Aberdeen Angus

The breed is one of Scotland’s most famous beef breeds and was developed originally in the early nineteenth century from the slow-maturing, black, horned cattle of Aberdeenshire which were crossed with other breeds.

One of the first great breeders was Hugh Watson of Keillor Farm, who established the breed type, while William McCombie subsequently popularised the Angus.

The Aberdeen Angus is a medium-sized, black, polled breed, although there are a small number of red pedigree animals. It has a worldwide reputation for high quality meat beef which is lightly marbled, succulent and tender.

The traditional Aberdeen Angus is a hardy early-maturing breed suitable for a grass fed system having a good foraging ability. The breed is renowned for it’s ability to put on condition from grass in the summer months and then survive off this condition in the winter.

Its maternal instincts and docile nature make it ideally suited to store cattle or suckled calf production. The breed is also known for its longevity. The breed is easily managed and has low maintenance costs. It has a good ability to thrive in harsh environments.

When used as a crossing sire the Angus bull produces calves which are small at birth making them ideal sires for first-calf heifers. They also colour-mark their progeny. The cows are easy calving especially when compared to continental breeds as the calves have a low birth weight.

The breed was widely exported throughout the world during the twentieth century, in particular to parts of South America, New Zealand, Australia, USA and Canada.