Santa Gertrudis cattle facts for kids
Santa Gertrudis cattle are a special kind of beef cattle. They were first created in southern Texas, United States. This happened on a very large farm called the King Ranch.
These cattle are named after the old Spanish land where the King Ranch began. In 1940, the United States Department of Agriculture officially recognized them. This made Santa Gertrudis the first beef cattle breed developed in the U.S.
The King Ranch created this breed by mixing two other types of cattle. They bred Brahman bulls with Beef Shorthorn cows. The final mix is about three-eighths Brahman and five-eighths Shorthorn.
In 1918, the King Ranch bought 52 bulls. These bulls were mostly Bos indicus cattle. They were bred with 2,500 pure-bred Shorthorn cows. At that time, the American Brahman breed did not yet exist.
Contents
The Story of Monkey
A very important bull named Monkey was born in 1920. He was the son of Vinotero, one of the bulls bought in 1918. Monkey became the main father (foundation sire) for the whole Santa Gertrudis breed.
Because of Monkey and careful breeding, Santa Gertrudis cattle became very strong and uniform. This means they all looked and acted very similar.
What Makes Them Special?
Santa Gertrudis cattle are usually red. They show a mix of traits from Bos indicus (Zebu) and Bos taurus (European) cattle. They can have horns or be naturally hornless (polled).
These cattle are known for many good qualities:
- They are good at producing milk.
- They produce excellent beef.
- Mothers are very good at caring for their calves.
- Cows have an easy time giving birth.
- They can handle hot weather very well.
- They are resistant to parasites like ticks.
- Farmers can sell them for meat at almost any age.
Young male cattle (steers) grow quickly. They gain good weight whether they are eating grass in a pasture or special feed in a feedlot.
Santa Gertrudis Around the World
In 1950, the Santa Gertrudis Breeders International Association was started in Kingsville, Texas. This group helps keep the breed strong and pure.
Santa Gertrudis cattle are famous worldwide for adapting to tough climates. They were sent to Australia around 1951. Since then, they have been carefully checked and classified there.
The Santa Gertrudis Breeders (Australia) Association was formed in 1954. A special program called Santa Gertrudis Group Breedplan has been used in Australia since 1994. Anna Creek Station, Australia's largest cattle station (a huge farm), raises many Santa Gertrudis cattle.
About 11,500 of these cattle are officially registered in the United States.
Breed Characteristics
Santa Gertrudis cattle are red, but sometimes have white marks on their belly. They have a short, smooth, and shiny coat.
They show many traits from Bos indicus cattle, like:
- Loose skin.
- Folds of skin on their neck and belly.
- Males have a small hump on their neck, like Zebu cattle.
Their ears are medium to large. As mentioned, they can be horned or polled (naturally without horns). Female Santa Gertrudis are known for giving birth easily and producing plenty of milk.
This breed is also known for handling heat well. They are resistant to ticks and a problem called bloat (when gas builds up in their stomach).
Meat from very young Santa Gertrudis cattle has a large "eye muscle" (the main part of the steak) with very little extra fat. Older steers also produce good meat with just enough fat, which is popular in world markets. Growing quickly and gaining good weight is a key feature of this breed. The breed association has a strict system to make sure registered cattle are of high quality and look uniform.
Images for kids
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Bull at Gunnedah, New South Wales, Australia
See also
In Spanish: Santa Gertrudis (raza bovina) para niños
