Angus cattle breed

The angus bull is one of the best breeds in the world in terms of growth. Among other varieties, the Aberdeen Angus breed of cows is distinguished by high quality meat products. Marble meat of angus bulls is considered a reference.

The history of breeding and distribution of the Aberdeen-Angus breed

Angus bulls were brought to Our Country from Scotland. This breed got its name from the place of its original breeding – the counties of Angus and Aberdeen.

In the 19th century, breeders improved key characteristics of these animals, after which the first purebred herd of angus gobies was created. Soon the breed crossed the border of the country – a large batch was sent to the United States, where the precocity of animals quickly gained popularity among farmers. In addition, the excellent quality of the meat produced played a leading role in the spread of the Aberdeen-Angus breed around the world. Soon, Australian and non-New Zealand farmers began to buy bulls, then the breed took root in the farms of Argentina. To date, Angus calves are also bred in Our Country, Canada and England.

Description of the Aberdeen calf breed

Aberdeen Angus calves are a typical beef variety. Their milk yields are extremely low. A distinctive external feature is the hornlessness of cattle (hornlessness) and black coat color, sometimes with a brownish tint.

Exterior

The meat type of productivity is reflected in the physique of the angus bulls. The breed standard is as follows:

1. Animals are quite compact. The height at the withers of an adult cow rarely exceeds 120 cm, bulls grow up to 150 cm in height. The body length reaches 130 cm in cows and 140 cm in bulls.
2. The silhouette is muscular, rounded. The withers are on the same level with the back, the sacrum and loin are even. The body is wide.
3. The head of Aberdeen Angus cows is small. The forehead of the animals protrudes slightly forward, the muzzle is short. The occiput is narrow. There are no horns.
4. The neck of the gobies is short, smoothly flowing into the shoulders.
5. The color of animals in most cases is black. Let’s say a coat color with a brown tint.
6. The chest is quite voluminous and deep.
7. The limbs are a little short, but set straight.
8. The skin is loose, elastic and thin, but seems thicker due to the presence of fiber under it.

The disadvantages of the exterior include a carp-like appearance of the back, saber-like limbs and a heavy muzzle.

Productivity

The popularity of the Aberdeen Angus breed was based on its high productivity. Young Aberdeen gain weight very quickly – newborn calves weigh on average from 15 kg to 20-25 kg (heifers and bulls, respectively), however, already at the age of eight months their weight reaches 190-200 kg. Such rapid weight gain is explained by the developed maternal instinct of Angus cows – calves grow rapidly due to prolonged feeding with mother’s milk. Up to 8-9 months, bulls are raised on suction. By the time the young Aberdeen Angus are separated from their mother, the weight of the calves is about 220-240 kg.

Calves add 0,8 to 1 kg per day. Thus, at the age of 3 years, bulls of the Aberdeen-Angus breed weigh 400-500 kg.

The live weight of an adult heifer cow of the Aberdeen Angus breed averages 480-700 kg, in bulls this figure reaches 1 ton, especially in fattening. Castrati bulls weigh less.

The skeleton of angus gobies is thin. The skeleton makes up only 15-17% of the total weight of the animal. The meat is fine-fibred, tender. Its structure is characterized by a high content of fatty layers, which gives the meat an external resemblance to marble.

Otherness

The leading characteristic of the Aberdeen Angus breed of cows is fast fattening – Angus bulls acquire rounded shapes in the shortest possible time. In terms of precocity, this variety is considered one of the best.

Pros and cons of breed breeding

Before purchasing the next batch of cattle, breeders need to carefully weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of the breed in question. Careful acquaintance with the features of a particular type will allow you to avoid mistakes in the care and maintenance in the future. In addition, it is easier to calculate the possible profit.

The positive characteristics of angus bulls include the following qualities:

1. High productivity for meat type. Slaughter from the carcass reaches 70%.
2. Excellent quality meat products. Fat in meat fibers is distributed evenly, in thin layers, without forming extensive clots. Therefore, Aberdeen Angus cows are considered a reference breed producing excellent marbled meat. A significant part of it goes to the preparation of high-quality steaks.
3. Early maturity. Young animals quickly gain weight – from 150 to 200 kg in 6 months. Upon reaching the age of two, bulls and heifers are sent for slaughter.
4. Longevity. Angus bulls live an average of 25 to 30 years or more.
5. Light hotel. In most cases, childbirth takes place without any difficulty, due to the low weight of the calves. The only exception is the pathology of intrauterine development, when the cubs have an enlargement of the size of the head.
6. High fertility rates. Aberdeen Angus cows are capable of producing offspring throughout their lives. Heifers become sexually mature at the age of 15 months.
7. Good adaptive ability. Angus cows easily acclimatize on the ground, adapting to the climatic conditions of the region. Moreover, gobies are able to safely endure fairly low temperatures, which makes it possible to breed the breed in Our Country. A significant part of the year the herd can be kept in the open.
8. When Aberdeen Angus bulls are crossed with other species, the offspring inherit their high meat productivity. In addition, polled is also transmitted to them.

In addition, Angus cows have a rather peaceful disposition. These are calm and good-natured animals that do not show aggression without unnecessary provocation. The only exception is the increased irritability of bulls during puberty.

The list of advantages of the breed is impressive, but the Angus bull breed is not without flaws. These include the following features of animals:

1. Rapid weight gain can lead to serious health problems if calves are not properly fattened. Representatives of the breed often suffer from obesity, so it is not recommended to overfeed them.
2. The milk characteristics of Aberdeen Angus cows are very poorly developed. The average annual milk yield is at best 2 tons of milk.
3. Saberness of the legs. Due to the fact that Angus gobies weigh a lot, animals often have lameness. If the bulls are overfed, they may even experience fractures of the limbs.
4. A heavy and massive head is also a disadvantage in the thin skeleton of angus gobies. Its weight puts serious pressure on the neck vertebrae of bulls.
5. Despite the fact that the Aberdeen Angus breeds are unpretentious to the place of breeding, they are extremely demanding on the pasture area. Angus gobies need ample space to develop optimally.

Features of maintenance and care

The care of Aberdeen Angus cows is standard; these animals do not impose any special requirements on the type of feed and breeding place. They adapt to almost any weather conditions of the area, which saves on the construction of additional buildings for the maintenance of the herd. The productivity of angus bulls is maintained both in hot climates and in the northern regions of the country.

General recommendations for breeding Aberdeen Angus breeds include the following points:

1. For full development and weight gain, angus gobies need loose content.
2. Walking outdoors should last as long as possible. Feeding with fresh green fodder has a beneficial effect on the quality of meat products of bulls – the fat layers in the meat fibers with this diet become thinner, which makes it more tender.
3. Regular barn cleaning is a must. In order for angus gobies to get sick less often, it is necessary to remove manure and other debris from the premises in a timely manner. For these purposes, in large farms, the cleaning process is automated by purchasing special equipment. It removes all garbage into the drains with a frequency of 1 hour.
4. In many ways, the health of gobies depends on the quality of the water. It is important to keep the drinkers clean, clearing them of food particles. The optimal frequency of changing drinking water is at least 1 time per day, preferably 2-3 times.
5. The skin of Angus bulls is dark in color. This leads to the fact that on sunny days, animals can overheat. In this case, the herd is transferred to shaded places near trees or large bushes. You can also build a special shed for walking livestock.
6. If it is possible to let the herd out for free pasture for a significant part of the year, adults can be left without feeding in order to avoid obesity. Cattle are fed only in the winter months, when the bulls are no longer able to get their own food from under the snow.
7. Young animals are fattened from the first months of life. Premixes, compound feeds and crushed grain can be used as feed.
8. The Aberdeen Angus breed quickly weans off humans and can appear a little shy. Sometimes feral gobies try to run away from the pasture. The problem is solved by returning such individuals to the barn, where people are in sight.

At the age of 2 years, Aberdeen Angus bulls are involved in reproductive processes. Angus cows are highly prolific – healthy individuals give birth annually. There are usually 1-2 calves in a litter. Due to their small size, calving occurs without any problems.

Breed specific diseases

The Aberdeen Angus breed has excellent immunity. Angus bulls have a genetically strong health, resulting in extremely low mortality of young animals.

The following diseases pose the greatest threat to Angus bulls:

1. Dropsy of the brain (also neuropathic hydrocephalus) – the first sign of the disease is the increased head size of newborn calves. It is heavy and disproportionate to the length of the body. This developmental pathology greatly complicates childbirth – it is almost impossible to remove the large head of the fetus from the birth canal without opening.
2. Multiple arthrogryposis – a genetic pathology, as a result of which Angus calves are born with atrophy of the joints. Ultimately, the disease leads to the fact that the legs of the bulls are twisted and twisted, and the joints become stiff.
3. Notomelia – a genetic disease that manifests itself in an increase in the number of limbs due to the oppressed growth of the main ones. It is also possible to increase additional limbs to the main ones.
4. Contracture arachnodactyly – expressed in abnormal bone fragility. The skeleton of calves is very fragile, which negatively affects the development of the animal – growth slows down, and joint mobility decreases.

Conclusion

The angus bull is always a profitable purchase on the farm. The Aberdeen Angus breed is one of the reference breeds for the production of marbled meat, which is used to cook top quality steaks. In addition, this type of cattle is suitable for use not only for pure breeding, but also for crossing with other breeds. Calves born from such unions are distinguished by improved performance and inherit the best traits of Angus.

You can learn more about the features of breeding bulls of the Aberdeen Angus breed from the video below: