Aberdeen Angus, more commonly known today as Angus, can trace their roots to the northeast of Scotland as far back as the 16th Century. These naturally hornless, predominantly black cattle, were then locally referred to as “Doddies” and “Hummlies,” meaning polled (hornless).
In the early 19th century, William McCombie, known as the father of the breed, began to improve the quality and character of the stock, by producing outstanding cattle that he showed in England and France. This established the reputation of the breed and in 1835, the Angus were officially recognised and registered.
They have been exported to many countries around the world, with the first cattle arriving into New Zealand in 1863. These first arrivals were a bull and three cows into Bluff, imported by an Australian and New Zealan Land Company. In 1873 two more bulls and three cows were imported followed by further shipments over the next ten years and the Company established New Zealand’s first Aberdeen-Angus stud at Totara in North Otago.
Angus are a very hardy animal due to their native environment and can adapt to a variety of conditions and are great foragers and grass converters. This worked well in New Zealand as they were initially used to help break-in rough country, allowing them to thrive in our environment.
The original animals were small and stout but then in the 1960’s, with a demand for fat-free meat, New Zealand breeders began to import Angus bloodlines from America to cross and develop a taller, longer, and larger animal, simply called New Zealand Angus.
Although Angus were first farmed in Otago and Southland, the Angus Breeders Association was founded in Hastings in 1916 and with over a century of selective breeding, today Angus has become very much a Kiwi success story.
Such industry initiatives like the Beef Expo and Steak of Origin competition, to select NZ’s most tasty and tender steak and open to all the Country’s beef farmers, have helped to create a profile for many leading Angus breeders.
AngusNZ has a focus on fostering stronger relationships between the country’s stud and commercial farmers, aiming on helping breeders add value to their farming operation through a greater balance of breeding combined with yield and solid growth rates.
In 1998 AngusPure was launched and today it remains the country’s most successful top-end branded beef product, recognised for taste and quality.
As well as being resistant to harsh weather, Angus are known for their reliability, good nature, and early maturity. A stand-out trait for the female is her maternal instincts and consistent ease of calving. When a calf is born, it hits the ground running and will start drinking off its Mum straight away. The Angus mother gives her all to her calf, producing milk right up until the calf is weaned and it is not unusual for the female’s ability to bear a calf for 12 or 13 years. These characteristics along with the ability to grow into high quality beef, have seen Angus become a popular choice and have been used in crossbreeding in the dairy industry.
Today, the Angus can be found world-wide with the majority of herds being in New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Canada, and the USA.