The Beefmaster

The Beefmaster

One of mankind's favorite past times were spent at the dinner table. People are content when feasting

amongst each other. Meat out of many food categories, has become a favorite of individuals. Beefmaster has

provided reproduction, a history of accountability, and usage to mankind's hunger worldwide for many years and

generations to come.

Tom Lasater developed and started the beefmaster and it was approved by the US Agricultural

Department in 1954, but its origin dates back to the early 1900's.

Around the 1930's breeding of the beefmaster began. Tom Lasater took Brahman (50%), these cattle

were developed in the early 1900's by combining several breeds or strains of zebu cattle of India. Brahman cattle

have a very distinctive appearance with a hump over the shoulders, loose skin under the throat, and large

drooping ears. They are generally light to medium gray in color. Next were the Hereford (25%), the cattle

originated in Herefordshire, England. Hereford are medium to large, deep-bodied, thick fleshed cattle with white

faces and white markings. This breed was first brought to the United States in 1817 by Henry Clay. Last were

the Shorthorn (25%) cattle, this breed of beef cattle developed from the native cattle of Tee Valley in NE

England. They were originally called Durham. Shorthorn breeding systematically began in the latter part of the

18th century. These cattle were first imported to the United States in 1783. Shorthorns are medium-sized with

compact, low-set, rectangular bodies. The color of this breed is red to white or any combination of these colors

with a predominance of roan.

Lasater took the best of these cross bred heifers and mated them with Brahman bulls and the Hereford

and Shorthorn heifers, were also mated to Brahman bulls. By doing this Lasater developed a predominantly

Brahman herd. When Tom Lasater took over the management after his father died, the herd consisted of 350

cows a few Brahman bulls and 150 registered Hereford cows with a few registered Hereford bulls. Later he

brought in a few Shorthorn bulls. The best of the crossbreeds were selected with the aid of the six point plan of

excellence. The Shorthorn X Brahman were mated with the Hereford X Brahman. The triangular cross were the

best by far. Tom was so impressed that he later decided to base his entire herd on the triangular cross. Multiple

sires were also incorporated, since Tom Lasater thought the best bulls will produce the highest number of

progeny. Eventually a closed herd resulted and he called it the Beefmaster.

Beefmaster is a product of the original Bos Indicus/Bos Taurus combination which was selected for

functional, reproductive and production efficiency explained in the six point plan. The six point plan includes

the following: fertility, disposition, weights, conformation, hardiness and milk