Black Angus Facts

Black Angus cows are a breed of cow known for their high-quality beef. They originated in northern England. However, in the late 1700s, cattle breeders began cross breeding the English cows with cows from Scotland. Because of this, Black Angus cows are also known as Aberdeen-Angus cows. Aberdeen and Angus are the names of two pasture-rich counties in Scotland where the cattle crossed with the original English cows originated. Black Angus cows are used as a source of beef in many parts of the world, including the United States.

  1. Appearance

    • Black Angus is a breed of polled cattle, meaning that they do not have horns. As their name suggests, Black Angus cattle are solid black in color. Some Black Angus cows have white markings on their udders. Originally, Angus cows were red or black in color, but today they are known for their solid black coloring.

    Beef

    • Certified Angus Beef was first introduced in 1978 by the American Angus Association. To be Certified Angus Beef, the meat must exhibit 10 different qualifications, including excellent "marbling texture," superior color and texture, specific thicknesses depending on the cut, and lack of capillary ruptures. Certified Angus Beef must also come from cattle herds with more than 51 percent black coloring. Less than 8 percent of beef passes the requirements in order to be Certified Angus Beef.

    Breed Popularity

    • Black Angus cattle are popular with cattle breeders for many reasons. Aside from their high-quality beef, Black Angus cows are hardy and prove to thrive in areas of changeable weather, such as its native Scotland. They are highly adaptable and easy to breed and raise. Black Angus cows are known to produce calves easily and with few complications.

    History

    • The exact origins of the Scottish cattle used to produce the Black Angus breed is unknown. Some believe that these Scottish cattle were descendants of a breed of hornless cattle native to Egypt. Many others believe that they descended from aboriginal cattle of Scotland. Today's Black Angus are a result from cross breeding of cattle from northern England and cattle from Scotland.

    Introduction to America

    • A man named George Grant transported the first Angus cows to the United States in 1873. He brought four Angus bulls from Scotland to Kansas. Grant cross-bred the bulls with several Texas longhorn cows, which produced several calves. Two of the four original Angus bulls were shown at the 1873 Kansas City Livestock Exposition. Because of their lack of horns and black coloring, these bulls looked different than many other cattle in the United States at that time and were not popular at first. Over 1,000 Black Angus were brought from Scotland to the United States in the late 1800s.