TheAberdeen Angus,sometimes simplyAngus,is aScottishbreedof smallbeef cattle.It derives from cattle native to thecountiesofAberdeen,Banff,KincardineandAngusin north-easternScotland.[4]: 96 In 2018 the breed accounted for over 17% of the beef production in the United Kingdom.[5]
 A bull nearMelton Constable,inNorfolk | |
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| Other names |
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| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Distribution | all five inhabited continents |
| Use | beef |
| Traits | |
| Weight | |
| Height | |
| Coat | black or red |
| Horn status | polled |
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The Angus is naturallypolledand solid black or red;[6]theuddermay be white.[citation needed]The cattle have been exported to many countries of the world; there are large populations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South America and the United States,[6]where it has developed into two separate and distinct breeds, theAmerican AngusandRed Angus.[4]: 105 In some countries it has beenbredto be taller than the native Scottish stock.[6]
Itsconservation statusworldwide is "not at risk";[1]: 143 in the United Kingdom the original Native Aberdeen Angus – cattle not influenced by cross-breeding with imported stock – is listed by theRare Breeds Survival Trustas "at risk".[3]
History
edit
Aberdeen Angus cattle have been recorded in north-eastern Scotland since at least the sixteenth century.[7]For some time before the 1800s, the hornless cattle inAnguswere called "Angus Doddies", while those in the historic province ofBuchan(later part ofAberdeenshire) were known as "Buchan Humlies",[8]: 12 both "doddie" and "humlie" meaning “polled.”[8]: 36
In 1824,William McCombieof Tillyfour, later theMember of ParliamentforWest Aberdeenshire,began to improve the stock and is regarded today as the father of the breed.[9]
The breed was officially recognised in 1835, and was initially registered together with theGallowayin the Polled Herd Book.[4]: 96 A society was formed in 1879.[citation needed]The cattle became commonplace throughout theBritish Islesin the mid-twentieth century.[10]
Argentina
editAs stated in the fourth volume of the Herd Book of the UK's Angus, this breed was introduced to Argentina in 1879 when "DonCarlos Guerrero "imported one bull and two cows for hisEstancia"Charles" located in Juancho,Partido de General Madariaga,Provincia de Buenos Aires.The bull was born on 19 April 1878; named "Virtuoso 1626" and raised by Colonel Ferguson. The cows were named "Aunt Lee 4697" raised by J. James and "Cinderela 4968" raised by R. Walker and were both born in 1878, on 31 January and 23 April respectively.[11]
Australia
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Angus cattle were first introduced toVan Diemen's Land(now Tasmania) in the 1820s, and to the southern mainland in 1840. The breed is now found in all Australian states and territories with62000calves registered with Angus Australia in 2010.[12]
Canada
editIn 1876 William Brown, a professor of agriculture and then superintendent of the experimental farm atGuelph, Ontario,was granted permission by the government of Ontario to purchase Aberdeen Angus cattle for theOntario Agricultural College.The herd comprised a yearling bull, Gladiolus, and a cow, Eyebright, bred by the Earl of Fife and a cow, Leochel Lass 4th, bred by R.O. Farquharson. On 12 January 1877, Eyebright gave birth to a calf, sired by Sir Wilfrid. It was the first to be born outside of Scotland. The OAC went on to import additional bulls and cows, eventually began selling Aberdeen Angus cattle in 1881.[13]
United States
editOn 17 May 1873, George Grant brought four Angus bulls, without any cows, toVictoria, Kansas.These were seen as unusual as the normal American cattle consisted ofShorthornsandLonghorns,and the bulls were used only in crossbreeding. However, the farmers noticed the good qualities of these bulls, and afterwards many more cattle of both sexes were imported.[14]
On 21 November 1883, theAmerican Angus Associationwas founded inChicago,Illinois.[15]The first herd book was published in March 1885.[14]At this time both red and black animals were registered without distinction. However, in 1917 the Association barred the registering of red and other coloured animals in an effort to promote a solid black breed.[16]
TheRed Angus Association of Americawas founded in 1954 by breeders of Red Angus cattle. It was formed because the breeders had had their cattle struck off the herd book for not conforming to the changed breed standard regarding colour.[16]
Germany
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A separate breed was cross bred in Germany called theGerman Angus.It is a cross between the Angus and several different cattle such as theGerman Black Pied Cattle,Gelbvieh,andFleckvieh.The cattle are usually larger than the Angus and appear in black and red colours.[17]
Characteristics
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Because of their native environment, the cattle are very hardy and can survive the Scottish winters, which are often harsh, with snowfall and storms. Cows weigh about 550 kilograms (1,210 lb) and bulls some 850 kilograms (1,870 lb).[18]Bulls may be used on dairy cows to produce a beef calf.[18]The cattle are naturallypolledand may be either black or red. They reach maturity earlier than some other native British breeds such as theHerefordorNorth Devon.
The cattle have a large muscle content and are regarded as medium-sized. In Japan the meat is prized for itsmarbling.[19]
Among therecessivegenetic defects that can affect the cattle are:arthrogryposis multiplex( "curly calf" );neuropathic hydrocephalus( "water head" );contractural arachnodactylyor "fawn calf syndrome";dwarfism;osteoporosis;andnotomelia.[20][21][22][23][24][25]
Use
editThe Aberdeen Angus is reared forbeef.The meat can be marketed as superior due to its marbled appearance. This has led to many markets, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom to adopt it into the mainstream.[19]Angus cattle can also be used incross-breedingto reduce the likelihood ofdystocia(difficult calving) or, because of their dominant polled gene, to produce polled calves.[26]
References
edit
- ^abBarbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007).List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources,annex toThe State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.ISBN9789251057629.Archived 23 June 2020.
- ^abcdeBreed data sheet: Aberdeen-Angus / United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Cattle)Archived17 September 2021 at theWayback Machine.Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2021.
- ^abcWatchlist overview.Kenilworth, Warwickshire: Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Accessed September 2021.
- ^abcValerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016).Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding(sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI.ISBN9781780647944.
- ^"Aberdeen Angus set to be UK's most popular beef breed".Farming UK.Retrieved5 November2021.
- ^abcNative Aberdeen Angus.Kenilworth, Warwickshire: Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Accessed September 2021.
- ^"Britannic Rare Breeds – Angus Cattle".Britannic Rare Breeds.Archived fromthe originalon 20 June 2015.Retrieved25 June2015.
- ^abJames MacDonald, James Sinclair (1910).History of Aberdeen-Angus Cattle.London: Vinton & Company.
- ^"Oklahoma State University Red Angus breed profile".
- ^"The Cattle Site – Angus Breeds".The Cattle Site.Retrieved25 June2015.
- ^Historia de la Cabaña Charles de Guerrero, criadora de Angus desde 1879Archived8 February 2016 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 22 March 2012.Retrieved28 August2013.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^"First Herd of Aberdeen-Angus Established by OAC in 1876".Kitchener-Waterloo Record(Microfilm). 6 March 1954. p. 2.
- ^ab Burke, Tom; Kurt Schaff; Rance Long (2004) [2004]. "The Birth of the Breed".Angus Legends: Volume 1.p. 17.
- ^American Angus Association."Angus History".angus.org.Archivedfrom the original on 24 September 2006.Retrieved2 October2006.
- ^abRed Angus Association of America."History of Red Angus".redangus.org.Archivedfrom the original on 24 September 2006.Retrieved2 October2006.
- ^"German Angus cattle information".Interboves.Retrieved10 August2015.
- ^abAberdeen Angus (Native).Kenilworth, Warwickshire: Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived 30 June 2015.
- ^abAngus cattle.=New South Wales Agriculture. Archived 24 June 2015.
- ^Denholm, Laurence."Congenital contractural arachnodactyly ('fawn calf syndrome') in Angus cattle"(PDF).NSW Department of Trade and Investment PrimeFact 1015 May 2010.
- ^Vidler, Adam,Defects on rise as gene pool drains,p. 63, The Land, Rural Press, North Richmond, NSW
- ^Another genetic defect affects Angus cattleRetrieved on 29 May
- ^"American Angus Association".Angus.org. Archived fromthe originalon 28 May 2019.Retrieved14 May2012.
- ^Whitlock, Brian K."Heritable Birth Defects in Angus Cattle"(PDF).Appliedreprostrategies. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 6 October 2018.Retrieved24 August2015.
- ^"Denholm L et al(2010) Polymelia (supernumerary limbs) in Angus calves".
- ^"Angus".Cattle Today. Archived fromthe originalon 17 October 2006.Retrieved29 October2006.