The Maine-Anjou breed originated in the northwestern part of France. At the beginning of the 19th century, the cattle in this region were large, well-muscled animals with light-red coats spotted with white. These cattle were known as the Mancelle breed.

In addition to their size and muscling, the Mancelle has a reputation for their easy fattening. Laclere-Thouin, an agriculturist, wrote in 1843 that on the community pastures of the Auge Valley, the Mancelle "were the last to be put onto the grass, but were the first to be picked out to go to the markets in the capital city."

In 1839 the Count de Falloux, a landowner, imported Durham cattle from England and crossed them with the Mancelle. The cross was extremely successful, and by 1850 Durham-Mancelle animals were winning championships at the French agricultural fairs. In 1908 the Society of Durham-Mancelle Breeders was formed at Chateau-Gontier in the Mayenne district.

In 1909 the name was changed to the Society of Maine-Anjou Cattle Breeders, taking the name from the Maine and Anjou river valleys. Breeders of the cattle were mostly small farmers whose goal was to maximize income from their small area of land. For this reason, the Maine-Anjou evolved as a dual-purpose breed, with the cows used for milk production and the bull calves fed for market. It is still common on many farms to find Maine-Anjou being milked.

The Maine-Anjou is one of the larger breeds developed in France, with mature bulls weighing from 2,200 to 3,100 pounds on the average. Mature cows will range from 1,500 to 1,900 pounds. Their coloring is very dark red with white markings on the head, belly, rear legs and tail. White on other parts of the body also is common.

The first Maine-Anjou cattle imported into North America came to Canada in 1969. These cattle were then introduced to the United States through artificial insemination. The Maine-Anjou Society Inc. was established in Nebraska in 1969, and included both American and Canadian members. In 1971 the name was changed to the International Maine-Anjou Association, and headquarters were set up in the Livestock Exchange Building in Kansas City, Mo. The name was changed in 1976 to the American Maine-Anjou Association.
http://www.maine-anjou.org