Angus cattle
The Angus is a hornless, solid black beef breed and an easy one to find: more than 80% of US cows are Angus-influenced. Its association describes it as docile and low-maintenance, which suits a first herd. It is not a small animal. Cows average around 1,250 lb and bulls about 2,300 lb.
Is the Angus right for you?
Good fit if
- You want beef cattle without horns
- You want a breed that is easy to find; more than 80% of US cows are Angus-influenced
- You want a bull for crossbreeding that brings low birth weights and a moderate frame
- You're new to cattle and want a breed its association describes as docile
Poor fit if
- You want a small animal. Cows average around 1,250 lb and bulls about 2,300 lb
- You want a rare or heritage breed. More than 80% of US cows are Angus-influenced
- You want a dairy breed. Angus are a beef breed
Appearance and varieties
Angus are solid black and naturally polled, meaning they never grow horns. When George Grant showed two of the first Angus bulls in the United States at Kansas City in 1873, cattlemen called them freaks for exactly those two traits. Alberta's breed guide also lists red Angus, likewise polled.
Alberta Agriculture gives an average of about 2,300 lb for a mature bull and around 1,250 lb for cows. The breed association describes the cow as moderate in size.213
Temperament and handling
The American Angus Association says farmers and ranchers who have raised Angus for generations call the cattle low-maintenance and adaptable, and credits the breed's docile nature for its place in the beef industry. It describes the cow as having strong maternal instincts.
That is the breed's own association speaking, not an independent rating.1
Animals vary within a breed. Treat this as what to expect, not a promise, and meet the animal before you buy if you can.
Production numbers
What our sources report for the breed. If two sources disagree, you see the full range.
| Measure | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Calving | Known for calving ease and low birth weights1 | The association's description. It publishes calving-ease and birth-weight EPDs for registered animals. |
| Carcass | High-quality carcass with increased marbling1 | |
| Certified Angus Beef | Predominantly black hide, then 10 carcass specifications, including modest or higher marbling and a hot carcass of 1,100 lb or less9 | A brand owned by the association, not a breed test. |
| Mothering | Strong maternal instincts; females mature early and breed back quickly1 | The association's description. |
| Gestation | 283 days, give or take 1981 | All cattle, from Oregon State. The association says Angus gestation is comparatively short but gives no figure. |
Housing, feed and health
Housing
For beef cattle in general, Oregon State says elaborate housing is not needed and cattle do very well outside in most weather. It recommends a mud-free area with protection from wind and rain, such as a three-sided shelter, a perimeter fence with strong corner braces, and a corral, narrow alley and squeeze chute so animals can be handled safely.
The association notes that Angus being polled saves producers time and money.81
Feed
The association credits the Angus cow with fleshing ability, and Alberta Agriculture notes the breed's ability to forage under rugged conditions.
For beef cattle in general, Oregon State says an animal eats up to 3 percent of its bodyweight in good-quality feed a day on a dry-matter basis and drinks 4 to 20 gallons of water a day depending on size, age and weather, with much more in high heat. Clean water must be available at all times.138
Health
The association says the breed's black pigment protects against cancer eye and against the sunburned or snow-burned udders seen in light-skinned breeds in some parts of the country.
The basics are the same as for any beef herd. Oregon State puts prevention first: clean sheds, lots and troughs, a sound vaccination programme, parasite control, and frequent observation of the herd.
This is a starting point, not veterinary advice. If an animal goes off its feed or seems unwell, call a large-animal vet or your county extension office.18
Price and where to buy
| Quality | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Registered bull, 14–17 months, private treaty (minimum asking price) | $3500–$35005 |
| Registered bred heifer | $5000–$50006 |
| Registered bull, 14–20 months, at a production sale | $10000–$4000010 |
Prices are per animal, read on 9 October 2026. Northeast Texas Community College's notice offered two registered bulls of 14–17 months by private treaty at a minimum of $3,500 each; the text carries no date, and its file name and folder say April 2026. A Cattle Range listing asked $5,000 each, firm, for 32 registered first-calf heifers in North Texas, sold as a group; the page shows no posting date (vet check 29 September 2025, address October 2025). Gardiner Angus Ranch's results for its production sale of 4 May 2026 list bulls of 14–16 and 19–20 months from $10,000 to $40,000, plus one lot at $1,050,000 that we left out. We found no dated page pricing steers or unregistered cattle.
Where to look
Start with a breeder you can visit. Nobody pays to be on this list.
| Seller or directory | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| American Angus Association | Breed association | Its FAQ points buyers to the Find a Breeder search and member website links on the same site |
| Northeast Texas Community College Agriculture Department | Breeder | Registered bulls by private treaty, $3,500 minimum |
| Gardiner Angus Ranch | Breeder | Production sale; May 2026 results |
| The Cattle Range | Classified listings | Dated private-treaty listings by breed and state; archived copy of one Angus listing |
Similar breeds
| Breed | Cow weight | Bull weight | Beginner | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angus (this breed) | 1250 lb | 2300 lb | $3500–$5000 | |
| Hereford | 1300–1500 lb | 2200–2300 lb | $3250–$7000 |
History
The Aberdeen-Angus was developed in the early 19th century from the polled, mostly black cattle of northeast Scotland, known locally as doddies and hummlies. Oklahoma State singles out Hugh Watson of Keillor, who started his herd in 1808 and selected for black, as the nearest thing the breed has to a founder, and William McCombie of Tillyfour as its great improver. Individual cattle were first recorded in the Scottish Herd Book in 1862.
George Grant brought four Angus bulls from Scotland to Victoria, Kansas, in May 1873. He crossed them on Texas Longhorn cows, and the hornless black calves wintered better and weighed more the next spring. Oklahoma State counts 1,200 cattle imported from Scotland between 1878 and 1883, mostly to the Midwest.
The American Aberdeen-Angus Breeders' Association was founded in Chicago on 21 November 1883 with 60 members. Now the American Angus Association, based in Saint Joseph, Missouri, it records more cattle each year than any other beef breed association, and its herd book numbers 21 million animals.297
Common questions
How big do Angus cattle get?
Alberta Agriculture's breed guide puts a mature bull at about 2,300 lb on average and cows at around 1,250 lb.3
Do Angus cattle have horns?
No. Angus are naturally polled, meaning they are born without horns and never grow them.12
What colour are Angus cattle?
Solid black. Alberta's breed guide says the breed is either black or red, and both are polled.23
Where do Angus cattle come from?
Northeast Scotland. The breed was developed in the early 1800s from the polled, mostly black cattle of Aberdeenshire and Angus. The first Angus bulls reached the United States in 1873.27
What are Angus cattle used for?
Beef. The breed association says Angus are known for calving ease, growth and marbling, and that Angus bulls are used in crossbreeding to bring low birth weights and maternal traits.1
Are Angus cattle good for beginners?
On the breed association's account, yes: it describes them as docile, low-maintenance, adaptable and easy calving, and they have no horns. Bear in mind a mature bull averages about 2,300 lb.13
How much do Angus cattle cost?
On the dated pages we read in October 2026, a Texas college farm asked a minimum of $3,500 for a registered young bull and a North Texas seller asked $5,000 each for registered bred heifers. Bulls at one ranch's May 2026 production sale brought $10,000–$40,000.5610
What is Certified Angus Beef?
A beef brand owned by the American Angus Association. Cattle must have a predominantly black hide, and the carcass must then meet 10 specifications, among them modest or higher marbling.9
Sources
The small numbers beside each fact point to one of these.
- American Angus Association, Angus Advantages (PDF).
- American Angus Association, History (archived copy).
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Alberta Beef Breeds (with Alberta dairy breeds).
- BreedBarn, Editorial rating, method on the editorial policy page.
- Northeast Texas Community College Agriculture Department, Registered Angus Bulls for Sale (PDF, April 2026).
- The Cattle Range, Listing: 32 Reg. Angus Bred Heifers, North TX, October 2025 (archived copy).
- Oklahoma State University, Breeds of Livestock: Angus Cattle (archived copy).
- Oregon State University Extension Service, Beef production for small farms: An overview (EC 1514).
- American Angus Association, Frequently Asked Questions (archived copy).
- Gardiner Angus Ranch, 11th Annual Production Sale results, May 4, 2026 (PDF).
Something wrong? Tell us and we'll check it.