Welcome to the Maine Angus Association!
This website is a useful tool for you to find out information about upcoming association events, members, our nationally competitive Junior Association and available Angus cattle in Maine.
Maine All of our members hail from the great state of Maine. We come from a variety of backgrounds, hold a number of “other” jobs, and deal with Angus cattle several different ways. Whether we raise replacement heifers or finish steers, run two animals or hundred, have been at this for 50 years or just getting started, we all believe Angus cattle produces the highest quality beef. We all do well in a state that is known for its dairy cattle and far from the competitive beef market of the Midwest.
Angus Cattle
Angus cattle originated in the county of Angus in Scotland, in the late 1700s. The Angus breed came about when several polled – hornless – strains of cattle were crossed. Hugh Watson is credited with introducing a black bull to his varied colored cows; he began to select for the black color as well as the other desirable traits Angus are known for today. Many of the Angus today can trace their lineage to his original herd.
Angus were first brought to the United States in 1873 by George Grant. He exhibited them at the Kansas City Livestock Exposition where most Americans were shocked at the hornless cattle as shorthorns and Texas longhorn cattle were the popular breeds at the time. Grant crossed a few of his cattle with Texas longhorns producing a polled, black cow that wintered better in the Midwestern US. As his and other herds grew, Angus continued to be imported from Scotland, as many as 1,200 in the next 5 years.
Today, Angus beef is known for its fine marbling and fantastic taste. Angus cattle turn out more Prime and Choice grade cuts than any other breed of beef. They remain the most sought after beef breed in the world, with markets demanding and paying a premium for Angus cattle.
Angus cattle have the ability to get to heavy market weights quickly and give excellent carcass quality. The beauty of Angus cattle is their ability to lay down intra-muscular marbling fat throughout their life and during the finishing phase, with exceptional tenderness, texture, and flavor. Angus cattle are also known for their highly fertile, productive females that calve easily, and are excellent mothers with good milking ability.
Commercial feedlots or grass-fed operations alike looking to improve carcass quality, or just want to raise carefree cattle that will thrive in any climate, Black Angus is the obvious choice.
Angus cattle originated in the county of Angus in Scotland, in the late 1700s. The Angus breed came about when several polled – hornless – strains of cattle were crossed. Hugh Watson is credited with introducing a black bull to his varied colored cows; he began to select for the black color as well as the other desirable traits Angus are known for today. Many of the Angus today can trace their lineage to his original herd.
Angus were first brought to the United States in 1873 by George Grant. He exhibited them at the Kansas City Livestock Exposition where most Americans were shocked at the hornless cattle as shorthorns and Texas longhorn cattle were the popular breeds at the time. Grant crossed a few of his cattle with Texas longhorns producing a polled, black cow that wintered better in the Midwestern US. As his and other herds grew, Angus continued to be imported from Scotland, as many as 1,200 in the next 5 years.
Today, Angus beef is known for its fine marbling and fantastic taste. Angus cattle turn out more Prime and Choice grade cuts than any other breed of beef. They remain the most sought after beef breed in the world, with markets demanding and paying a premium for Angus cattle.
Angus cattle have the ability to get to heavy market weights quickly and give excellent carcass quality. The beauty of Angus cattle is their ability to lay down intra-muscular marbling fat throughout their life and during the finishing phase, with exceptional tenderness, texture, and flavor. Angus cattle are also known for their highly fertile, productive females that calve easily, and are excellent mothers with good milking ability.
Commercial feedlots or grass-fed operations alike looking to improve carcass quality, or just want to raise carefree cattle that will thrive in any climate, Black Angus is the obvious choice.
American Angus Association
The American Angus Association was founded in 1883 and today it is the largest purebred beef registry in the world. In 1978, it formed the “Certified Angus Beef” brand to ensure the highest quality of beef was being sold to the public. In order to be labeled as Certified Angus Beef by the USDA the carcass must meet ALL 10 criteria:
- Modest or higher degree of marbling – amount of intramuscular fat, this is primarily what determines the grade (prime, choice, select, ect)
- Medium or fine marbling texture
- "A" maturity – 9 – 30mos old, determined by “physiologic age” or age based on the skeletal maturity of the animal; the other factor in the grade
- 10 to 16 square-inch ribeye area
- Less than 1,000-pound hot carcass weight
- Medium or fine marbling texture
- "A" maturity – 9 – 30mos old, determined by “physiologic age” or age based on the skeletal maturity of the animal; the other factor in the grade
- 10 to 16 square-inch ribeye area
- Less than 1,000-pound hot carcass weight
- Less than 1-inch fat thickness
- Moderately thick or thicker muscling
- No hump on the neck exceeding 5 cm (2") – a characteristic of Brahman cattle
- Practically free of capillary rupture
- No dark cutting characteristics – this occurs if the animal is stressed before slaughter; this causes the meat to become very dry during cooking, more likely to grow bacteria, and have a sticky texture
- Moderately thick or thicker muscling
- No hump on the neck exceeding 5 cm (2") – a characteristic of Brahman cattle
- Practically free of capillary rupture
- No dark cutting characteristics – this occurs if the animal is stressed before slaughter; this causes the meat to become very dry during cooking, more likely to grow bacteria, and have a sticky texture
For more information on:
History of the Angus breed www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/angus/
CAB www.cattle.com/articles/title/Angus+Cattle.aspx
Grading meat http://meat.tamu.edu/beefgrading.html
History of the Angus breed www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/angus/
CAB www.cattle.com/articles/title/Angus+Cattle.aspx
Grading meat http://meat.tamu.edu/beefgrading.html