OÜ Sentafarm raises pure-bred Aberdeen-Angus cattle. This breed originates from Aberdeenshire and Angus in Northern Scotland. Within 50 years, this breed became one of the most common beef cattle breed in the whole world. This breed is currently the largest breed of beef cattle in the USA and Argentina. The first herd book since 1862. Aberdeen-Anguses are of medium size, hornless, they have a long body and they are relatively high animals. Their colour is mostly black, but red colour also occurs. They are widely used for improving the quality of meat and milk yield. Calving is relatively easy. The birth weight of a calf is approximately 35-38 kg, whereas grown-up cows weigh 550-750 kg, oxen 850-900 kg and bulls up to 1,000 kg. The carcase yield is up to 60%.
Among many other beef cattle breeds in the whole world, Aberdeen-Angus stands out for its exceptionally high quality of meat. What is the reason for that?
Aberdeen-Anguses store their body fat between the muscle fibres and not in the fat layer under the skin, hence, the cutting surface looks like marble and thus their meat is called marbled meat. The fat between the muscle fibres makes the meat juicy, soft and delicious.
Aberdeen-Angus beef cattle can successfully be brought up without fattening them with concentrated fodder, but only on pastures. The cattle are kept on pastures throughout the year, and are supplied with extra feed in winter when the pastures are bare. The pastures have some bushes and trees left there. Beef tastes much more delicate and delicious if cattle are kept outdoors.
In Europe, mainly young bulls are used for producing high-quality beef. However, in England, Ireland and the whole continent of America, bull calves are castrated and the meat of oxen (castrated bulls) is used to produce meat with premium quality. The fibres of oxen meat are thinner and the meat is juicier. However, oxen grow slower and their slaughter weight is smaller than that of bulls, but the high quality of their meat and a possibility to herd the oxen with cows compensates for this.
The meat of a 16-24-month ox is the best in terms of taste qualities and softness. The younger is the animal, the lighter and softer is the meat. However, the older the animal gets, the better, stronger and more delicious becomes the taste of the meat. The taste qualities of the meat are improved by storing the meat at freezing level. During this process, the fibrous tissue is degraded by enzymes, the meat becomes softer and the specific taste of beef becomes more distinctive.
Keeping of beef cattle. In summer, the cattle are kept as herds of ca 45 main cattle cows (suckling cows). There must be natural pasture of 1 ha or cultural pasture of 0.5 ha per one animal. In April-May, newborn calves will be added to the herd of suckling cows, and since a pasture of 0.2 ha must be reserved for them, it takes ca 50 ha of natural pasture with small clusters of trees and bushes to keep one herd. The herd must have a barn or a pavilion (feeding place). Beef cattle are not fed in the barn, but on pasture or walking area. Production buildings for beef cattle need not to be capital constructions.