Old Grannie

A short story about the Aberdeen Angus Cow “Old Grannie” written in 1904 by Charles S. Plumb, B. Sc., Professor of Animal Husbandry, Ohio State University.

     All references to early Aberdeen-Angus history pay deference to the cow Old Grannie, bred by Hugh Watson of Keillor, Scotland. And well they may.  So far as the writer is aware, she stands without an equal in years and usefulness.  In the Scotch Polled Cattle Herdbook, in the first volume issued, which combines both Aberdeen-Angus and Galloway, is Old Grannie (1), or the Prima cow.

     Calved in 1824, she died on July 1, 1859, at the age of 35 years and 6 months. Scotland has produced in the past a number of celebrated breeders of Aberdeen-Angus cattle, and in their time none gave greater service to promoting high-class breeding than Hugh Watson of

     Keillor, Forfarshire, William Mc-Combie of Tillyfour and Sir George Macpherson Grant of Ballindalloch. The first two long since passed away, but the latter is- yet an active breeder. Old Grannie was one of the most notable of many noted animals bred by Watson. It is said that he desired to keep her as long as possible, to demonstrate the longevity of a vigorous animal of the breed kept in a natural condition.

     And so during the many years of the triumphs of Watson, Old Grannie stood at the head of the herd as an example of what an Angus matron might do and be.
In her long career she produced twenty-five calves, of which eleven are registered in the herdbook.
 
The following list gives their names and sires:

BULLS.
Strathmore (5) Calved 1851
Old Windsor (115) Sire, Black Jock (3)
First Menius (129) Sire Black Jock (3)
Hugo (130) Sire, Old Jock (1)
The Baron (134) Sire, Black Jock (3)

COWS.
Hope (3) Sire Grey-Breasted Jock (2)
Lady Clara (4) Sire
Beauty of Bnchan (5).. Sire
Young Favorite (61)... Sire
Fdintmrgh (64) Sire
Grey-Breasted Jock (2)
Grey-Breasted Jock (2)
Grey-Brea’sted Jock (2)
Grey-Breasted Jock (2)
Keillor (231) Sire, Old Jock (1)

     If it is true that the real history of the Aberdeen-Angus breed began in 1808, with the improvements of Watson, then this work had been sixteen years in 21 progress when Old Grannie entered in on the scene. During the first twenty nine years of her life she produced the twenty-five calves, after which she ceased breeding. In fact, after her twenty-eighth year she produced no milk for the calf to suckle.

     This cow had more merit than simply age and fecundity. Mr. Watson valued her offspring, and they became important factors in his herd. Some of her daughters were purchased by the best Scotch breeders. Mr. Ferguson of Kinnochtry bought in 1839 Young Favorite (61) and Edinburgh (64), and Mr. Mc-Combie of Tillyfour bought Lady Clara (4). In 1882 Macdonald and Sinclair wrote: “The blood of Old Grannie (1) circulates in the male line in many existing tribes of cattle, and she has also several living female descendants.” Through the work of Mr. Ferguson, resulting from his 1839 purchase of Young Favorite (61), came the Princess and Baroness families, while Edinburgh (64) became the foundress of the Emily family.  There is little difficulty in tracing back Angus pedigrees of today into the direct blood of Old Grannie.