The Raff Angus program began in 1965 when David Raff purchased four aged stud cows under the prefix ‘Warahgai’, the name of the family wool growing property where the cows were run. After purchasing his first parcel of land (1000 acres named ‘Forres’ for $25,000) and relocating the herd, it was decided at that time to change the prefix to Forres.

In 1990 a commercial decision was made to sell the Forres stud and prefix. A few cows were retained from this sale that were owned by sons Robert and Andrew along with several share cows and embryos. After a short experiment with Red Angus the demand for us to continue to breed black bulls was driven by our commercial clients. From 1990, under the ‘Raff’ prefix the growth of the herd has been spectacular, driven entirely by bull demand and the Angus seed-stock breeding passion of David and son Andrew.

Angus were selected as the preferred breed because of their superior meat producing and eating qualities, fertility and maternal characteristics. However with these great strengths came some negatives – temperament and size.

The challenge was to retain these inherent qualities of the breed while increasing frame size, growth and improve temperament. By utilizing every possible means available for measuring economically important traits David Raff became an innovator in adapting new technology to make rapid genetic gains in his goal to achieve genetic excellence.

Today Raff Angus continue to be at the leading edge of innovation with the adoption of genomics where traits are measured at birth by the DNA obtained from a hair follicle - a first for Angus in Australia.

As a result of a program driven by commercial demand and run by a family committed to innovation and practical common sense the Raff Angus cattle today are unique in both type and genetics. By resisting using ‘trendy’ / ‘fashionable’ genetics Raff Angus are of outcross genetics to mainstream Australian Angus and boast more structural integrity, frame, growth and weight than traditional Angus.

Andrew, David and Jill Raff with Glencain Hogarth, a great grand son of William Hogarth who introduced the
first Angus cattle into Queensland in 1882, pictured at the Centenary Toowoomba Royal Show in 1986.