Aberdeen Angus
The Aberdeen Angus, also called Angus, is a Scottish breed of small beef cattle. It derives from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in the North-East of Scotland.
About the Angus
Aberdeen Angus cattle have been recorded in Scotland since at least the 16th century. In 1824 William McCombie of Tillyfour began to improve the stock and is regarded today as the father of the breed. The first herd book was created in 1862 and the society was formed in 1879.
The Angus is naturally polled and solid black, though the udder can be white. Red Angus emerged in the middle of the 20th century. The cattle are very hardy and can survive the Scottish winters easily. They are undemanding, adaptable, good natured and mature extremely early. The Angus cows walve easily and have good calf rearing ability. The cattle have a large muscle content and are regarded as medium-sized. Cows weigh around 550 kg (1.210lb) and bulls weigh around 850 kg (1.870lb).
The main use of Angus is for beef production, the beef can be marketed as superior due to its marbled appearance. Angus can also be used in crossbreeding to reduce the likelihood of dystocia (difficult calving).
Angus are a truly international breed, they are the dominant breed in USA, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia.
At the moment we have a herd of around 100 Aberdeen Angus.
