Beefmaster

Beefmaster is an American composite beef breed created on the Lasater ranch in South Texas from Brahman, Hereford, and Shorthorn ancestry. The breed was selected under range conditions for the so-called Six Essentials: fertility, weight, conformation, milk production, hardiness, and disposition. Beefmasters may be red, dun, brown, black, or spotted, and many show the loose skin, heat tolerance, and insect resistance associated with Brahman influence while keeping the fleshing and beef qualities of British cattle.

Ranchers use Beefmaster cattle as maternal cows, herd sires, and crossbreeding animals in warm or variable climates. They are often appreciated for cows that raise heavy calves on forage, but selection should not ignore temperament, sheath and navel structure, udder quality, and adaptation to the local market. In colder climates, shelter and winter nutrition may matter more than in the South Texas environment where the breed was shaped. Registered and commercial herds both exist, so buyers should ask what traits the breeder has actually measured.

Colors: Belted, Black, Black and White, Blaze Faced, Blue Roan, Brindle, Brockle Faced, Brown, Brown and White, Dun, Gray, Lineback, Mottled, Red, Red and White, Red Roan, Roan, Silver, Solid Black, Solid Red, Speckled, Spotted, White, White Faced, Yellow