Diversity 2011, 3, 660-692; doi:10.3390/d3040660 OPEN ACCESS diversity ISSN 1424-2818 www.mdpi.com/journal/diversity Review On the Breeds of Cattle—Historic and Current Classifications Marleen Felius 1, Peter A. Koolmees 2, Bert Theunissen 2, European Cattle Genetic Diversity Consortium † and Johannes A. Lenstra 2,* 1 Mauritsstraat 167, Rotterdam 3012 CH, The Netherlands; E-Mail:
[email protected] 2 Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, Utrecht 3584 CM, The Netherlands; E-Mails:
[email protected] (P.A.K.);
[email protected] (B.T.) † The following members of the European Cattle Genetic Diversity Consortium contributed to the study: Austria: R. Baumung, S. Manatrinon, BOKU University, Vienna; Belgium: G. Mommens, University of Ghent, Merelbeke; Denmark: L.-E. Holm, Aarhus University, Tjele; K.B. Withen, B.V. Pedersen, P. Gravlund, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen; Estonia: H. Viinalass, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu; Finland: J. Kantanen, I. Tapio, M.H. Li, MTT, Jokioinen; France: K. Moazami-Goudarzi, M. Gautier, Denis Laloë, INRA, Jouy-en-Josas; A. Oulmouden, H. Levéziel, INRA, Limoges; P. Taberlet, Université Joseph Fourier et CNRS, Grenoble; Germany: B. Harlizius, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover; H. Simianer, H. Täubert, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen; G. Erhardt, O. Jann, C. Weimann, E.-M. Prinzenberg, Justus-Liebig Universität, Giessen; I. Medugorac, A. Medugorac, M. Förster, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich; H.M. Mix, Naturschutz International, Grünheide; C. Looft, E. Kalm, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel; Ireland: D.G. Bradley, C.J. Edwards, D.E. MacHugh, A.R. Freeman, Trinity College, Dublin; Italy: P. Ajmone Marsan, R. Negrini, Università Cattolica del S.