The Society
The Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society is the regulator of Aberdeen-Angus cattle in the UK, ensuring the provenance, quality and progression of the breed. The Society has been active since 1879, focusing on breeding quality bulls and cows that produce premium quality meat.
Aberdeen-Angus meat is in higher demand than ever amongst retailers, restaurants, butchers and consumers, which makes breeding Aberdeen-Angus cattle a commercially smart plan for the modern-day commercial beef farmer.
Whilst in as strong a position as the breed has ever been, it is the aim of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society to play a key role in safeguarding the industry and driving its future. The Society sets the industry standard around traceability and authentication through its Sire Verification Programme, while the Aberdeen-Angus Youth Development Programme is shaping the industry leaders for years to come.
His Majesty King Charles, patron of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society
Following in the footsteps of his grandmother the Queen Mother, His Majesty King Charles is the current patron of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society. The King has a successful Aberdeen-Angus herd at Highgrove and takes an active interest in the Castle of Mey herd in Caithness which is now run by The Castle of Mey Trust.
The History and Development of the World´s Finest Beef Breed
The Aberdeen-Angus breed was developed in the early part of the 19th century from the polled and predominantly black cattle of north east Scotland, known locally as “doddies” and “hummlies”.
The earliest families trace back to the middle of the eighteenth century but it was much later that the Herd Book (1862) and the Society (1879) were founded. The breed’s establishment was entirely due to the efforts of three very progressive lairds and farmers of that time.
Hugh Watson became tenant of Keillor Farm in Angus in 1808. He gathered stock widely and produced cattle of outstanding quality and character.
William McCombie took the farm of Tillyfour in Aberdeenshire in 1824 and founded a herd from predominantly Keillor bloodlines. His well-documented close breeding produced outstanding cattle that he showed widely in England and France. The reputation of the Aberdeen-Angus breed was founded on the efforts of the McCombie family.
Sir George Macpherson-Grant returned to his inherited estate at Ballindalloch, on the River Spey, from Oxford in 1861 and took up the refining of the breed that was to be his life’s work for almost 50 years.
By line breeding and selection for type, these early pioneers established the foundation for what is unarguably the greatest beef breed in the world.
In those early days Britain was regarded as the fount of Aberdeen-Angus genetics and leading world breeders came here to source stock. The export market has continued to favour the Aberdeen-Angus breed and now breeders look worldwide to source the very best genetics. Today, the Society has cemented its position as the world’s finest beef breed with worldwide recognition producing premium quality beef.
The Society has built a strong relationship with supermarkets including Waitrose and Marks & Spencer as well as restaurants, farm shops and butchers, building the demand from consumers to a level where the beef can command a higher selling price.