Beefmaster

Beefmaster was created by one man with a written method. Tom Lasater began the cross in Texas in 1931 from Brahman, Hereford and Shorthorn, and from 1937 selected on what he called the Six Essentials: disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, hardiness and milk production.

What is unusual is what he refused to select for. Lasater ignored colour, horns and breed-standard markings entirely, on the grounds that none of them affect what a cow produces. The breed still has no colour requirement.

The result is a heat-tolerant, fertile animal with a temperament that was bred for on purpose rather than tolerated.

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