The American Aberdeen cattle breed was originally developed at the Trangie Research Centre in New South Wales, Australia. Animal scientists began with a herd of registered champion Angus cattle purchased in 1929. This herd was carefully selected for high quality and moderate frame.
The end result? A breed that is efficient on grass, moderate in size, black, polled and the purest of Angus genetics.
American Aberdeens are easy calving, good-natured cattle. They also boast high feed efficiency and maintain themselves well on grass.
Additionally, the meat delivers excellent taste, texture and tenderness beef characteristics, with exceptional rib-eye area per 100 pounds of body weight. This translates to very high-yielding, high-quality and high-value beef carcasses.
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Small-Ace Superstars
American Aberdeens also make a perfect choice for small-acreage farmers. Their more moderate size also makes them easy to handle and minimizes equipment requirements.
Because of their efficient conversion of grass to meat, they thrive on smaller amounts of feed, whether grass or hay. This feed efficiency adds a savings value to the farm. Moreover, this allows a farmer to stock more American Aberdeens in the same area that would support traditional cattle.
Additionally, they may offer potential tax advantages of an agricultural-based property and business.
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American Aberdeen Characteristics
Naturally polled cattle, American Aberdeens possess a docile nature. This makes them an ideal choice for those new to or less experienced with cattle. They also excel as show animals or in 4-H youth programs.
Mature American Aberdeen bulls generally fall into the range of 45 to 48 inches measured at the hip and weigh from 1,300 to 1,600 pounds. And mature cows generally measure from 42 to 46 inches at the hip, and weigh between 900 to 1,100 pounds.
To learn more, visit the American Aberdeen Association online.
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2021 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
