Uzgoj goveda u sustavu krava-tele usmjeren je na proizvodnju goveđeg mesa. Takvim sustavom držanja krava, ublažavaju se suprotnosti između proizvodnje mesa i proizvodnje mlijeka nastale zbog stalnog povećanja proizvodnje mlijeka po kravi pa se tako smanjuje broj krava i teladi. Sustav držanja krava-tele pogodan je za površine koje se ne mogu upotrijebiti za intenzivnu ratarsku proizvodnju. U tom sustavu jedini proizvod jest tele koje se upotrebljava za tov. Ukupno proizvedeno mlijeko troši se na othranu teleta sisanjem. Zajedno s teletom najveći dio godine krava provodi na pašnjaku. Udio ljudskoga rada u sustavu krava-tele nizak je, što pridonosi ekonomičnosti sustava. Sustav krava-tele zasniva se na kravama mesnih pasmina ili križancima mesnih pasmina s pasminama kombiniranih svojstava. Učinkovitost i profitabilnost proizvodnje zavisi o pravilnom izboru genotipa, pasmine i tehnologije. Sirovinsku osnovicu ovog sustava čine travnjački resursi, uz odgovarajuće učešće namjenski proizvedene krme na oraničnim površinama.

Cattle breeding in the cow-calf production is focused on the production of beef. This kind of system of rearing alleviate the contradiction between the meat production and milk production due to the continuing increase in milk production per cow and thus reduction of the number of cows and calves. The system of keeping the cow-calf production is suitable for areas that cannot be used for intensive agricultural production. In this system only product is the calf that is used for fattening. Total produced milk is spent on feeding the calf sucking. Together with a calf most of the cows is carried out in the pasture. The share of human labour in the cow-calf is low, which contributes to the cost-effectiveness of the system. The system cow-calf based on cows of beef breeds or cross-breeds of beef breeds with dual purpose breed. The efficiency and profitability of production depends on the right choice of genotype, breed and technology. The raw material base of the system consists of grassland resources, with the appropriate participation of dedicated feed produced on arable land.