REGISTERED FULLBLOOD american aberdeen CATTLE

american aberdeen HISTORY

In 2017 the American Lowline Registry changed its name to the American Aberdeen Association. All American Lowline Angus are now called American Aberdeen cattle. The change in name reflects the true heritage of this unique breed of Angus cattle.

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Australian Lowline beef cattle were developed by the New South Wales Department of Agricultural Research. From 1930, Trangie Research Station, NSW, worked closely with the Australian Meat Research Committee and the Meat Research Corporation to improve the Aberdeen Angus breed. Their line breeding research was based on 42 of the best Aberdeen Angus cattle that it was possible to obtain internationally. Trangie Research Station's Aberdeen Angus foundation stock was obtained in 1929 from Glencarnock Stud, Canada, whose top sire, Blackcap Revolution, was considered to be the best Aberdeen Angus bull in the world. Two of his grandsons, were purchased by Trangie together with a cow, calf, and 17 heifers. Further imports from Canada, US and the UK contributed to the success of this prize-winning government-owned stud which became the backbone of the Australian Angus herd. Other imports included Revolution of Page 28th (US), Everside 2nd of Maisemore (UK), Erision of Harviestoun (UK, 3000 guineas,1947) Eblinettes General of Ada (Canada) Craven's Revolution Blackcap 7th (Canada) together with top cows and heifers from all three countries. As the Australian Angus cattle herd developed, outstanding local bulls were also bought from leading New South Wales studs,  Wambanumba, Glengowan, Tulagi and Wallah.
A total of 42 outstanding Aberdeen Angus cattle had been bought for the Trangie Research Station and from them (and only them) all Australian Lowline Cattle are descended. 

In 1974, as part of the ongoing study, the Trangie Angus herd was closed to other herds and divided into three experimental groups:-

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     The Highline . . . selected on high yearling growth

     The Lowline . . . selected on low yearling growth

     The Control Line . . . a randomly selected control group

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All three groups were evaluated for weight gain, feed intake, reproductive performance, milk production, carcass yield and quality, and structural soundness. After 19 years, the Lowlines had established at approximately 60% of the size of a standard Angus and had shown such efficiency as protein converters that intrigued farmers led by Armidale grazier Ian Pullar, bought the Lowline Angus herd from Trangie and established the Australian Lowline as a new breed.

Australian Lowlines are genetically very "clean" and do not carry the Achondroplasia or Chondrodysplasia (dwarfism) genes which may occur in some other breeds. By protecting the gene pool, the risk of "throwbacks" is eliminated. There is no risk of genetic deformity or abortion. ALCA, the Australian Lowline Cattle Association, is not prepared to compromise the breed by allowing genetic degeneration to be registered in the stud book. Calves must have 100% Australian lowline ancestry verified by DNA matching to their parents.