The black angus is a breed of cattle used in beef production. Most cattle will be black; however, a red color has emerged as of late. In the United States, however, the Black Angus and Red Angus are both considered separate breeds, while the United Kingdom views both of these colors as the same.
- Also called Aberdeen Angus, the breed originates from Scotland in the regions of Angus and Aberdeenshire.
- They’re often nicknamed ‘hummlies’ or ‘doddies’ and astonishingly, historical records of the breed show that most Angus cattle today can actually be traced directly back to two original ancestors from the 1800s, owned by Hugh Watson.
- They generally come in black or red, and are naturally polled. This is important for farmers who would rather avoid the effort of dehorning their herd.
- Angus cows weigh an average of 550kg, while bulls can weigh about 850kg, with high muscle content. Their frame is classed as average-sized.
- The breed has an unusually strong reputation, with its beef often being hailed as superior. Although this is subjective, there is a strong culture in many fast-food chain restaurants that consider a “100% Angus” label as some kind of advantage, and they market it as such. This means that there is often a preconception among consumers about the standard of Angus beef, which can be a benefit to farmers of the breed.
- They have been praised for their longevity, assisting farmers greatly in reducing replacement costs for their herd.
- In regions where predators may attack, or dangerous situations may arise, Angus dams are known to have excellent mothering abilities. This can be comforting to farmers who worry about the safety of their calves; however, it can sometimes be considered dangerous if dams are particularly aggressive towards visitors in the pasture.
- Bulls, in general, can always pose a threat to humans regardless of breed. However, Angus bulls have actually been singled out as more aggressive than Shorthorn or Hereford bulls.
- Despite this, the breed has a generally good reputation for docility and compliancy.
- They have high fertility rates, and the calving process is known to be a smooth operation with little to no complications usually arising.
- These cattle are generally healthy, and common bovine illnesses like eye cancer are rare. However, the popularity of the breed is classed by some experts as detrimental, as they believe genetic problems are more likely to appear as numbers grow.
- Angus cattle finish earlier than other cattle of the same build, which can be good news depending on a farmer’s beef-production strategy, whereby they may wish to produce over a short, intense period of time.
- Angus cattle, and even Angus crosses, do very well and often thrive on forage-based production systems. Their carcasses provide high saleable beef yields, with a good ratio of lean meat against waste, like bone and fat. The meat also has good marbling, making for tender beef.
- The Angus breed can also work well for dairy farmers, with some farmers finding the shorter gestation period (around 1-2 weeks less than average continental breeds) of Angus-cross calves a good factor in maximising milk output. The ease of calving for dams mated with an Angus bull improves the milk yield in most cases.
For a more general overview of how to choose a breed that suits your farm, you can also read our article on Beef Cattle: Choosing the Right Breed for You.
Why Is Black Angus Better?Certified Angus Beef standards were developed in 1978 in order to indicate a particular level of marbling, tenderness, age and color for the meat that qualified for the Angus Beef label. Angus Beef is known for its finely marbled meat, which means that the fat is dispersed evenly against the actual cut of meat. This marbling trait of Angus cattle typically creates a more tender, juicy and flavorful meat than other breeds [source: Straight Dope].
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There are different categories and labels for the quality of Angus beef, which shows that not all Angus Beef is created equal. For instance, Certified Angus Beef is the highest quality because of all the rigorous standards it must pass to earn the label. Within this realm of definitions for beef quality, there are United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards. The terms for these are: prime, choice and select. Prime is the highest quality meat, therefore the best cut of meat you could get would be "Certified Angus Prime" [source: USDA].
How Much Does a Black Angus Cow Cost?
The cost will depend on the age, gender, the size, where it’s being purchased from and geographical location. On average, we plan on spending anywhere from $800 to as much as $3,000+ per, with bulls being 50 to 70 percent more than a cow. An open Angus heifer calf, for example, can cost anywhere from $1,400 to as much as $1,800, while a full grown Hereford bull can cost upwards of $3,400.
Bulls$2,500 to $5,000
Cows$1,200 to $1,500
Cows w/calves$1,300 to $3,000
Show-quality Bull$3,500 to $5,500What is going to be included?
- CattleRange.com, at the time of this writing, has hundreds of listings from farms located primarily in Texas and the surrounding regions. Glancing at a few of these ads, most farmers were selling their black angus cows for about $800 to $1,800. Some farmers would sell the cows individually, but some required a minimum order.
- Another classified website, Ranch World Ads, had about 30 to 40 listings, with prices ranging from $1,100 to $2,100.
Bulls$2,500 to $5,000
Cows$1,200 to $1,500
Cows w/calves$1,300 to $3,000
Show-quality Bull$3,500 to $5,500What is going to be included?
- Reputable sellers should include any related paperwork, up-to-date vaccinations, a vet health checkup and a health guarantee in some circumstances. With show-quality cattle, the seller may include a fertility test.
- Most of the listings you will see will often be put up by local farmers, with quantities ranging from 20 to as much as 125. Some sellers will require you purchase the whole group, whereas others may allow you to hand pick a few out of the group. Generally, the more you purchase, the more incentives you may receive such as free shipping.
- Angus cows, when found on the market, will be about two to eight years old, with the fair majority weighing anywhere from 1,100 to 1,300 pounds. Sellers will almost always list this information inside their classified ad.
- A 1,400-pound cow, on average, will eat about 40 pounds of feed daily. Farmandranchguide.com says if the hay was priced at $65 per ton, this would translate to about $1.40 per day.
- Aside from the feed, you also need to factor in water, pen cleaning costs and any overhead if you were to have more than 20 cows on your property. Vet visits, as with any animals, will need to be factored in. Insurance and breeding expenses, if need be, will also need to be considered. When all expenses are factored in, such as the pasture, feed, yardage, overhead and vet visits, the total costs could be close to $700+ per year.
- Some farmers will deliver their cows within a certain distance for a fee. This fee will depend on the distance being traveled and how many cows that need to be transported. However, if you were to purchase all of their cows at the time of the listing, some may deliver for free.
- Almost all listings will be negotiable and won’t be considered the final price. We are not afraid to haggle expecting to knock at least 10 to 20 percent off the final bill.
