Aberdeen Angus breed of cows

Aberdeen-Angus breed – cattle bred in Scotland. This breed is very popular among farmers of a number of countries, including Russia. The reason for this is the high maturation rate of these animals as meat producers. In addition, their meat is considered one of the most valuable beef varieties.

Content
  1. Origin and exterior
  2. Characteristics of fertility and meat productivity
  3. Content and breeding
  4. Deficiencies of the breed

Абердин-ангусская порода коров

Aberdeen-Angus breed cows

Breeding of this breed is carried out solely for the sake of meat, as these animals cannot be named dairy producers.

Origin and exterior

Aberdeen-Angus breed of cows was bred in the eastern Scottish counties of Aberdeen and Angus at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries, their genetic ancestor is black hornless cattle, improved by breeding.The name Aberdeen Angus originated in 1775, it was then that Scottish farmers began to improve the appearance and productivity of cattle. for a century they already exported the first cows and bulls of this breed to the USA, and from there these animals were already distributed all over the world.

The modern cattle of the described meat breed are not much different from their century-old eaters, the main characteristic of which is early maturity. Even seeing a single photo of these animals, we can conclude that this solid black beast has an impressive muscular spill, even being in the ranks of young animals.Its formidable appearance is not unfounded: feral angus can be very aggressive and even dangerous.

A typical representative of domestic cattle, Aberdeen Angus, is the owner of the following appearance features:

  • Color most often, black.
  • The head is small, with a sloping forehead, a short snout and a narrow occipital part, turning into a short and powerful neck.
  • The shoulders are muscular and wide, voluminous chest with developed pectoral muscles.
  • A perfectly straight back from the withers to the sacrum.
  • The body is round, compact, muscular and short my limbs.
  • The hairline is soft and short.
  • The skin of these cows is very thin and flabby, but is thickened due to the extensive layer of fatty tissue characteristic of representatives of this meat breed.

Characteristics of fertility and meat productivity

Aberdeen Angus calves are born small, with a small mass. The weight of the heifers varies from 22 to 25 kg, and the weight of the calves is from 22 to 28 kg, but young animals grow and gain weight very quickly. Their characterization claims that by the age of six months the calves reach 180 kg, and by the age of 3 years – up to 500 kg.

Up to 8 months the calves are raised with the direct participation of the cows themselves. They have a well-developed maternal instinct, and milk is nutritious enough to promote rapid growth.Adult bulls during this period are best kept separately

Meat gobies (those who are fed for meat) are often neutered. Such a calf is gaining muscle mass more intensively, but it must be remembered that in this case there is a great risk of obesity, therefore intensive care and a well-designed feeding system are required. The best age for slaughter of castrati bulls is 10-14 months. At that time, their marbled meat is especially nutritious.

Adult cows gain weight up to 550 kg, while the body weight of bulls – 750-950 kg, while good fattening and the necessary content allows males to reach a weight per ton .

The meat in these animals has a rich red color, it is marble, due to insignificant layers of intramuscular fat, it does not have a sharp animal smell. It makes the best steaks. When slaughtered, most of the carcass is meat, since this cattle is the owner of a very thin skeleton, as a result, the bones make up only 17% of the whole carcass.

Keeping and breeding

Angus The breed is cold-resistant. This cattle is able to adapt to any climatic conditions without any problems, it easily tolerates bad weather. If in the access zone for cows there is a vast territory with rich pastures, then adult bulls will not need additional feeding, even. Meadows with grass are a real abundance for them. Cattle themselves will provide themselves with food, so that large cash costs for its maintenance will not be required.

In terms of breeding, the Angus breed is unpretentious. Calves are raised on a suction, so they have a very strong immunity: they practically do not get sick. Over time, you can feed them compound feed and crushed grain. It is important to monitor the quality of complementary foods, because the calves of this breed, like adults, are very prone to obesity. It is necessary to ensure that their weight does not go beyond the norm. Do not forget that the main purpose of breeding these animals is their wonderful marbled meat, and excess fat can damage this product and the life of the animal will become painful.

Aberdeen Angus heifers mature very quickly, already in The first insemination occurs for 14-15 months. Recommendations for natural fertility (rers) are very high, as calving is very easy, without outside help.

Disadvantages of the breed

Perhaps the most negative characteristic, which the Angus breed is famous, consists in the following: this cattle is wild. Animals quickly wean from people as a result of long free pastures, can try to escape and show serious aggression – this is especially true in adult bulls, in young uncastrated bulls during puberty (bulls become quite nervous during this period) and in cows when they protect their offspring. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly drive cattle where people are always. For example, in the barn.

Anna Evans

Author ✓ Farmer

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