The Maine-Anjou breed originated in the northwestern part of France. This area is excellent for beef production as it has both grassland and tillable land.
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 he Mancelle breed. In addition to their size and muscling, the Mancelle had a reputation for their easy fattening. Leclere -Thouin, an agriculturalist, 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".
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/maineanjou/