Bos Indicus Cattle Breeds Emmons Ranch Beefmasters Beefmaster. Beefmaster cattle originated in south Texas in the 1930s. Tom Lasater developed this breed by crossing Hereford, Shorthorn, and Brahman cattle. There are no breed standards for color. Many Beefmasters are red, gold, or yellow in color, but some are black or even spotted. Beefmasters are hardy cattle that thrive in harsh conditions. They have excellent maternal ability and fertility. Courtesy of the United Braford Breeders, Inc. Braford. Braford cattle were developed by crossing Brahman cows with Hereford bulls. This started at a ranch in Florida in the late 1940s. By crossbreeding these two breeds, cattlemen were able to use positive traits of each breed to form a breed that was well suited for its environment. Brafords have a Hereford-type color pattern: they are dark red with a white face and underline. They are typically 5/8 Hereford and 3/8 Brahman. Brafords are known for their maternal ability, high growth rate, and adaptability to a given environment. Diamond K Ranch, Hempstead, TX Brangus. Brangus cattle were derived by crossing Angus and Brahman cattle to arrive at a 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus cross. The early crossing of these two breeds can be traced back to 1912 at a USDA Experiment Station in Louisiana. Brangus cattle are solid black and polled. They are known for maternal ability, rapid growth, and adaptability. Emmons Ranch Beefmasters Courtesy of the United Braford Breeders, Inc. Diamond K Ranch, Hempstead TX Red Brangus. Red Brangus cattle originated in Texas in the late 1940s and are a result of crossing Brahman and Angus cattle. The unique thing about Red Brangus is that the breed percentages of Brahman and Angus can vary. Cattle can be registered with a 5/8 Brahman and 3/8 Angus cross, 1/2 Brahman and 1/2 Angus, or 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus. This allows for geographic adaptability of a certain composite of breeds. Red Brangus cattle are hardy, red, polled, and well suited to a variety of conditions. Chapter 10 Large-Animal Production 521 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.