Red Angus cattle have all the attributes of Black Angus with the addition of the homozygous red coat colour. The key attributes of Red Angus cattle include:
- ability to adapt to a vast range of the climatic conditions encountered across Australia
- gentle temperament
- desirable maternal qualities
- quality carcass characteristics.
Furthermore, Red Angus and their crosses are keenly sought after commercial producers as a cornerstone for their production systems.
HOMOZYGOUS RED COLOUR
When Red Angus cattle are crossed with other red breeds, red-coated calves are produced. There are a number of advantages arising out of this including:
- Evenness in the line of sale cattle.
- The red coat reflects the sunlight better than darker breeds, which is desirable in the tropics and sub-tropics.
- Red Angus cattle have advantages over Black Angus in buffalo fly areas where the buffalo fly is attracted more to the latter’s black hides.
FERTILITY & MATERNAL
Red Angus females have these outstanding characteristics:
- reach puberty at a young age
- are highly fertile
- have a strong maternal instinct
- easy calving attributes
- have excellent milk production
- are renowned for their longevity in the herd.
TEMPERAMENT
Red Angus cattle are considered by breeders to be gentle natured and easy cattle to work. Worldwide reports support the docile nature of the Red Angus breed.
Australian research conducted by CSIRO Livestock Industries (CLI) and the Co-operative Research Centre for Beef and Cattle Quality (Beef CRC) at Rockhampton have found a positive relationship between ‘good’ cattle temperament, improved productivity levels and overall meat quality whereas cattle with poorer temperaments have comparatively lower average daily weight gains and reduced carcass weights.
Poor temperament lowers cattle profitability through increased production costs – for example, mustering, maintaining cattle handling facilities and the increased risk of injury to the cattle and their handlers.
QUALITY OF CARCASS
High quality beef production is a characteristic of the Angus breed worldwide. Whether from pasture or feedlot Red Angus beef is highly desired for meat quality. Red Angus like all Angus lay down intra muscular marbling, which assists in the eating quality of the meat.
Red Angus has the ability to be targeted at a range of market specifications. From the light domestic production through to heavy export specifications Red Angus can be incorporated into your programme to suit your environmental constraints.
Source: Red Angus Society of Australia
