. Cattle, sheep, goats and pigs were the earliest animals that were raised by humans in a domesticated setting and around the world today they're still some of the most commonly raised animals. But they're not the only ones! 

As we've refined our ability to raise livestock we've also grown more diverse in our interests and tastes. The desire for more exotic products including textiles as well as dairy products, eggs and meats means there's a vast number of livestock animals out there for people to raise and market. Some of them are probably easily recognizable, but others may be a little more difficult to pick out of a crowd. 

If you think you know the livestock being raised around the world today, why not take our quiz and see how many you can identify?

Muscovy Ducks
By Eve Livesey/Moment/Getty Images
Can you identify this breed of poultry that was named for the area near Moscow?
Canada goose
Muscovy duck
Trumpeter swan
Pekin duck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Muscovy Ducks are native to Mexico and South America and are most easily identified by the red spots around their eyes. The name Muscovy doesn't relate to their origin and is thought to perhaps come from the name of a company that was well-known for trading the ducks in Europe.

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Hereford
Wiki Commons By agriflanders
This is one of the most common cattle breeds in the world. Can you name it?
Hereford
Holstein
LaMancha
Angus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hereford cattle originated in the UK and today are one of the most widespread breeds in the world. There are currently well over 5 million purebred Hereford cows around the world in over 50 countries, representing the largest part of the beef industry.

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Alpaca
Shutterstock
What's the name of this animal that has become extremely popular over the last several years?
Bison
Yak
Guernsey
Alpaca
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Alpaca farming has proved to be quite lucrative in recent years thanks to a number of factors. In some locations, farmers can enjoy some good tax incentives for raising them but the animals also produce valuable fleece and simply trading in breeding stock can earn quite a bit of money as well.

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Merino Sheep
Jamesbowyer/E+/Getty Images
This animal is very popular for the wool it produces. Do you know what it's called?
Nubian goat
Merino sheep
Hampshire sheep
Barbados blackbelly sheep
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Merino sheep are extremely popular for their wool, which is thinner and softer than most wool, making it a much more coveted fiber. Thanks to the softness of the yarn, it makes for much more pleasant products overall and is extremely popular for the manufacture of clothing and fabrics.

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Gray Partridge
Wiki commons
The Chukar and the Hungarian are the most commonly farmed breeds of this small bird. What is it?
Quail
Pheasant
Partridge
Grouse
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chukar and Hungarian partridges are two of the most common breeds raised in America today. They're very small birds and tend to be used either for game hunting or for specialty foods like at your fancier restaurants or individual buyers, rather than in supermarkets.

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duroc swine
Fuse/Corbis/Getty Images
Do you recognize this common breed of pig that is one of the least aggressive in American livestock?
Hampshire
Yorkshire
Duroc
Motley
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Duroc breed of pig is one of the most commonly raised throughout North America. They originate in Africa and are generally an orange or reddish-brown color. They're fairly muscular pigs and at maturity can weigh over 800lbs.

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Alpine Goat
Andrew Luyten/Moment/Getty Images
These animals are usually raised for their milk. What are they called?
Alpine goats
LaMancha goats
Merino sheep
Dwarf goats
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Alpine goats hail from the French Alps, and they are one of the most popular if not the most popular breed of dairy goat in the world. Though they can also be farmed for meat, the Alpine dairy industry is large. Alpines are also the only goat breed with upright ears.

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american bronze turkey
Debi Dalio/Moment/Getty Images
What's the name of this bird popular at holiday dinners?
Aylesbury
Leghorn
Jersey Giant
American Bronze Turkey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bronze turkey is the most popular variety of turkey in the United States, though there are a handful of others that are farmed fairly prominently as well. Though they tend to look rather squat, these are large birds and a full grown turkey can have a 6-foot wingspan.

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Ostrich
n/a
These birds produce some of the most environmentally sustainable red meat. What are they called?
Pheasant
Ostrich
Cassowary
Leghorn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ostriches have yet to take off as a large industry in America, but they're much more environmentally friendly to raise than cattle. While you need almost 2 acres of land to raise a cow, some ostrich farmers claim they can raise up to 10,000 ostriches on 120 acres of land if their feed is grown hydroponically.

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Wagyu Cattle
Fertnig/E+/Getty Images
Name this animal that produces some of the most expensive beef in the world.
Holstein
Longhorn
Angus
Wagyu
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The famous Japanese Kobe beef comes from Wagyu cattle, and the cows themselves have to be bred and raised to exacting standards to qualify as Kobe beef. Kobe only comes from Japan, and even beef from the same breed of cow in another country is not technically Kobe and can only be called Kobe style or simply Wagyu beef.

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dorset sheep
Rachel Husband/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images
This popular breed actually has a mutation that makes them safer to raise. What are they known as?
Hampshire sheep
Merino sheep
Polled Dorset sheep
Muscovy sheep
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Polled Dorset sheep is a popular breed in the industry that is all white and can be raised for wool, milk or meat. The "polled" part of the name refers to their lack of horns, which is a mutation of the breed that has been encouraged. Without horns, the rams are less dangerous both to each other and to human farmers raising them.

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Kiko Goat
Wiki Commons by AslanEntropy
Can you name this dramatic-looking breed that hails from New Zealand?
Verata
Yorkshire
Dorset
Kiko
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Kiko goat is easily recognizable thanks to its very noticeable horns. The breed itself is prized for its meat, and in fact, its name literally means meat, which is kind of sad for the goat when you think about it. The breed is not particularly old and was first recognized in the 1980s.

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Naked Neck Chicken
Pixabay by ARLOUK
These birds are popular for farming even though they may not be that pretty. What are they called?
Naked Neck
Leghorn
Dong Tao
Silkie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Naked Neck chickens may look like they've fallen ill, but the lack of feathers is part of the breed. This actually makes them more desirable overall for meat birds since they will require less effort to pluck. The breed is originally from Transylvania, so make your own vampire jokes.

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Guernsey
Wiki Commons By Man vyi
These dairy cows are named for an island in the English Channel. What's their name?
Hereford
Guernsey
Holstein
Angus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Guernsey cows are popular dairy cows in the U.S. and throughout the world. This is partially due to the fact they produce a high volume of milk and also because the milk produced by a Guernsey is actually higher in nutrients such as protein, Vitamin A and Vitamin D than other milk even though they require 20% to 30% less feed to produce the same amount as other breeds.

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yorkshire pig
Fuse/Corbis/Getty Images
This may be the most recognizable breed of pig in America. Do you know its full name?
Nubian
Merino
Hampshire
Yorkshire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Yorkshire pig, better known stateside as the American Yorkshire, is a bit smaller than its British cousin. The breed dates back to the 1700s in England so they have quite a history and while it took them a while to get established in the U.S., these days they can be found in pretty much every state.

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Yak
© Pascal Boegli/Moment/Getty Images
This animal does exceptionally well in cold weather. Do you know the name of it?
Water Buffalo
Yak
Bison
Alpaca
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yak farming is still fairly young in America, but it is growing in popularity thanks to how adaptable yaks can be and the fact their meat is lean like bison and quite tasty. There's also a market for yak milk and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt. Since yaks can handle nearly any climate in the U.S., they make for an attractive option for would-be farmers.

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Rabbit
WikiCommons by Airwolfhound
They call this fuzzy beast "micro-livestock." What's it better known as?
Marmot
Chinchilla
Rabbit
Capybara
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rabbits have never fully caught on as livestock in America owing to the fact so many people keep them as pets and they're generally regarded as cute and cuddly. Still, there is a meat and fur industry based around rabbit which is known by the name cuniculture. It's estimated over 2 million tons of rabbit meat is produced worldwide every year.

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Holstein cattle in field
CallyL
This breed of cow is one the best milk producers in the world. What name do they go by?
Holstein
Jersey
Angus
Belgian Blue
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Holstein cattle are genetically superior milk producers compared to pretty much every other breed used for the task. They have been bred for 2,000 years, making them one of the oldest breeds. A top producing cow could make upwards of 67,000 pounds of milk in a year.

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saanen goat
tomophotography/Moment/Getty Images
What do you call this creature, which is the largest of the dairy goat breeds?
Kalahari
Nubian
Saanen
Koki
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Originally from Switzerland, the Saanen goat grows to a size of about 130lbs. They're one of the most popular breeds in the world for milk production thanks to both the high volume and high quality of the milk they produce. One goat can produce over 2,500 lbs of milk per year.

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Plymouth Rock Chicken
Wiki Commons by Kanapkazpasztetem
This monochromatic bird is good for both meat and eggs. What is the name of it?
Rhode Island Red
Leghorn
Silkie Chicken
Plymouth Rock Chicken
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Plymouth Rock Chicken is one of the oldest breeds in America and is widespread across the entire country. During World War II, the government encouraged citizens to raise Plymouth Rock chickens for their own food so that food stores could be used for the troops.

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Bison
Eastcott Momatiuk/Digital Vision/Getty Images
What is the name of this massive, meat-producing beast?
Bison
Antelope
Yak
Wildebeest
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bison and buffalo are often considered the same animal but they are two distinct species. Bison are the animals with the large hump and shaggy appearance while an actual buffalo bears a much stronger resemblance to a bull with a wide face and large horns.

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Emu
n/a
Can you identify this large, flightless bird?
Cassowary
Ostrich
Emu
Bronze Turkey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Emu farming is slowly becoming more popular in America. These birds are raised for several different reasons including meat, leather and also their oil, which is used for a surprisingly diverse range of things including medicinal purposes.

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Jersey
Wiki Commons By Storye brook
This is the second largest breed of dairy cow in the world. What's it called?
Jersey
Angus
Norwegian Red
Irish Moiled
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jersey cows are noted for having highly nutritional milk, which also has a rich, off-white color due to higher levels of beta carotene. Farmers also favor jersey cows because their black feet tend to be stronger than the feet of many other cattle breeds.

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Hampshire Sheep
Ian West/Photodisc/Getty Images
This breed of sheep is bred for meat and wool. Do you know it?
Duroc
Devonshire
Yorkshire
Hampshire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hampshire sheep hail from Hampshire County in England. They're a popular breed thanks to their excellent quality wool and the fact they're good meat producers as well. Doesn't hurt that they're clearly the cutest of the sheep breeds, too.

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Verata Goat
Santiago Urquijo/Moment/Getty Images
What's the name of this Spanish breed of goat?
Klaatu
Verata
Nikto
Kalahari
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Verata goats hail from Spain and are raised both for meat and for milk. They're also extremely easy to pick out of a crowd thanks to their dramatic and somewhat intimidating horns. Males can also grow some pretty cool looking beards, which is fun.

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Quail
Shutterstock
These tiny birds can be raised for meat but also for their delicate little eggs. What are they called?
Pheasant
Peacock
Quail
Guinea hen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Quails are tiny birds weighing only around 200 grams. Their eggs are popular in fancier cooking, and a quail will actually mature to egg-laying age in only eight weeks, at which time they will lay an egg per day from then on.

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Horse
Mary Doherty Photography/Moment/Getty Images
It's illegal to raise these animals for meat in America. What are they?
Horse
Antelope
Deer
Donkey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Most people consider horses as either work animals or pets, but they are actually raised for meat in many parts of the world. Canada has a horse meat industry and there are horses raised in the U.S. that are shipped to Canada specifically to be slaughtered for meat.

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Pekin
Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond/Moment/Getty Images
What's the name of this common duck breed?
Toulouse
Aylesbury
Muscovy
Pekin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pekin ducks may not look all that remarkable, but they're one of the most popular breeds in America and the world. They're raised primarily for meat and more than half of all the ducks in America that are raised for meat are Pekins.

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Frog
Herman Bresser/Moment/Getty Images
There's a small meat industry for this aquatic critter. What are they?
Toads
Frogs
Turtles
Snakes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frog legs may not be the most popular meat in the world, but there is a market for them. Despite several attempts, there has been no real success in constructing a commercial frog industry in the United States, however. In Asia, there are commercial frog farms, but the conditions have been outed for being particularly inhumane.

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Angus Cattle
adamkaz/E+/Getty Images
This is one of the most well-known beef breeds. Do you know what it's called?
Dexter
Bonsmara
Angus
Shetland
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Angus, also called Aberdeen Angus, is a breed of cattle from Scotland. The Black Angus is the most popular beef breed in America. By 2005 there were over 300,000 registered animals in the U.S.

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Barbados Black Belly Sheep
Wiki Commons by Bradley Bishop
This sheep breed is not raised for wool at all. Do you know what it's called?
Barbados Black Belly
La Mancha
Verata
Spanish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Barbados Black Belly sheep are a very goat-like breed, but they are, in fact, sheep. Unlike most breeds, the Barbados Black Belly cannot be raised for wool because they don't actually produce wool. Instead, they grow hair that's not really suitable for anything.

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Hampshire Pig
Jacky Parker Photography/Moment/Getty Images
This pig breed looks like it's wearing a belt. What's its name?
Yorkshire
Duroc
Hampshire
Verata
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hampshire pigs are the fourth most common breed in America and are easily recognizable thanks to their unique color patterning. They're exceptional meat pigs owing to their very large size.

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Araucana Chicken
Wiki Commons by Uwe Engelmann
What's the name of this mustache-bearing bird?
Silkie
Araucana
Maran
Leghorn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Araucana chicken is an especially popular breed for backyard chickens breeders thanks to their bright, blue eggs which make them appealing. The mustache look is not actually a mustache but large ear tufts that don't particularly serve any purpose whatsoever.

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Texas Longhorn
Wiki Commons By Ed Schipul
This cattle breed probably has trouble walking through doorways. What's it called?
Angus
Jersey
Holstein
Texas Longhorn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Texas Longhorn is one of the most recognizable breeds in the world thanks to those eponymous horns. A mature steer of about 15 years old can have horns that are 9 feet across from tip to tip.

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Spanish Goat
Wiki Commons by Joe Mabel
This goat is sometimes called a scrub goat. Do you know its real name?
Spanish
Verata
Ancona
Duroc
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Spanish goats are raised for meat like many goats, but they also have a fun secondary benefit - they're really good at eating scrub. In fact, people actually use them to clear brush in an environmentally friendly way.

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Jersey Giant Chicken
Valeryna/Pixabay
These birds can grow to the size of a small dog. Tell us what they're called.
Polish
Leghorn
Jersey Giant
Silkie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jersey Giant chickens certainly earn their name with males growing to 15lbs. They're the largest breed of chicken and can be quite intimidating when you see an angry one running towards you.

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Toulouse Goose
bernswaelz/Pixabay
What is this bird that is bred in France for foie gras?
Muscovy duck
Toulouse goose
Trumpeter swan
Partridge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Toulouse geese come from the area called Toulouse in France. They're raised for meat production and because they gain weight so quickly, they're also prized in the production of foie gras, which is goose liver pate.

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Water buffalo
Da via Wiki Commons
These large animals are becoming increasingly popular in the dairy industry. What are they?
Water buffalo
Yak
Bison
Angus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Water buffalo are usually associated with Asia and Africa but they are making inroads in America as well. They're good producers of milk and the milk has also been used to produce some fairly popular cheeses as well.

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Leghorn Rooster
jmfonzy/Pixabay
There's a cartoon character named for this bird. What's it called?
Muscovy
Leghorn
Quail
Pheasant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Leghorn chickens originated in Italy and have become one of the most common breeds in America. The most well known Leghorn is, of course, Foghorn Leghorn of Looney Tunes cartoon fame.

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La Mancha Goat
jasonlingo/Moment/Getty Images
This goat has something in common in Don Quixote. Tell us what it's called.
Kalahari
Alpine
Saanen
La Mancha
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

La Mancha goats are known for their distinctive and tiny ears. They're a fairly hearty goat that can handle a wide array of climates and are noted for their exceptional milk production.

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Jacky Parker Photography/Moment/Getty Images