Beef Cattle

Scotch beef is known globally for high welfare standards and excellent quality.  There are numerous beef systems practiced in Scottish agriculture, utilising all the land that is available (hill and lowland), there are extensive and intensive systems practiced including breeding cattle and finishing stock.  There are a huge variety of breeds of beef cattle, including natives such as Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorn and continentals such as Limousin, Charolais and Simmental.

Cows play a vital role in managing grazing land, providing benefits to biodiversity, landscape management and grazing quality.

Profitable beef systems usually rear a high number of calves per cow, wean at heavier weights and use less purchased feeds, through better grassland management.

In 2019, there was 1.73 million cattle recorded in Scotland, this number has fallen year on year, with a peak in 1974 of 2.78 million cattle.