 | Beginning in the early 1930s, Tom Lasater, the breed's founder,
developed Beefmasters from a systematic crossing of Hereford, Shorthorn
and Brahman cattle. His purpose was to develop cattle that were more
productive than existing breeds; cattle that would produce and make
money during economically hard times in the harsh environment of South
Texas. The new breed was developed on what has become known as the
Six Essentials - Weight, Conformation, Milk Production, Fertility,
Hardiness and Disposition. These essentials became the economic strength
of Beefmasters and have made them favorites with those who depend on
cattle for a living. Beefmasters are the only beef breed specifically
developed to excel in these important economic traits. While
brownish-red is the most common color, the breed has no color standards.
Beefmasters were recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a
pure breed in 1954. Since the early 1970s, when the breed began
rapid expansion from its South Texas birthplace, Beefmasters have
survived several wrecks in the cattle market without adversely affecting
their growth and demand. From 1974 to 1998, membership in Beefmaster
Breeders United (BBU) grew from 300 to nearly 7,000. BBU, which was
founded in 1961, is one of the top five largest beef breed registry in
the United States in membership and top ten in registrations. Responding
to change and tough challenges are part of the Beefmaster heritage.
Today, like yesterday, Beefmasters and the cattlemen and cattlewomen who
raise them are ready to handle the ever changing beef cattle industry. ![[image]](http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q786/highsearanch/HS%20Cattle/Screenshot-36_zps9fa19556.jpg "[image]") | Our Mission: The SBBU's Mission is to enhance breeder's ability to raise and promote cattle based upon the founding "Six Essentials."
Disposition, Fertility, Weight, Conformation, Hardiness and Milk Production.
Our Vision:
To increase worldwide demand for Beefmaster cattle.
Guiding Principles:
Always strive for breed improvement
Never compromise integrity
Expand...Encourage...Educate...
Sims Beefmaster Breeders United
We Believe
We're Committed
We Did It Together |
BEEFMASTER OF STANDARD EXCELLENCE
1. | SIZE AND CAPACITY |
| The
Beefmaster is known for it’s weight gain and animals should show good
weight for their age. They should be well muscled and long bodied with a
relatively large capacity. The female must have good body length and
relatively large capacity. | | 2. | SKIN, HAIR AND BONE | | Colour | The
Beefmaster has no specific hair color as it plays no role in
functional efficiency. Selection for specific color pattern is allowed
if preferred. Inspectors will not discriminate against color. | | Hair | Short, dense, shiny and smooth. | | Skin | Of medium thickness, loose and supple with ample pigmentation. | | Bone | Strong, dry and durable, excessive thickness or fine bone structure is undesirable. Joints strong and dry | | 3. | HEAD | | Bulls | Obvious
masculine and strong. Well placed bright eyes, with a robust yet calm
expression. Of medium length and width. Face is sharply outlined with
well-developed eye brow-ridge. | | Females | A typical head must display femininity. Eyes well placed and clear, with a watchful yet calm expression. | | Forehead | Wide with good width between the eyes. | | Face | Broad, oval and strong. Of moderate length. | | Muzzle | Large, wide and amber colored. Nostrils large and open. | | Jaws | Broad and strong. Lower jaw broad, with teeth fitting firmly on the upper jaw. | | Ears | Of moderate size and carried attentively. | | Horns | If the animal is not Naturally Polled than the animal should preferably be dehorned. Dehorning is not mandatory.
| | 4. | NECK | | Bulls | Masculine,
with clear definable muscularity. Sharply outlined with well-developed
hump. Neck well attached and must be neatly merged with the head and
shoulders. Darkening of color on neck and forequarters is preferable. | | Female | Of
moderate length, flat, with very neat feminine look. The neck of the
female must not show signs of a darker coloration than the rest of the
body. | | 5. | FOREQUARTERS | Shoulders:
Bulls | Even
with the back, well muscled, should move freely and merge correctly
into the body. Not to loose and shoulder blade must have the correct
angle | | Female | Even with the back, not heavily muscled, neat, should move freely and merge correctly into the body. | Chest:
Bulls | Deep, wide between the forearms. Over prominent shoulder are undesirable. | | Female | As for the bull, but not as massive and broad. A prominent brisket, which shows a heavy fat deposit, is undesirable. | | 6. | MID SECTION | | Girth | Deep, wide with good arched of front ribs. | | Ribs | Long, flat and well arched, and is slightly inclined towards the back. In bulls - deep through chest section. | | Ribcage | Long and relatively deep, with good capacity and spring of rib. | | 7. | BACK (WITHERS AND LOIN) | | Withers | Straight, strong and wide. | Loin:
Bulls | Broad
and strong, prominent and well-defined muscularity and must create the
impression of strength. Well connected with the rump. | | Female | Prominent, yet smoothly muscled. Definition of muscles should not be present, as in bulls. Well attached to the rump. | | 8. | HIND QUARTERS | Hipbones:
Bulls | Fairly wide apart, but not as widely or prominently apart, that an impression of femininity is created. | | Female | Wider apart than in the case of the bull and without any excess fat deposit. | | Rump | Long
and wide and slightly rounded on top. Slightly sloped on both sides of
the tail attachment, and slightly sloping downwards from the hipbones to
the pin bones. | | Pin bones | Wide apart and placed slightly lower than the hipbones. | | Thurls | Wide (widest part of the animal). From here a progressive wedge should be visible, wider at the back and smaller to the front. | | 9. | THIGHS | | Bulls | Long
and distinctly defined muscularity must be shown in a full inside- and
outside thigh, which goes down to the heel. A broad second thigh should
also be present. | | Female | Long, flat and smoothly muscled down to the hamstring. | | 10. | TAIL |
| Neatly
attached to the body, and hanging straight down. The tail should hang
at least on the hocks and show a well-developed tail brush. A prominent
tail-root is undesirable. | | 11. | MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS | | Testes | Must be well-developed and equal in size and must extend low into the scrotum. | | Scrotum | Show a well-developed neck, not twisted and not hanging too far down. (Not pendulous) | | 12. | FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS |
| Well-developed with no signs of infantilism or malformation. | | 13. | MILK PRODUCTION, UDDER AND TEATS |
| In
the female a sufficient milk production potential must be shown with an
absolute feminine attitude. Teats uniform, cylindrical in shape,
squarely placed, hanging straight down and medium length (6-8cm). Udder
should be well attached, supple and elastic, covered with fine, soft
hair. | | 14. | LEGS AND HOOVES |
| The animal must stand squarely and move with a comfortable free gait. | | Front legs | Strong.
Medium length with moderate bone. Must show a slight inclination from
elbow to knee, but should be straight and squarely placed from knee to
hoof. | | Hind legs | Strong, of
medium length with moderate bone. Viewed from the side, the hooks should
form the desired angulations. Straight and square, when seen from
behind. | | Hooves | Of good size, oval and deep. Hooves must face forward, with tight fitting hooves, amber to black in color. | | 15. | GENERAL APPEARANCE |
| Large,
well balanced and symmetric. Good length and width of body. Outstanding
genuineness of gender with a gentle temperament. The animal must show
quality and strength and should move freely on four strong legs. | | Bulls | Masculine,
robust and strong, with a good attitude and vitality. Well-defined
muscularity must be shown over the shoulders, back, loin and thighs and
forearms. Obvious width from the front and from behind. Medium sized.
Coarser skin, hair and bone than the female animal with a deeper, better
developed forequarter. | | Female | Finer
in every respect than males and display total femininity. Well, but
smoothly muscled. When in milk production less muscling should be
displayed, and the framework should be more visible. Viewed from the
side, the hindquarter should be deeper than the forequarter, showing a
somewhat typical female, wedge-shaped appearance. A well developed and
well attached udder with four well-placed teats of moderate size. |
| The bull must have a strong and powerful male appearance, whereas the cow should be finer and feminine. |
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