RARE BREEDS TRUST OF AUSTRALIA
powered by TidyHQAustralian Heritage Angus
Australian Heritage Angus
Country of Origin
Australia
Australian Status
Uses
Beef
Breed Traits
A small framed beef cattle, with a maximum height of 130cm at the hip. They may be black, red, or White Park pattern. Black and red cattle are solid coloured, with a small amount of white allowed on scrotum or udder.
They are typical of British beef cattle, being wide and deep, and known for their docility and gentle dispositions. All are naturally polled.
Target weight for mature females is 500-580kg; for mature males the target weight is 700-800kg.
History
The Australian Heritage Angus traces its roots back to three sources: The Trangie Angus Herd, Scottish Bred Angus and Aberdeen cattle, and select New Zealand pre-1968 Angus genetics. There has been no American Angus genetics introduced into the breed since the 1960s.
“The Department of Agriculture (NSW) founded an Angus herd at the Agricultural Research Centre, Trangie, in 1929 to assist in the establishment and promotion of the Angus breed in the Australian cattle industry” (Parnell 1990)." 21 Angus were imported from Glencarnock Stud, Brandon, Canada to begin the herd.
In 2002 the Redline Association was formed with red coated cattle from The Australian Lowline herd. In 2012, the association was renamed as Ausline Cattle Association to include both red and black cattle. To reflect their aim in preserving the heritage of their Angus descendants, the association was officially named The Australian Heritage Angus in 2018.
The Australian Heritage Angus herd book is not closed, and allows for grading up to purebred, which encourages hybrid vigour.
All Australian Heritage Angus cattle have DNA traced parent verification in order to be registered.
Breed Organisation
Australian Population
2025: 242 males; 692 females; 17 registrations in 2024
References
Photo Credit
Meet the Species cover: Photo permission Australian Heritage Angus Society
Top: Photo permission Australian Heritage Angus Society
Bottom: Photo permission Australian Heritage Angus Society
Page by C. Wormald, Feb 2026
