History and properties of Angus beef

 

Angus is the name of the breed of cattle that was specifically bred from cattle indigenous of Scotland it’s a black-hided breed without horns. It is believed that nearly all the Black Angus cattle alive today came from the results of Watson’s attempts to maximize the black hide of these animals. In the 1870s these cattle were brought to the United States and by the 1880s, the American Angus Association was founded. From there it spread around the world.

The term Angus does not imply that the beef is organic, natural, or of a higher grade than any other type of beef. This type of beef develops with better marbling (the amount of intramuscular fat) than most cattle. Most people agree that marbling improves flavor, tenderness, and keeps meat moist while cooking, especially at high temperatures.

History
Scotland
Near About 1800s, the hornless cattle in Aberdeenshire and Angus were called Angus doddies. Hugh Watson was the founder of the breed; he was instrumental in selecting the best black, polled animals for his herd. His favorite bull was Old Jock, which was born 1842 and sired by Grey-Breasted Jock. Grey-Breasted Jock was given the number "1" in the Scottish Herd Book when it was founded. Another of Watson's notable animals was a cow, Old Granny, which was born in 1824 and said to have lived to 35 years of age and to have produced 29 calves. The pedigrees of the vast majority of Angus cattle alive today can be traced back to these two animals. With the exception of Black Meg 43, more Angus cattle trace back to Old Granny than any other single cow of the breed, and she is considered by some as the founder of the breed.

Australia
Angus cattle were first introduced to Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen's Land) in the 1820s and to the southern mainland in 1840. The breed is now found in all Australian states and territories with 62,000 calves registered with Angus Australia in 2010.

New Zealand
Black Angus have been established as a breed in New Zealand for a century and a half.
 
United States
A Black Angus cow bellowing on a farm in central Florida
On May 17, 1873, George Grant brought four Angus bulls, but no cows, to Victoria, Kansas. He took the bulls to the fair in Kansas City where they were the topic of much conversation at a time when Shorthorns and Longhorns were the norm. The black hornless animals were often called "freaks" by those who saw them. The bulls were used only in crossbreeding and have no registered progeny.

However, their offspring left a favorable impression on the cattlemen of the time and soon more Angus cattle were imported from Scotland to form purebred herds.

On November 21, 1883, the American Aberdeen Angus Association was founded in Chicago, Illinois, but the organization's name was shortened in the 1950s to the American Angus Association. The Association's first herd book was published on March 1, 1885.  At this time both red and black animals were registered without distinction. However, in 1917 the Association barred the registering of red and other colored animals in an effort to promote a solid black breed. Red Angus cattle occur as the result of a recessive gene. Breeders collecting red cattle from black herds began the Red Angus Association of America in 1954. Other countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada still register both colors in the same herd book.

When two of the George Grant bulls were exhibited in the fall of 1873 at the Kansas City (Missouri) Livestock Exposition, some considered them "freaks" because of their polled (naturally hornless) heads and solid black color (Shorthorns were then the dominant breed.) Grant, a forward thinker, crossed the bulls with native Texas longhorn cows, producing a large number of hornless black calves that survived well on the winter range. The Angus crosses wintered better and weighed more the next spring, the first demonstration of the breed's value in their new homeland.

Characteristics
Because of their native environment, the cattle are very hardy and can survive the Scottish winters, which are typically harsh, with snowfall and storms. Cows typically weigh 550 kilograms (1,210 lb) and bulls weigh 850 kilograms (1,870 lb).Calves are usually born smaller than is acceptable for the market, so crossbreeding with dairy cattle is needed for veal production. The cattle are naturally polled and black in color. They typically mature earlier than other native British breeds such as the Hereford or North Devon. However, in the middle of the 20th century a new strain of cattle called the Red Angus emerged. The United States does not accept Red Angus cattle into herd books, while the UK and Canada do. Except for their color genes, there is no genetic difference between black and red Angus, but they are regarded as different breeds in the US. However, there have been claims that Black Angus are more sustainable to cold weather, though unconfirmed.

The cattle have a large muscle content and are regarded as medium-sized. The meat is very popular in Japan for its marbling qualities.

Uses
Angus beef hardly needs an introduction; it is renowned for its fine marbling texture and superlative eating qualities. The Angus, given a minimal amount of days on feed, will manage to repeatedly turn out Prime and Choice grade meats. The Certified Angus Beef program was the first of its class. It provides Angus beef producers an increase in the marketability of their stock directly leading to higher premiums. For the consumer, it provides a consistent eating experience and the assurance of knowing what one is purchasing.

While the high quality traits of beef are not exclusive in the Angus, their numbers increased due to their consistency in producing quality. There is little lacking in the Angus breed; it meets the needs of a demanding cattle industry on a wide range of points. It is a docile breed, relatively hardy; cows calve easily and have excellent maternal instincts. At feedlots its meat quality proves its superiority time and again. When in doubt, it is the cattleman tradition to go black—a time tested strategy that has served them well.

Angus cattle are widely used in crossbreeding to reduce the likelihood of dystocia (difficult calving). They are also used as a genetic dehorner as the polled gene is passed on as a dominant trait.

During the latter part of 2003, the American fast food industry assisted in a public relations campaign to promote the supposedly superior quality of beef produced from Angus cattle (“Angus beef”). Back Yard Burger was the first such large scale product sold in the US, dating back to 2002. Angus burgers are also menu items for chains such as Hardee's and Harvey's.

Beginning in 2006, McDonalds began testing hamburgers made with Angus beef at a number of its restaurants in several regions in the US; the company said that customer response to the burgers was positive and began selling the burger at all US locations in July 2009. At the same time, McDonald's Australia also began selling two variants of the burger, the Grand Angus and the Mighty Angus, using Australian-bred Angus, in their outlets.

The American Angus Association set up the "Certified Angus Beef" brand in 1978. The goal of this brand was to promote the idea that Angus beef was of higher quality than beef from other breeds of cattle. Cattle are eligible for "Certified Angus Beef" evaluation if they are at least 51% black and exhibit Angus influence, which include black Simmental cattle and crossbreds. However, they must meet all 10 of the following criteria, which were refined in January 2007 to further enhance product consistency, to be labeled "Certified Angus Beef" by USDA Graders:
Modest or higher degree of marbling
Medium or fine marbling texture
"A" maturity
10 to 16 square-inch rib eye area
Less than 1,000-pound hot carcass weight
Less than 1-inch fat thickness
Moderately thick or thicker muscling
No hump on the neck exceeding 5 cm (2")
Practically free of capillary rupture
No dark cutting characteristics
Usually black or red in color
 
Good Part
Angus bulls are an excellent crossbreeding option. Breeding to an Angus bull virtually eliminates calving problems (dystocia). They are also used as a genetic dehorner as the polled gene is passed on as a dominant trait. The resulting calves are born polled minimizing injuries in feedlot situations. Further, the Angus’ black coloration also serves as “sun block” of sorts, helping to prevent cancers and sun burning of the udder. The ChiAngus (Angus x Chianina) and the SimAngus (Angus x Simmental) are only two examples of angus hybrids that carry the qualities of both breeds making leaner, more efficient grain converters with higher performance numbers.

Certified Angus Beef
Modest or higher degree of marbling
Medium or fine marbling texture
"A" maturity
10 to 16-square-inch ribeye area
Less than 1,000-pound hot carcass weight
Less than 1-inch fat thickness
Moderately thick or thicker muscling
No hump on the neck exceeding 5 cm (2 inches)
Practically free of capillary rupture
No dark cutting characteristics

Genetic Disorders
The Angus breed is known to be prone to several possible genetic disorders.  Arthrogry-posis Multiplex (AM) (curly calf), which has been identified in certain Angus cattle genetics, is a recessive lethal disorder, meaning that a calf has to inherit the genetic defect from both of its parents to be affected. Another Angus genetic disorder that may be encountered is Neuropathic Hydrocephalus (NH), sometimes known as water head. DNA testing is now being developed for both AM and NH.

 Between 2008 and 2010, the American Angus Association reported worldwide recessive genetic disorders in Angus cattle. It has been shown that a small minority of Angus cattle can carry osteoporosis. A further defect called notomelia, a form of polymelia ("many legs") was reported in the Angus breed in 2010.

What is the difference between Angus and Wagyu Beef
Looking at the characteristics of both, you may see some familiar traits between Angus and the Japan-originating wagyu beef. They’re both known as superior beef products, and both are made up of a high amount of marbling.
However, Angus is derived from one breed, while wagyu can be produced from a range of breeds. Meat aficionados also report a distinct difference in the taste of the two.
 
What should I look for when buying Angus Beef
The best way to identify a quality cut of Angus beef age and breed of the animal, handling and processing conditions and the cut itself.
 
Guide to Black Angus Steak
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"
 
What is the difference between Black Angus meat and Angus AAA
Many people prefer buying beef from the grocery shop or ordering meat at the restaurant without necessarily thinking about where the meat came from. A few people are also aware of the various cattle breeds, the different grading or inspection processes, or the kind of marketing done behind the scenes. That is why when the hot dog makers and fast food chains throw about the word “Black Angus meats,” there’s going to be problems and confusion.
 
The AAA-grade is a different kind of grading where various meat categories are determined by their marbling ability. The Angus AAA (unlike Prime with high amounts of marbling), has small amounts of marbling. However, just like Prime, this category of Angus meat is of a very high quality compared to AA, and A. The AAA-grade provides a juicy and tender taste and is resilient when cooked with different techniques. More than fifty percent of the graded beef attain the AAA status and quality.
 
You may also need to note that the AAA grading is mostly used in Canada and is an equivalent to the USDA Choice.
 
Angus Beef vs. Regular Beef
The simple answer is the type of cow that it comes from. Like salmon and tilapia are both fish that have some similarities they will not taste the same. An Angus steer will make a well-marbled piece of beef than your average cow. They are also a heartier breed which means typically they will need less antibiotics in their lifetime then a regular cow.
 
What’s great about Angus Meat
Compared to meat from other cattle, Angus beef develops with excellent marbling. Marbling is the level of the intramuscular fat. Marbling has an effect of enhancing tenderness, flavor, and keeping the meat moist when it’s cooking, especially at high temperatures.
 
Beef is often graded according to their marbling ability, with the highest marbling degree given to the Prime grade. In most cases, Angus ranks better on the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) scale, but this does not imply that it’s a grade of quality, or that products that are labeled Angus are better compared to other cuts.
 
Angus of quality
A huge quantity of the Angus meat produced in the U.S. is found under the umbrella of American Angus Association. In an effort to increase the awareness of Angus meat and command a higher price for the products of their members, the organization, in 1978, came up with a Certified Angus Beef brand. As a result of the association’s effort, the word Angus has commanded great power and influence. Using the ultrasound technologies, genetics, and classic breeding registries, those concerned with Certified Angus Beef have tried their best to enhance the breed which bears their logo.

At the moment there are coupe of restaurants in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi dealing and offering the Angus But from Australia.

Features of Angus Beef
Inspecting, Grading, and Classifying
Angus Includes Lesser Grades
There is a lot of deception in beef labeling. Stores sell lower grade beef with stickers that say things like "Butcher's Choice" or "Prime Value." Similarly, lower graded beef or frequently ungraded beef gets the Angus stamp on it to be sold to fast food chains and a whole host of uses. This is not to say that these products are not made with Angus beef, but that the implication that Angus means quality isn't true. In the past few decades, the word Angus has come to imply something it simply doesn't.

Things You Should Know About Angus Cattle
The Angus breed is quite the popular choice in Ireland today, placing in the Top Three most common beef cattle breeds in the country. 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 as I mention above
 
Angus cattle do well in Ireland, undoubtedly because of their neighbouring ancestral history in Scotland, just a stone’s throw away. Since Ireland and Scotland have quite similar weather patterns like heavy rainfall and no extreme temperature changes, Angus cattle can thrive here. The terrain in Ireland can vary from hard, rocky ground near mountainous areas, to moist boggy earth in some farmlands; Angus cattle can adapt very well to these kinds of conditions.
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. It may be a good idea to take a look at our article on Bull Safety to remind yourself of good protocol in dealing with these animals.
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.
 
What makes a fed cattle qualify for Certified Angus Beef
Cattle have to be 51% black.” “Is it the hair or the hide or both?” “It’s the average of a pen, so if more than half of them are black, the whole pen qualifies.” “What if a few are Holstein – just add up the spots and see if you get to more than 51%? If they have enough black, they’re in.”