German Angus

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German Angus
Angusbulle (cropped).jpg
Bull
Deutsch-angus kuhe.jpg
Cows
Conservation status FAO (2007): not at risk [1] :48
Other names German: Deutsch Angus
Country of originGermany
DistributionGermany
Use
  • beef
  • vegetation management [2]
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    1000–1200 kg [3] :183
  • Female:
    550–700 kg [3] :183
Height
  • Male:
    135–150 cm [3] :183
  • Female:
    125–140 cm [3] :183
Coatsolid colour: black or red
Horn status polled (hornless)
  • Cattle
  • Bos (primigenius) taurus
Cow with calves Deutsch-angus mutterkuh mit kalbern.jpg
Cow with calves

The German Angus, German : Deutsch Angus, is a modern German breed of beef cattle. It was bred in the 1950s in West Germany by crossing Aberdeen Angus with various native German cattle breeds: the German Black Pied, the Deutsche Rotbunte and the Fleckvieh.

Contents

History

The German Angus was bred in West Germany in the 1950s by cross-breeding imported Aberdeen Angus stock from the United Kingdom with local German breeds; these were the German Black Pied or Deutsches Schwarzbuntes Niederungsrind, the Deutsche Rotbunte or Rotbuntes Niederungsrind, and the Fleckvieh or German Simmental. [3] :183 Since 1960 there has been some intromission of the American Angus. [2]

In 1955 a breed society was established, [3] :183 and in 1956 a herd-book was started. [2]

In 2017 the population was recorded as 9603 cows and 454 bulls. [4]

Characteristics

The German Angus is solid-coloured, black, brown or red, and is always naturally polled (hornless). [3] :183 Compared to the Fleckvieh it matures earlier, calves much more easily and has a higher calving rate, while the calf mortality rate is much lower. A comparative study of recently-weaned calves of the two breeds found the German Angus to be more easily handled and more placid. [3] :183 It is larger and leaner than the original Scots Angus. [3] :183

Use

The German Angus is reared principally for beef. [4] It may also be used in vegetation management. [2]

References

  1. Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN   9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Breed description: German Angus. Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Archived 11 May 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding, sixth edition. Wallingford: CABI. ISBN   9781780647944.
  4. 1 2 Rassebeschreibung Rind: Deutsch Angus (in German). Zentrale Dokumentation Tiergenetischer Ressourcen in Deutschland. Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung. Archived 12 February 2019.