The breed history of the angus cow - Research Paper Example

(Philips). In Angus, there was always some breed of cattle. Angus is one of the countries of Scotland where almost the same climate was present round the year and thus helped to maintain and establish grass lands and cattle fields. The people of Aberdeen, Banff, Kincardine, and Angus favored cattle fields and fishing through ages. The temperate climate and good crop helped the people to bring out some pure breeds. Origin: The studies have found that there were three breeds very famous in United Kingdom.

They are Galloway, the Red Polled Norfolk and Suffolk and Aberdeen -Angus. The historians have also pointed out that hornless cattle feed were found to have occurred in Siberia before many centuries. In Egypt, at the ancient civilization period pictures are found to show some hornless cattle. (“Aberdeen-Angus review - Issues 31-36”) The Angus breed was done by many people at many stages, but the most successful breeder found in the history is Hugh Watson, a tenant of Keillor. He developed the specific Black Angus and improved it.

He produced outstanding cattle with good quality and character. (Drymon). In the beginning the cattle’s were not of uniform color and they had varying color patterns and markings. The pure variety of Angus is the Black Angus. The black color and hornless cattle are found to have the dominant gene and hence it was chose for further breeds. In the scot land history Angus were called as homyl, humlies, doddies and humble. (Sanders). Breed foundation: Hugh Watson of Keillor recieved pure black cows and a bull form his father and during that summer he also visited cattle markets of Scotland and purchased heifers which showed some characteristics of Angus cattle.

Then he started his breeding. He concentrated on the color of the bull. He chose black bulls for his breed and the cows were of different colors. (“The Aberdeen-Angus herd book Volume 26”). Some of the best famous cow and bull produced by Hugh Watson were Old Granny and Old Jock. Old Jock was awarded the number #1 in the herd book. Old Jock was bred in the year 1842. The bull was used in the cattle from 1843 to 1852. Old Jock was awarded the Sweepstakes for bulls at Perth in the year 1952 at the Highland Society Show.

(American Angus Association). Old Granny another famous cow of Angus cattle was considered as the mother of Angus cattle. She produced 29 calves and out of them, 11 were registered in the Herd Book. The Angus cattle race has the traces of either Old Jock or Old Granny. The existing animals are considered to be the pedigrees of Old Jock or Old Granny. (MacDonald). (American Angus Association). Improvement of the Angus: After the heavy contribution of Hugh Watson for the establishment of the Angus cattle race in the world, it was William Mc Combie who preserved and improved the Aberdeen Angus breed.

Mc Combie brought in many improvements in the Angus cattle race because of his foreseeing plan, good management and his excellent success ring in the shows. He brought the pure bred to the world with great improvement in breeding classes. His best achievement is the production best beef producing cattle. Black Prince, his best Angus breed, was showed in Burmingham and Smithfields and won many prices in the year 1867. He received many prizes in the International Exposition held at Paris. He won the first prize of $500 in the Paris Exhibition in the year 1878.

He has won more than 500 prizes in the