Aberdeen Angus

of a bull at an agricultural fair in Paris in 1856]] For some time before the 1800s, the hornless cattle in Angus were called "Angus Doddies", while those in the historic province of Buchan (later part of Aberdeenshire) were known as "Buchan Humlies", both "doddie" and "humlie" meaning “polled”. In 1824, William McCombie of Tillyfour, later the Member of Parliament for West Aberdeenshire, began to improve the stock and is regarded today as the father of the breed. The breed was officially recognised in 1835, and was initially registered together with the Galloway in the Polled Herd Book. A breed society was formed in 1879. The cattle became commonplace throughout the British Isles in the…

, near Blairgowrie and Rattray in Perth and Kinross]] Because of their native environment, the cattle are very hardy and can survive the Scottish winters, which are often harsh, with snowfall and storms. Cows weigh about 550 kg and bulls some 850 kg. Bulls may be used on dairy cows to produce a beef calf. The cattle are naturally polled and may be either black or red. They reach maturity earlier than some other native British breeds such as the Hereford or North Devon. The cattle have a large muscle content and are regarded as medium-sized. In Japan the meat is prized for its marbling. Among the recessive genetic defects that can affect the cattle are: arthrogryposis multiplex ("curly…