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Beef Cattle Breeds

Murray Grey Cattle: The Accidental Australian Breed That Won the Steer Shows

Grey calves that first looked like an embarrassment in a black Angus herd became a breed prized for carcass quality.

What is the Murray Grey?

The Murray Grey is an Australian beef breed that came out of the upper Murray Valley on the border of New South Wales and Victoria. According to the Murray Grey breed history page, the first grey calves were born at the Sutherland family's Thologolong property in the early 20th century.

The cattle are naturally polled, range in color from dark grey to silver, and are noted for a docile temperament.

The 1905 grey calves

The first Murray Greys appeared by chance in 1905, in a herd of black Angus cattle in the upper Murray River Valley. At first they were seen as an embarrassment. Local cattlemen noticed that these cattle grew quickly, converted feed efficiently and had good carcass merit, so they began developing the breed.

By the early 1960s several breeders were successfully breeding commercial Murray Greys. The Thologolong homestead is recorded on the Victorian Heritage Database.

Traits that breeders prize

Murray Greys calve easily, the females milk well and the cattle grow quickly. They convert grass to beef, fatten on grass and finish economically in feedlots. They have high yields of saleable beef, consistent quality and good tenderness, which supermarkets and butchers value.

From their Angus ancestors they inherit hardiness, including dark skin pigmentation and little susceptibility to skin or eye problems in severe climates.

What Made It Work

The Murray Grey is an example of local cattlemen taking a chance event seriously. The record points to a few practical lessons.

Here is what the sources support.

  • Notice the performance: growth rate, feed conversion and carcass merit made the grey calves worth keeping.
  • Develop the breed locally: breeders around Thologolong built numbers through the mid-20th century.
  • Target marbling without excess fat: that quality matters for export to Japan and other Asian markets.
  • Compete publicly: Murray Grey steers and carcasses have won every major commercial competition in Australia over the past decade, according to the breed page.
  • Cross well: they pass easy calving, docility, marbling and carcass quality to crosses with Bos indicus, British and European breeds.

Spread and exports

The breed spread from Thologolong throughout Australia, and to New Zealand, Asia, North America and Europe. Japan and Korea have identified Murray Greys as a preferred breed, both for live imports and for carcasses.

Japan and Korea in particular value the breed's marbling without excess fat, which the breed page treats as vital for export to Japan and other Asian markets.

Limits and caveats

The breed page is a promotional source, so claims such as dominating taste tests should be read as the breed society's view. It also does not give the year the Murray Grey Beef Cattle Society was founded, so the details of the original cow and sire are left out and this entry is marked thin.

The breed's origin also shows the cost of a small founding population, which was a handful of chance calves. For related stories, see farm.FM's ranching section and a farm.FM story about Murray Grey cattle. More is at the Victorian Heritage Database entry for Thologolong and the Oklahoma State breed profile.

Timeline

  1. 1905The first Murray Greys appear in a herd of black Angus cattle in the upper Murray Valley.
  2. Early 1900sGrey calves are born at the Sutherland family's Thologolong property.
  3. Mid-1900sLocal cattlemen begin developing the breed for growth, feed conversion and carcass merit.
  4. Early 1960sSeveral breeders are successfully breeding commercial Murray Greys.
  5. LaterThe breed spreads to New Zealand, Asia, North America and Europe.

Frequently asked questions

Where did Murray Grey cattle come from?

They originated in the upper Murray Valley on the New South Wales and Victorian border. The first grey calves appeared by chance in 1905 in a herd of black Angus cattle.

Who bred the first Murray Greys?

The first grey calves were born at the Sutherland family's Thologolong property, and local cattlemen then developed the breed after noticing its growth and carcass merit.

Are Murray Grey cattle naturally polled?

Yes. They are natural polls, dark grey to silver, with a docile temperament and dark skin pigmentation inherited from their Angus ancestors.

Where is Murray Grey beef exported?

The breed has spread to New Zealand, Asia, North America and Europe, and Japan and Korea have identified it as a preferred breed for live imports and carcasses.

Sources and further reading

Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.

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