THE IMPORTANCE OF TYPE

While we are utilising the latest BREEDPLAN and Genomics technologies to enhance the value of our beef under the hide you will often hear us talk about type.

Before the advent of genetic evaluation, type was the main determinant (along with breed) to identify eating quality. These traits, while highly heritable, are subjective but they are a particularly important feature of our brand and give us an important edge in quality that we take great pride in. We believe type is just as important today as it was then to balance our breeding approach and ensure we do not lose those ‘hard to measure’ traits for which the Angus breed is famous. These include constitution, doing ability, structure and balance.

Head And Muzzle

The perfect Angus head should be broad with good hooding to protect the eye and have a wide jaw and strong muzzle. The width of their jaw will be reflected in the width of their whole body structure which is especially important through the hips and pins for calving ease. As Bruce Steel used to say ‘the difference between a narrow and wide muzzle is like the difference between eating with a shovel or a teaspoon’.

Good Rein

This is one of our main physical selection traits. An animal with good type will have a naturally uplifted head and there is no better single measure of structure. A lifted head and long neck reflects a shoulder angle that will allow for calving ease and natural movement thus allowing longevity.

Strong Spine

In all our sires we chase a strong spine coupled with a proportionately longer hip to pin ratio to fortify strength of spine and strength of loin. The most valuable cuts are along the spine and we want them to have the least work to stay tender and be supported. We have been extremely disappointed in the recent influx of swampy backed bulls, with short hip-pin and high tail set that seem popular in the States.

Hip To Pin

This is a key indicator for structural correctness. Animals should be proportionally longer from hip to pin and have a slight downward slope to facilitate calving ease. This reinforces the strength of the overall top line and gives the animal more balance. Too much slope is reflected by sickled hocks, low pasterns, and long feet while a shorter hip to pin combined with the pins being higher than the hip leads to even more debilitating conditions. These include a shallower, weaker loin with more pressure on the spine leading to smaller EMA and breakdown, straighter angles through the hocks and pasterns leading to injury and arthritis.

Tail Set

Who cares? We do. After Stu working 15 years in the Dairy Industry as a vet, it became very obvious that the cows with their tail sets higher and more up their back were more prone to uterine infection as they were continually defecating into their vulva. On top of this, it comes hand-in-hand with a short hip to pin and swampy back and is found in harder doing animals.

Skin

You will often hear us talk about skin and it is one of the highestranking physical selection criteria we employ. We have measured and selected for it for years. Skin is an old timer’s indicator for beef quality and tenderness and is measured by us in two forms, with the finer the skin and the softer/finer the hair correlating highly with scanned IMF. Animals with the better skin types are also those that clean up and re-breed faster coming into Spring joining. Angus Australia is currently researching skin type and its implications. In the same way, extra skin along the throat indicates easy doing animals.

Depth Of Body

We chase a good deep rib and body as an indicator of a cow’s constitution. These cows perform better for us during our harsh annual winters and droughts. As my Dad would explain they have a bigger vat and so can ruminate more efficiently.

CLEAN UDDER AND ESCHUTUEN, AND WIDE SPADES

On bulls and females, long or course hairs anywhere under the udder/scrotum area, up through the escutcheon or flicking along the outer thighs indicate poor doers. The udder and the seat of their pants must be clean with wider spades (the hair going in the opposite direction) either side of the tail to result in better doing ability and easier milking.

Flank

A deep flank (preferably one deeper than their girth) that ties deeper into the animal’s quarter is an indicator of doing ability and allows for a greater volume of muscle and weight in the hindquarter and stifle area.

Bone

We prefer a flatter bone as an indicator of efficiency and tenderness. These are animals that do better on grass without the benefit of a grain diet. Rounder boned animals such as European breeds are higher yielding but have lower meat quality and are harder to fatten.

Feet

Not too big or too small with a claw and set score between 5 and 6. We applaud Angus Australia’s recent developments to simplify these scores and integrate the use of genomics. There have been many unsuitable bulls allowed into the country in the last 10-15 years and this is something we are committed to getting right and we score and cull our animals annually for feet.

Muscle

We go for volume of muscle consistent with an Angus type and avoid very heavily expressed muscle types as they are generally harder doers and tougher to eat. Volume of muscle comes with width and length but can be complemented with overall softness.

Temperament

This is our single most important selection criteria where we have no room for compromise. Quieter cattle not only make life safer and more enjoyable but they have been proven better doers with better meat quality. The feedback we get from our clients regarding the good temperament of our cattle is something we are most proud of. Life is too short to deal with cranky cattle.

Tail Set

Higher/up the back –more prone to uterine infections in females

Hip to Pin

A key indicator for structural correctness

Strong Spine

The most valuable cuts are along the spine

Good Rein

An animal with good structure will have a naturally uplifted head

Depth of Body

Good, deep, rib and body are an indicator of an animal’s constitution

Flank

An indicator of doing ability

Skin

An old timer’s indicator for beef quality and tenderness

Head and Muzzle

Broad, good hooding to protect the eye, wide jaw and strong muzzle