Lowline cattle are the descendants of the Aberdeen Angus stock from the Australian Trangie Research Centre. The Aberdeen Angus herd (established in 1929) had been developed from seed stock imported from America, Scotland and Canada. In 1963, the Trangie Centre began to focus on research, in particular, the function of performance recording was scrutinized, with specific attention paid to conformation and weight gain. This program pioneered performance testing in this country.
1974 marked the commencement of the Lowline breed trials. The objective of this project (which lasted 19 years) was to compare feed conversion efficiency between large animals and small ones. Three herds were selected: the Highline herd (for high yearling growth rates), the Lowline herd (for low yearling growth rates) and the Control Line herd (a randomly selected control herd). Staff assessed aspects such as reproductive abilities, feed consumption, weight gain, carcase quality, conformation and milk production. At the conclusion of the trial, it became apparent that the Lowline cattle were (on average) 30% smaller than the Highline cattle.
At the conclusion of the trial, dispersal sales were arranged and the Lowline cattle proved to be popular among breeders. Consequently, in 1992, the Australian Lowline Cattle Association wad formed. The breed has been exhibited in agricultural shows throughout the country since 1994. Lowine animals, semen and embryos continue to be exported.
Lowline cattle are naturally polled and small-framed. Mature cows typically weigh around 320 kilograms, while mature bulls weigh over 400 kilograms on average. Their small size may help to reduce maintenance costs. Their coat colour is black and their structure resembles that of the British beef breeds. Other common traits include superior quality meat, high carcase yield, easy calving, early maturity, efficient feed conversion, eye cancer resistance. Their meat is well-marbled and tender, and the small cuts that are acquired from the carcase are ideal for today's health conscious market. Heifers will not conceive until they have reached a weight of approximately 220 kilograms (between 14-18 months), which has management benefits, especially on small acre farms.
Today, Lowline cattle are distributed throughout Australia, Canada, the United States and New Zealand.
