History of Australian lowline Cattle

PictureGlencarnock Revolution 6th
  Australian Lowlines are one of the few breeds that retain pure genetics from the original herds in the countries of origin. This is something UNIQUE in the beef world today but with changing climate, producers wanting efficiency and consumers preferring healthy living, these original genetics tick all the boxes.

When the NSW Department of Agriculture purchased cattle for their Trangie Agricultural Experimental Farm they chose a shipment of top stud Aberdeen Angus from the Glencarnock Estate of Mr James Duncan McGregor at  Brandon, Manatoba, Canada, comprised of the 1927 Glencarnock show team,  including 2 bulls, a cow and calf, and 17 heifers.

The cattle embarked on the steam ship ‘Huraki’ in December 1928 making it the first shipment of any cattle breed from Canada to Australia. After their arrival, the ‘show team’ was paraded at the 1929 Sydney Royal Show & later at the Melbourne and Brisbane Royal Shows.

These females belonged to the fashionable Angus families – Blackbirds, Blackcaps, Elba Ericas, Miss Burgess, Elsa Ericas, Enchantress Ericas, Georginas and several more lines from leading genetic families of the day. The bulls, Glencarnock Revolution 6th and Brave Edward Glencarnock were progeny of the great sires Blackcap Revolution & Edward Glencarnock. Further bulls were imported as sires in 1936, 1941 and a Scottish sire, Pro Ben of Balfron was introduced in 1956. These Aberdeen Angus were to be the forebears of our Australian Lowline cattle of today.
TIMELINE
  • 1929 to 1963 - Top stud Aberdeen Angus cattle were imported from Canada & later herd sires from America, Scotland & some well known Australian Angus studs were purchased to form the foundation of the Trangie Aberdeen Angus herd. The intention of the Department of Agriculture was to supply the beef industry with quality genetics for breed improvement and beef production.
  • 1929 to 1963 - The Trangie Angus herd was prominent in the Australian showing circuit and won many major awards.
  • 1964 - The Trangie herd was closed to any further genetics & became a ‘closed herd’
  • 1963 to 1973 – The emphasis at Trangie was changed to scientific research in the form of performance recording.
  • 1974 - The trial which produced the Lowline breed began with funding from the Australian Meat Research Corporation, to evaluate selection for growth rate on herd profitability. The aim was to establish whether large or small animals were more efficient converters of grass into meat. This project continued for 19 years.
  • The Trangie herd was divided into three groups based on yearling growth rates. The high yearling growth rate (High line), the low yearling growth rate (Low line) and a randomly selected group (Control line)
  • A program of detailed evaluation was implemented, which included weight gain, feed intake, reproductive performance, milk production, carcass yield and structural correctness.
  • After 15 years the Low line cattle were around 30% smaller than the High lines. The result of the efficiency in conversion was the same for the bulk of the Low and High line groups
  • From 1974 the Low line herd remained closed, with all replacement bulls and heifers coming from within the Low line herd.

  • Towards the end of the trial a group of interested cattlemen persuaded the Department of Agriculture to sell the Low line cattle on the open market.
  • 8th of August 1992 - 9 bulls, 23 heifers and 7 cows were sold to 7 purchasers. They then formed the Australian Lowline Cattle Association.
  • 30th October 1993 – The complete dispersal sale where 20 bulls were sold, together with 44 cows and 51 heifers
Picture
Montrose Aberdeen Angus stud, Montrose, Scotland C1956
Picture
2001 Royal Melbourne Show - Wanamara Lowline Stud’s Reserve Senior Champion Lowline Bull, Findon, led by handler, Alison Long
Picture
1968 Royal Melbourne Show – Harry Williams with Senior Champion Angus Bull, Victoree Abarldy 152nd