Beefmaster

The exact foundation mix was never recorded; it is thought to be about 50 percent Brahman, 25 percent Hereford and 25 percent Milking Shorthorn. The goal was an animal that could produce in the hard conditions of South Texas. The USDA recognized Beefmaster as a breed in 1954, and Beefmaster Breeders United still lists the Six Essentials as its selection charter.

What is unusual is what Tom Lasater refused to select for. He ignored color, horns and breed-standard markings entirely, on the grounds that none of them affect what a cow produces. The breed still has no color requirement; brownish-red is common because it happened, not because it was required.

As a composite, the breed keeps more of its crossbred advantage than most: the association's figure is 63 percent retained heterosis against 43 percent in other composite breeds.

Disposition is one of the Six Essentials the breed was founded on, and the Beefmaster Breeders United standard still asks for cattle that are relatively docile, easy to handle and responsive. It says cattle with a nervous or mean disposition should be culled, and the association's herd records carry a code for animals culled on temperament.

The breed is roughly half Bos indicus by the association's own account, and University of Missouri Extension says cattle with Bos indicus breeding are often more excitable during handling than Bos taurus cattle. Selection is what keeps that in check, so judge the herd rather than the breed name.

Cornell's general guidance on beef cattle safety holds here too: a cow with a newborn calf can be very aggressive, so avoid walking between her and the calf, and no bull can be trusted.

Beefmasters are heat-tolerant, fertile animals with a temperament that was bred for on purpose rather than tolerated. They adapt to many climates and are increasingly used in hybrid vigor programs, where that retained heterosis is the point.

Hard country, by design. The association's standard describes very hardy cattle, good foragers that travel well, able to handle a wide range of temperature and humidity, with natural resistance to insects and parasites. The coat runs short and slick in warm climates and grows some hair for winter in colder ones.

Calves should be moderate at birth and easy calving, and the standard favors a mature size matched to the environment rather than the biggest cow possible. Texas A&M AgriLife rates the breed a 3 for heat tolerance, against 4 for the Brahman and 1 for the Angus.

The trade is that the breed's indifference to appearance shows up in the sale ring. Beefmasters come in every color, and uniformity is worth money in a load of feeder calves whether or not it should be.

Registration runs through Beefmaster Breeders United. Ask for the numbers behind the Six Essentials rather than the look of the animal; the breed's whole method says the numbers are what count.

Recent sale prices on HoofnHorn, where there are any, are further down this page.