Lowline cattle are a breed of small, polled beef cattle

Cattle

Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...

 which were developed by breeders in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 from black Aberdeen Angus cattle. They are small without having a specific dwarfing

Dwarfing

Dwarfing is a characteristic in plants and animals whereby one or more members of a breed or cultivar are significantly smaller than standard members of their species...

 gene. They are now popular in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, used as pets and suitable for showing by children.

History

Lowline Angus cattle were developed from 1974 by the Trangie

Trangie, New South Wales

Trangie is a small country town in regional New South Wales. It is part of Narromine Shire Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Trangie had a population of 866....

 Agricultural Research Centre in Australia. The research was on the effects of genetic selection for growth rate to yearling age. Groups of Angus cattle with high and low growth rates were bred separately and compared with a randomly selected control group. These groups were known as "High Line","Low Line" and "Control Line". The original stock were imported from Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

in 1929, with some Scottish and USA animals added in subsequent years. When the experiment ended in 1992 the Lowline herd was sold to private breeders who formed the Australian Lowline Cattle Association (ALCA). Lowline cattle are now bred in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA, and China.

Characteristics

Lowlines may appear to be, but are not, dwarfs. The cattle were specifically selected for these genetic traits. Lowlines are roughly 100 centimetres (three and a half feet) tall and weigh up to 600 kilograms (1300 lbs). They are black in colour and naturally polled. They are claimed to be very docile. Lowlines are noted for their easy calving ability, with calves weighing 25 kg (55 lbs).

Uses

Lowline cattle are growing in popularity throughout the United States, used as locker beef or as docile pets. They are suitable animals for children to halter train and show. Carcases are claimed to have higher dressing percentage than most beef breeds, and marbled meat, with an ability to finish on pasture.

External links

• Australian Lowline Cattle Association
• Small breeds of cattle