Wagyu Beef, which originated in Japan.

Tuli Cattle, part of the Sanga group, which, according to DNA tests have existed for over 2000 years!.

Sussex Cattle, that hail from England.

Simmentaler Cattle, an ancient breed of cattle.

Simbra Cattle, a relatively new breed of cattle.

Shorthorn Cattle, whose meat has good marbling.

Santa Gertrudis Cattle, who thrive on feedlots.Nguni Cattle, known for their distinctive horns.Limousin Cattle, named after their region of origin in France (like Champagne!).Hereford Cattle, the origin of which is uncertain.Drakensberger Cattle, an indigenous breed.Charolais Cattle, a breed of French origin.Braunvieh Cattle, named for the colour of its coat.Brahman Cattle, a breed first developed in the USA.Boran Cattle, originally from Ethiopia.Bonsmara Cattle, like Beefmaster cattle, are 25% Hereford and 25% Shorthorn, but 50% Afrikaner cattle instead of being 50% Brahman cattle!.In South Africa, we have our own hybrid breed, the Bonsmara, which is incredibly similar, being a cross between the Hereford, Shorthorn and native Afrikaner breeds.

Beefmaster Cattle, a breed originally established in the USA by crossing Hereford, Shorthorn and Brahman cattle.Ankole Cattle, whose origins can be traced back all the way to Ancient Egypt thanks to their presence in hieroglyphics from the period.Angus Beef/Aberdeen Angus, one of the first cattle breeds bred exclusively for beef production.Afrikaner Cattle, which are also particularly suited to dairy farming.South African cattle typically bred for the beef industry include: With that being said, there are a wide variety of cattle breeds available in South Africa (we even have our own indigenous breeds!), and some are better suited to beef production than others. We purchase a wide variety of cattle breeds and customise our feedlot diet and care to their individual needs. Here at Beefmaster, we don’t discriminate! To learn more about the Beefmaster Group’s feedlot, you can take a look at our feedlot operations. The feedlot is where they get the medical all-clear, enjoy the all-you-can-eat buffet and pack on the pounds before the next step in our beef product production process. This allows us to select and support only the very best cow-calf operations to supply our feedlot!Īs the Beefmaster Group, we have our very own feedlot operation which supplies our processing and distribution chain.Ī feedlot is where the purchased cattle go to enjoy their final days under the loving attention and care of our expert team of veterinarians, farmers and other cattle experts. Rather, we support several different local cow-calf operations and purchase their cattle bred for the feedlot once they have reached maturity. The Beefmaster Group is not directly involved in any cow-calf operations, or the breeding of cattle for the production of beef products. “Cow-calf operations” is the industry term for the breeding and raising of cattle for sale, for example to feedlots and groups like Beefmaster, or to tanneries for their hides, or medical companies for the production of insulin.Ĭow-calf operations are driven to breed and raise quality offspring for the specific industry which they feed, be it raising beef cattle or dairy cattle, etc. The cattle farming industry can be divided into two key sectors – the first is the so-called cow-calf operations, and the second, the feedlots. To find out more about what cattle farming in South Africa entails, what the local and global demands for exceptional quality beef look like, and the risks our farmers face, just keep reading! Cattle Farming 101 Rest assured, Beefmaster beef products are of exceptional quality, thanks not only to our processing and distribution teams, but first and foremost thanks to our cattle farmers and our humane cattle farming practices. If you have burning questions about cattle farming, and where your beef products come from, we’d like to congratulate you on being a conscientious consumer!

Best beef cattle for hobby farm