Feature: British and Irish Aberdeen-Angus thriving in Portugal

By Nigel Hammill

During 2008 and 2009, some 110 Aberdeen-Angus heifers and eight bulls were exported from UK and Ireland to Portugal and the Azores Islands, lying half-way between Lisbon and USA in mid-Atlantic.

Four years ago, I met Paulo Costa from the Portuguese Farmers Federation at the European Aberdeen-Angus Forum in Germany. Over a few beers, we discussed the suitability of Aberdeen-Angus cattle for the Azores to improve the quality of local beef from dairy cross cattle and establishing a local beef “brand”.

Their beef must be grass-produced as the cost of importing cereal feed is prohibitive. His objective was to produce premium quality (and price) beef for export to the mainland, which is where most of the islands’ milk goes.

After considerable political lobbying, an importation was approved in 2008. But, in order to access “British-type” Aberdeen-Angus at the time of the FMD outbreak in Surrey, the cattle were sourced from the Irish Republic, with input from myself, Sheila Eggleston of Eggs-Port Ltd and Irish breeders.

This has been followed in 2009 with the export of 56 heifers and four bulls from England and Scotland, with Angus Stovold (Surrey), Geoff Biddulph (Cheshire), John Moores (Lancs) and Dan Whiteford (Northumberland) sending the largest numbers, along with a bull from my own Tegsnose herd.

I visited several farms in mainland Portugal and the Azores in June and was impressed to see how the cattle had adapted to very different conditions, as they have done historically in former British colonies worldwide.

Nigel Hammill (centre) with Luis Armando Machado (left) and Roland Winter, with a group of Pexhill heifers on Roland’s farm in Alentejo

We first stayed with Roland Winter in Alentejo, a hot dry arid scrub area north of Algarve. He is a Swiss Quarter horse breeder of world renown and has carved a 300 hectare ranch out of volcanic rock and scrub!

Tegsnose Kiwi Transformer in his new home on the island of Terceira

His cattle are fed a cereal based diet (fairly cheap) as grass is scarce. Temperatures regularly hit 40C in summer and the animals have shelter among Eucalyptus trees or some custom flat roof shelters. Water is pumped to troughs from man-made lakes.

Roland`s cattle calve all year round with the aim of producing consistent beef supply for specialist restaurants in Lisbon, where Aberdeen-Angus beef is growing in popularity and advertised on TV. As he increases his herd, he and a neighbour intend to further exploit the opportunity to sell branded “Angus” beef.

In contrast to Alentejo, the islands of Faial, Pico and Terceira (a two hour flight from Lisbon) were lush and green and the Aberdeen-Angus cattle were as happy as pigs in sh-t!

The main industries on Terceira are dairy farming and fishing. Cows are grazed in small drystone-walled paddocks and milked in the fields with portable machines.

Grass is available 10 months of the year, the exceptions being July/Aug when it is too dry. Beef production has been mainly continental cross Holstein with bulls kept entire and slaughtered at 12-14 months at carcase weights of 180-220kg. The meat is then butchered and sold, without hanging.

Lately, with Paulo`s encouragement, many dairy farmers have started using Aberdeen-Angus by AI and all the pedigree bull calves born to the imported heifers have already been contracted for sale – to the delight of the importers!

We stayed with the new president of the Portuguese Angus Association, Luis Armando Machado, and his wife Catarina, on Terceira. Luis bought my bull, Tegsnose Kiwi Transformer, as well as heifers from Rosemead, Borewell and The Moss.

Portuguese Aberdeen-Angus president, Luis Armando Machado, with some imported UK heifers

He recently bought 400 hectares of mountain grazing land to add to his home farm, building to a herd of 100 pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cows. As well as UK and Irish genetics, he is importing embryos from Canada and New Zealand to see which suit the climate best.

Paulo Costa has made great progress and is now breed secretary for the Portuguese Angus Association, based in Terceira. He is working with other farmers to establish a Portuguese “Angus” brand. The enthusiasm shown by the original importers is spreading rapidly around the islands, which augurs well for the future of British genetics.

The Portugeuse Aberdeen-Angus Herd Book was established in November, 2007. There are currently 15 breeders with 145 pure-bred Aberdeen-Angus cattle between them.

The cattle are distributed in Alentejo and Beira Interior on mainland Portugal and on five of the nine islands which make up the Azores – Sao Miguel, Terceira, Graciosa, Faial and Pico.

Paulo organised a party of 26 Portuguese farmers to visit the Royal Show last July to watch the judging of dairy and beef cattle – then join in the singing at the Aberdeen-Angus barbecue!

My wife and I were greatly impressed by the enthusiasm and professionalism of all the farmers we met, most of whom are quite young. The standard of food and welcome by all the local people should make the Azores a “must visit” destination for breeders from the UK and Ireland. English is spoken in most places. We will be back next year and hope some more British cattle will follow!