Beefmaster is a breed of beef cattle that was developed in the early 1930s by Tom Lasater from a crossing of Hereford and Shorthorn cattle with hearty Brahman stock. The exact mixture of the foundation cattle is unknown, but is thought to be about 25% Hereford, 25% Shorthorn and 50% Brahman. It was the second new breed of cattle registered in the United States. The original intention was to produce cattle that could produce economically in the difficult environment of South Texas. The cattle were selected by using the Six Essentials – weight, conformation, milking ability, fertility, hardiness and disposition. Though there are no standards for color, most are red, however others are paint, dun, roan, white, brown, tan, or black.

External links

• History of the Beefmaster breed - Oklahoma State University
• Beefmasters Breeders United homepage