Aberdeen Angus

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Mixed herd of Black and Red Angus

Angus cattle is a term that refers, in much of the world (though not in the United States), to either or both (collectively) of two types of naturally hornless (polled) cattle. Since the 1950s, these types have been regarded in the United States as separate breeds; they are:

• Black Angus, which refers to the original Scottish Aberdeen Angus' predominant coloration; these are usually referred to in the United States, where red coloration has been rigorously selected out, simply as Angus
• Red Angus, a breed resulting from the selection of red individuals from the Angus population, which has always had both red and black individuals.

Aberdeen Angus is the original name of the breed, which was developed in Scotland from aboriginal cattle native to the counties Aberdeenshire and Angus, and the term is still in use in the United Kingdom, Europe, and other parts of the world, but no longer widely in the United States.

Angus cattle are naturally polled and solid black or red, although white may appear on the udder. Black Angus are the most popular beef breed of cattle in the United States with 324,266 animals registered in 2005.

History

Angus calf with its mother

Scotland

For some time before the 1800s the hornless cattle in Aberdeenshire and Angus were called Angus doddies. Hugh Watson can be considered the founder of the breed; he was instrumental in selecting the best black, polled animals for his herd. His favorite bull was Old Jock [126], who was born 1842 and sired by Grey-Breasted Jock. Old Jock was given the number "1" in the Scottish Herd Book when it was founded. Another of Watson's notable animals was a cow, Old Granny [125], which was born in 1824 and said to have lived to 35 years of age and to have produced 29 calves. The vast majority of Angus cattle alive today can trace their pedigrees back to these two animals.

United States

A black Angus cow bellowing on a farm in central Florida

On May 17, 1873, George Grant brought four Angus bulls to Victoria, Kansas. He took the bulls to the fair in Kansas City where they were the topic of much conversation at a time when Shorthorns and Longhorns were the norm. The black hornless animals were often called "freaks" by those who saw them. The bulls were used only in crossbreeding and have no registered progeny today. However, their offspring left a favorable impression on the cattlemen of the time and soon more Angus cattle were imported from Scotland to form purebred herds.

On November 21, 1883, the American Aberdeen Angus Association was founded in Chicago, Illinois. (The name was shortened in the 1950s to the American Angus Association.) Its first herd book was published on March 1, 1885. At this time both red and black animals were registered without distinction. However, in 1917 the American Angus Association barred the registering of red and other colored animals in an effort to promote a solid black breed. Red Angus cattle occur as the result of a recessive gene. Breeders collecting red cattle from black herds began the Red Angus Association of America in 1954. Other countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada still register both colors in the same herd book.

Uses

Angus cattle grazing.

Angus cattle are hardy, undemanding, and adaptable; they mature at around two years of age, and have a high carcass yield with marbled meat. They are good natured in comparison to several breeds, but are more aggressive than some breeds such as the Hereford. Angus are used as beef cattle and are not used for milk intended for human consumption. They are used widely in crossbreeding to improve marbling and milking ability. Angus females calve easily (i.e. give birth without much stress), partly because of the small size of a typical Angus calf, and have good calf rearing ability. They are also used as a genetic dehorner as the polled gene is passed on as a dominant trait.

During the latter part of 2003 and the early part of 2004, the American fast food industry assisted in a public relations campaign to promote the supposedly superior quality of beef produced from Angus cattle (“Angus beef”). Burger King's Angus Burger was the first such large scale product sold in the US and Canada. In 2006 it was introduced in the UK, Ireland and Spain and several Asian markets. Angus burgers are also menu items for chains such as Hardee's and Canadian-based Harveys. Beginning in 2006, McDonalds began testing hamburgers made with Angus beef at a number of its restaurants in several regions in the US; the company said that customer response to the burgers was positive.

The American Angus Association set up the "Certified Angus Beef" brand in 1978. The goal of this brand was to promote the idea that Angus beef was of higher quality than beef from other breeds of cattle. Cattle are eligible for "Certified Angus Beef" evaluation if they are at least 51% black and exhibit Angus influence, which include Black Simmental beef and crossbreds. However, they must meet all 10 of the following criteria, which were refined in January 2007 to further enhance product consistency, to be labeled "Certified Angus Beef" by USDA Graders:

• Modest or higher degree of marbling
• Medium or fine marbling texture
• "A" maturity
• 10- to 16-square-inch ribeye area
• Less than 1,000-pound hot carcase weight
• Less than 1-inch fat thickness
• Moderately thick or thicker muscling
• No hump on the neck exceeding 5 cm (2 inches)
• Practically free of capillary rupture
• No dark cutting characteristics

See also

• Red Angus Association of America
• American Angus Association
• Kobe beef

Breed Associations

Unless otherwise stated, the associations below register both red and black beasts.

USA:

• American Angus Association - responsible for black Angus registrations, but does not register red Angus cattle.
• Red Angus Association - responsible for red Angus registrations, and will also register black Angus cattle.
• A*L*O*T Angus Association (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas) -- caters for the owners of black Angus beasts only.
• Iowa Angus Association -- caters for the owners of black Angus beasts only.
• Miami Valley Angus Association -- caters for the owners of black Angus beasts only.
• Texas Angus Association -- caters for the owners of black Angus beasts only.

Rest of the world:

• Official website of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society
• The Angus Society of Australia
• Canadian Aberdeen Angus Association
• Ontario Angus Association (Canada)
• Danish Aberdeen Angus Association
• New Zealand Angus Association
• Angus Portugal

External links

• History of the Angus cattle - Oklahoma State University
• Angus Breed Information - Cattle.com
• Factors Affecting the Selling Price of Purebred Angus Bulls