History Characteristics Classification Life Stages Terminology Care See the Herd

The Lowline were developed from the purebred Angus herd of Trangie Research Centre which was established 1929 in Australia.  Trangie began researching in 1963 the benefits of performance recording in a cattle breeding program. In 1974 they divided up their herd and selected one for high yearling growth rates, another for low yearling growth rates, and a control group.  They called them; High Line, Low Line and Control Line. The herds remained closed, with all the replacement bulls and heifers selected from within their own lines.

Young Huck at three months.  You can seriously see that Lowline potential.    Photo courtesy of Nancy and Liberty Greenlund

After 15 years of selective breeding, the Low Line herd had stabilized at about 30 percent smaller. The bulls were maturing at about 43 inches, and the cows at about 39 inches or less.A new breed of cattle was developed unintentionally; a breed which had the desirable characteristics of the Angus breed, but was in a smaller, practical packages.  They were healthy, produce high quality meat and are also exceptionally docile. The complete dispersal sale occurred at Trangie on October 30, 1993 and the Lowline breed was officially started.   This breed was imported in the US in the early 1990's.

Lowline cattle are a docile, good natured cattle that are feed efficient.  They are easy calvers and excellent mothers.  Lowlines lower labor and costs. Commercial heifers bred to Lowline bulls calve easily.  Half-blood Lowline cows maintain themselves on less feed than a full size crossbred cow and wean more pounds of calf per acre of land.  Lowlines are perfect for small acreages.  Their small size makes them easier to handle.  Their feed efficiency increases the carrying capacity and output of a farm. They are ideal show and 4-H projects, while still supplying quality meat on grass fed beef productions.

• Average size mature cows generally weigh about 650 to 950 pounds and stand from 36 to 42 inches.

• Average size mature Lowline bulls weigh from 950 to 1350 pounds and stand from 39 to 46 inches.

• Colors: Lowline are primarily black, although red animals are being produced. 

• Polled: Lowlines are naturally hornless.   

• Full blood Lowlines trace all their ancestors back to the original Trangie stock.

• Purebred Lowlines are bred up from crossbred cattle with Full blood Lowlines.  To be considered Purebred, the Lowline must be at least 7/8 Full blood.  A Purebred will never achieve full blood status.

• Percentage Lowlines are accepted by the American Lowline Registry, of cattle crossed with Lowlines.  They are recorded at the percentage of Lowline ancestry that  they carry.  See Purebred status above. 

• Chondrodysplasia (Bulldog deformity) Lowlines are not carriers of the dwarf or chondrodysplasia gene.  They are not dwarf or miniaturized animals. 

Lexi's dam, Margie a Lowline cow, owned by Trollwood Farms.  Photo by J. Rachau

Classification:

Life Stages:

• Gestation: average  271 days (approximately nine months give or take a week either way, which is a little shorter than the average cow).
• Weaned: approximately 6 months more or less
• Sexually mature:   some as early as 6 months, but heifers should be at least 60% of their mature size (usually 12-15 months) before being first bred.  Young bulls could start their breeding careers at 12- 18 months.  Waiting for the young bull to be a little older may help protect his growing joints.
• Heat cycles: Every 17-24 days for  one and a half days duration.  Ovulation normally occurs in about 14 hours after standing heat ends.
• Physically mature:  approximately 3 years, with a couple more years of filling out.
• Life Span:  Approximately 20+ years more or less, depending upon genetics and care.

 Terminology:

• Bag - a cows udder
• Bloat - sudden dangerous swelling of the rumen, the first stomach in the cow
• Bull - intact mature male
• Bullock or Bull Calf - male calf
• Calf - infant under 6 months (plural=calves)
• Calving - cow giving birth
• Cow - mature female
• Dehorned - animal had horns but they were removed, either surgically or chemically
• Freemartin - the female twin with a bull calf. These are normally sterile and should be avoided if one is interested in breeding stock.
• Heifer or Cow Calf - female calf
• Heterozygous - having two different alleles for a single trait. (Example: a cow carries one gene for polled and one gene for horns, so it's a heterozygous polled.)
• Homozygous - having identical alleles for a single trait. (Example: a cow doesn't carry the recessive horn gene, so it's homozygous polled.)
• Horned - animal has horns
• Ox = a trained castrated male used for draft work (plural= oxen)
• Polled - animal was born without horns (this is a dominant gene)
• Settle or settled - the cow has become or is pregnant
• Springer - a cow or heifer that is close to calving
• Standing heat - the period during a heat cycle that a cow or heifer will allow a bull to mount and breed
• Steer - castrated male
• Switch - the hairy end of a cows tail
• Wean - to separate a calf from it's mother so it can no longer nurse

Vital Signs:

• Temperature:  100.4 to 1103.1 degrees Fahrenheit
• Respiration:  10-30 breaths per minute
• Pulse:  40-70 beats per minute

Lexi, a Lowline heifer, at 10 months, learning the fine art of halter manners.  Photo by J. Rachau

Digestion of food:  Cattle are ruminants that have four-chambered stomachs. The first chamber is the large rumen. The next two are the reticulum and the omasum.  The last chamber is the abomasum, which corresponds to the stomach of other mammals. Ruminants evolved bolting large quantities of forage and then going someplace to chew it up later in safety.   The meal is stored in large quantities in the rumen, where it softens.

This material is then regurgitated and is now called cud.  The ruminant chews the cud again and again which helps break down the difficult to digest plant cellulose. The action of regurgitation and chewing of the cud is called rumination. The re-chewed cud is swallowed again and is directed to the other chambers of the stomach to continue digesting. 

Basic Care:

• Minerals:  Salt/mineral mix or block formulated for cattle that have adequate selenium if residing in a deficient area.
• Water:  Clean unfrozen water available 24/7.
• Shelter:   Availability to trees and windbreak or run in shed.
• Fly control:   Depends upon specific area.  Insecticide ear tags,  oilers or powder rub bags,   can be used during fly season.  Keeping manure under control, and avoiding stagnant mud holes around water will help.
• Hoof trimming:  Depending upon rate of hoof growth and terrain as needed.
• Vaccinations:  Done annually - check with your veterinarian for his recommendation for your location and situation.  Verify state laws about age requirements for Bangs vaccinations for heifers.
• Worming:    Normally a couple times a year.   Check with your veterinarian for his recommendation for your location and animal situation.

Support the registries.  Registries are more than just accumulations of bloodlines and papers.  They police the breed standard, do testing, maintain records and statistics, keep people informed and educate the public, helping you market your purebred cattle,  plus much more.  Registration assists everyone!

American Lowline Registry
19590 E. Mainstreet, #202
Parker CO 80138
Ph: (303) 840-4343
http://www.usa-lowline.org/