History of the Beefmaster Breed

Beefmaster cattle are the first American composite breed (combination of three or more breeds). Tom Lasater began developing the breed in 1931 in South Texas. The Beefmaster breed was recognized in by the USDA in 1954.

Beefmasters are a composite breed made up of roughly one-half Bos Taurus (Hereford and Shorthorn) and one-half Bos Indicus (Nelore from Brasil, Gir & Guzerat from India). Tom Lasater closed his herd in 1937, and no outside genetics have been introduced into the Foundation Herd since that time. Intense selection for economically important traits over the last 80 years has resulted in a homozygous beef breed that has locked in the explosive growth potential of a hybrid.