Australian Lowline cattle Origin, Facts, Weight

Lowline cattle are a small, polled beef cattle breed created in Australia by breeders from black Aberdeen Angus cattle. They are small despite not possessing a dwarfing gene. It has become increasingly popular in the United States, being used as a pet and also suitable for exhibiting by children. Lowline cattle are unquestionably beef cattle. They are always black, generally polled, and develop to be 60% the size of standard beef breeds at all phases of development.

The Lowline is an ideal breed for small-acre farmers who can run ten of these cattle instead of six Herefords or other similar breeds. They are ideal for family freezers and are relatively simple to dress and slaughter "at home," yielding 55% of total live weight for consumption. Lowline are not carriers of the Achondroplasia (Dwarfism) gene, and thus pose no risk of genetic deformity or abortion. Calving losses are negligible, and even heifers calve easily.

Australian Lowline cattle Origin

Australian Lowline Cattle were created from an Aberdeen Angus herd set in place in 1929 at the Trangie Research Centre. They were bred to provide high-quality livestock for the New South Wales cattle industry. To build the base of the herd, seed stock was acquired from Scotland, the United States, Canada, and a few Australian Studs. 

Trangie's main focus shifted to research in 1963, when the Australian Meat Research Committee commissioned the Trangie Research Centre to execute a study examining the role of performance recording in a herd's breeding program. Weight gain and visual conformation scores were taken into account in the selection of bulls and heifers for replacements.  The project continued to be pioneering in Australia until 1970, revealing the usefulness of performance measurement in a stud herd.

The Lowline breed trials commenced in 1974 with the objective of determining the effect of selection for growth rate on herd profitability. The goal was to determine whether large or small animals were better at converting grass into meat. This trial lasted a total of 19 years.

Australian Lowline cattle Facts

The Lowline looks smooth in color with a little white, though that's not uncommon.   The breed is usually polled, and its conformation is close to that of any British beef breed. Mature bulls stand around 110cm at the waist, while mature females stand around 100cm.

They produce meat that is waste-free and of superior quality. They are not affected by eye cancer and have proven to be capable of adapting to Australian conditions. They're also incredibly gregarious.

Australian Lowline cattle Weight

The Australian Lowline is one of the smallest breeds of cattle, but it does not suffer from dwarfism. Height is approximately 60% of that of the standard Aberdeen Angus variety or approximately 110 cm for bulls and 100 cm for cows. Calves weigh an average of 22 kg at infancy, but they can weigh just as little as 14 kg.