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The BEST Aberdeen Angus

Thistle Farms

Lillian Yontz owned a cow before she was born… her grandfather had one picked out before she drew her first breath. As she grew older, she became curious about the relationship between cows and humans throughout history, and their impact on culture...

After raising cattle for 50 years in three continents and following their history, Lillian wanted to identify the breed with the greatest impact on our culture – one that stood apart from the rest – review their traits, and see how they have changed over time.

To begin her journey in pursuit of perfection, she went to the UK in 2006, and with the help of Rob Wills and the Angus Society, toured a select group of farms where original genetics still dominated. Lilian chose what she knew to be the best cows and through (artificial insemination) produced a few cows and bulls. Despite limited genetic material, a year later there were four bulls.

What makes these cows great? “Intramuscular fat and tenderness… not as many pounds at harvest, but quality much better.” -LY