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Das Bild zeigt den Herdbuchbullen „Tommy“ der Rasse Deutsch Angus.

German Angus

In its own language: Deutsch Angus

A polled German beef breed, black, brown or red, from Aberdeen Angus crosses

Photo: Bernd.K, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The German Angus is a modern beef breed from Germany, put together in West Germany during the 1950s by crossing Aberdeen Angus with native German cattle. It is always hornless, solid black, brown or red, and is kept mainly for beef, with some use in holding back unwanted vegetation.

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  • Developed in West Germany in the 1950s from Aberdeen Angus and three German breeds
  • Always polled: both bulls and cows are born without horns
  • Solid-coloured coat: black, brown or red, never patched
  • Bulls reach 1000 to 1200 kg; cows 550 to 700 kg
  • FAO rated the breed as not at risk in 2007

What do German Angus cattle look like?

German Angus is a modern beef breed, solid-coloured and naturally polled, which means hornless from birth. The whole coat is one colour: black, brown or red. Bulls stand about 135 to 150 cm at the withers, the ridge between the shoulder blades, and weigh 1000 to 1200 kg. Cows are smaller, roughly 125 to 140 cm and 550 to 700 kg. The breed sits in the taurine group, the humpless cattle of Europe, and it is bigger and leaner than the Scots Aberdeen Angus it was built on.

Where does the German Angus come from?

The breed was put together by German breeders during the 1950s, in what was then West Germany. Stock of Aberdeen Angus imported from the United Kingdom was crossed with three local breeds: German Black Pied, Deutsche Rotbunte and Fleckvieh, the last also called German Simmental. American Angus was brought in from 1960. A breed society followed in 1955 and a herd-book in 1956. German Black Pied is also known as Deutsches Schwarzbuntes Niederungsrind, and Deutsche Rotbunte as Rotbuntes Niederungsrind.

What the German Angus is known for

German Angus are calm and easy to handle. A study of just-weaned calves found them more placid and more manageable than Fleckvieh of the same age. The breed is known for maturing early and for easy calving: cows calve more readily than Fleckvieh, the calving rate is higher and calf losses are much lower. It is also larger and leaner than the original Scots Aberdeen Angus.

How the German Angus is bred and kept

A breed society was founded in 1955 and a herd-book was opened in 1956. Selection has been carried out in Germany since then. Aberdeen Angus from the United Kingdom was the main outside influence, and German Black Pied, Deutsche Rotbunte and Fleckvieh were the German parents. From 1960 some American Angus blood was added. Because the breed matures early, young stock reach breeding age sooner than Fleckvieh.

German Angus, drawn

The breed black and brown, drawn with a beef build, no horns. Drawn from this page, not a portrait of one animal.
1701300
Size: Large 125 to 135 cm at the withers, beside a person 170 cm tall. cows about 125 to 140 cm and 550 to 700 kg; bulls 135 to 150 cm and 1000 to 1200 kg.
blackbrownred
Coat the colours named for this breed.
Lineage Taurine cattle, Composite breeds. Horns: polled, hornless from birth.

What the German Angus is kept for

Beef is the main reason the breed is kept. German Angus cattle are also used in vegetation management, put on land where unwanted plant growth has to be held back. There is no dairy role for the breed. Compared with Fleckvieh, its German Simmental parent, it is a beef animal first. Bulls are heavy, 1000 to 1200 kg, and the breed is leaner than the original Scots Aberdeen Angus. Cows calve easily, which keeps beef production straightforward.

Das Bild zeigt zwei schwarze Deutsch-Angus-Mutterkühe in der Extensivbeweidung (Naturschutzprojekt des Natur-Hof Chemnitz e.V. in Chemnitz, Sachsen).
Das Bild zeigt zwei schwarze Deutsch-Angus-Mutterkühe in der Extensivbeweidung (Naturschutzprojekt des Natur-Hof Chemnit. Photo: Quattro8163, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Das Bild zeigt eine Deutsch-Angus-Mutterkuh und zwei Kälber in der Extensivbeweidung (Naturschutzprojekt des Natur-Hof Chemnitz e.V. in Chemnitz, Sachsen).
Das Bild zeigt eine Deutsch-Angus-Mutterkuh und zwei Kälber in der Extensivbeweidung (Naturschutzprojekt des Natur-Hof C. Photo: Quattro8163, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Keeping German Angus cattle

Cows calve easily and the calving rate is high, with much lower calf mortality than in Fleckvieh. Calves are described as placid and easy to handle once weaned, which makes them simple to move and sort. The breed is also turned out to graze vegetation that needs to be kept down.

Numbers, conservation and the herd book

In 2017 the recorded population was 9603 cows and 454 bulls. The FAO listed the German Angus as not at risk in 2007. The breed society dates from 1955 and the herd-book from 1956. The cattle are distributed in Germany; their Aberdeen Angus ancestors came from the United Kingdom, and American Angus stock was used from 1960 onwards. It is a breed of the present day, not an old landrace.

Questions people ask about German Angus

Where does the German Angus come from?

It was developed in West Germany in the 1950s. Aberdeen Angus cattle imported from the United Kingdom were crossed with three German breeds: German Black Pied, Deutsche Rotbunte and Fleckvieh. A breed society was set up in 1955 and a herd-book in 1956. The breed is kept in Germany.

What is the German Angus kept for?

Beef is the main purpose. The cattle are also used in vegetation management, grazing ground where unwanted plant growth needs to be held back. Compared with Fleckvieh, its German Simmental parent, the German Angus matures earlier and calves more easily.

Are German Angus cattle horned?

No, they are polled, which means naturally hornless. Both bulls and cows are born without horns. The coat is a single solid colour all over, black, brown or red, with no patches, which makes the breed easy to pick out in a field.

How large do German Angus cattle grow?

Bulls stand 135 to 150 cm at the withers and weigh 1000 to 1200 kg. Cows are smaller, about 125 to 140 cm and 550 to 700 kg. The breed is larger and leaner than the original Scots Aberdeen Angus.

Is the German Angus rare?

In 2017 there were 9603 cows and 454 bulls recorded in Germany. The FAO judged the breed not at risk in 2007, so it is not on the danger list. A breed society has looked after it since 1955 and a herd-book has run since 1956.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "German Angus", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryCow rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Sizes, colours and customs differ from one herd, valley or breeder to the next. Folk beliefs are described as tradition, never as advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-16.

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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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