Some Early Angus History

     Angus beef cattle are currently the top breed of cattle in the United States. Cattlemen confidently invest in raising Angus cattle for sale knowing they'll have a market-ready product and a significant return on their investment within roughly two years. One such cattle ranch is the No Name Cattle Co in Texas. They are committed to raising high quality Angus cattle for sale, so be sure to stop in for a visit.

     Angus cattle are hornless, hardy, strong, and adaptable, making them an ideal cattle breed for cattlemen across the country. Ranchers in Scotland during the 1800s must have thought so too. The counties of Aberdeen, Kincardine, Banff, and Angus are located in the northeastern area of Scotland. The county of Angus was especially known for their quality production of animal feed, grain crops, and potatoes. Within Angus County was a shire called Strathmore. This area was known as one of the finest valleys in northeast Scotland and has been credited in the historical origins of the Aberdeen-Angus breed of cattle. Cattlemen in the United States simply call this impressive breed Angus.

     The gentleman credited as the founder of Angus cattle is Hugh Watson of Keillor. He resided in Strathmore in the county of Angus and was the proud descendant of a father and grandfather who bought and bred Aberdeen-Angus during the 1700s and 1800s. When Hugh Watson came of age 19 in the year 1808, he became a resident at Keillor. At that time, he began a cattle buying and breeding business for himself. His father graciously gave him six of his top quality and blackest cows, along with one bull. Hugh Watson had an eye for what type of cattle would help him achieve the characteristics of the Angus breed he hoped to achieve, so he purchased 10 more heifers and another bull from Scottish cattle markets. Heifers during this time period were characteristically mottled in color, but the bulls Watson had were solid black. He decided that black was the color he wanted in his herd and began breeding accordingly.

     Although Hugh Watson owned several Black Angus cattle, most of the Angus cattle for sale today can be traced back to a bull and a cow on Watson’s ranch. The bull’s name was Old Jock (126) and the cow's name was Old Granny (125). It is recorded that Old Granny lived 35 good years before she was struck by lightning and died. However, between Old Jock and Old Granny, 29 calves were produced!

     Hugh Watson is credited as a leader in cattle breeding in his day. He was unusual in that he showed his cattle more than other cattlemen and breeders of his day who raised Angus cattle for sale. During his lifetime, he won over 500 prizes for his Angus cattle and increased awareness and appreciation for black Angus cattle as far as the British Isles.

     Other contributors to the Angus breed include men by the names of Lord Panmure, William Fullerton, and Robert Walker. These men also raised and bred Angus cattle during the 1800s. Mr. William McCombie of Tillyfour (Scotland) is credited in historical writings with the furtherance of the Aberdeen-Angus breed of cattle.

     So how did Angus cattle come to reside in the United States? A man by the name of George Grant brought four Scottish bulls to Victoria, Kansas in 1873. At that time, cows and bulls were bred to have horns, so these hornless cattle were considered freakish and not worth much. However, once ranchers and cattlemen began to recognize the quality of these animals, they sought Scottish born and bred Angus cattle in order to produce a more pure breed of Angus in the United States. George Grant died a short five years following his arrival in Kansas, but the four Angus bulls he had brought from Scotland had a long-reaching affect on the cattle business in the United States. During the years between 1878 and 1883, American cattle ranches bought Angus stock from Scotland directly. The Midwest saw an influx of nearly 1200 cattle from Scotland, which created a lucrative business of offering Angus cattle for sale for many cattlemen.

     Ranchers and cattlemen throughout the United States now proudly purchase and breed Angus cattle for sale. Angus has proven to be a sturdy and impressive cattle breed, weathering all sorts of weather from the hot summer months to extreme winter temperatures. The No Name Cattle Co, located near Bells, Texas, offers Angus cattle for breeding and showing purposes and looks forward to helping you choose the best bull or heifer for your ranch.

     Visit No Name Cattle Co for more information and availability on Angus Cattle.