The livestock of the island is 3183 milch (sic) cows; 2000 cattle, from one to three years old; 1058 horses; 1500 sheep: and 500 goats: many of the two last are killed at Michaelmas, and dried for winter provisions, or sold at Greenock.

Thomas Pennant (1726-1798) A Tour in Scotland Voyage to the Hebrides (Chester, 1774).

The island's agriculture continues to be based on breeding animals, mostly on small family owned farms and almost entirely cattle and sheep. While in the past sheep and goats were the traditional source of meat, cattle were the farmers most important capital investment; as they continue to be. At one time cattle were regarded as units of currency for sharing out grazing land.

It was the careful breeding of beef-suckler herds (a natural form of husbandry where cattle are raised outdoors on an extensive system and calves are allowed to stay with their mothers) which established over the centuries, the prime position of Scottish bred beef throughout the world.

Beef breeds on Arran are varied, but have a strong element of the native Scottish breeds such as Aberdeen Angus, Beef Shorthorn and Luing which provide the desired marbling of fat in the meat giving both flavour and succulence. These may be crossed with some of the leaner, larger Continental breeds, such as Charolais, but any beef sold as Certified Aberdeen Angus must have at least 50% pure Aberdeen Angus in the breed mix though it may have much more. The other breed, native to the area, is Highland.

Lamb comes mostly from Blackface sheep bred on hill land and rough grazing. The 'Blackies' are prized for their sweetness and distinctive flavour which comes from their more varied diet on the hills and moors and they are now being promoted as a distinctive breed by butchers. Sheep with a cross-breeding mix which graze on lowland grass may produce a larger carcass but they will have a less distinctive flavour. Lambs born on low ground in January/February will mature in the summer, while Blackface lamb which has been born in April will mature and be at its best for flavour and tenderness much later, around October/November. A well-hung piece of beef or lamb should be naturally tenderised, dried out, not watery pink looking and have a mature flavour. It may have been hanging, in the case of beef, for two weeks, sometimes longer to allow full maturation.