South Texas varies dramatically in rainfall, vegetation, soil type, and climate from the humid Coastal areas in the east to the dry Rio Grande Plains to the west. This range in climatic conditions affects forage quality and quantity which in turn influences the type of beef cow that is adapted to the ranges and pastures of this unique area.

Early herds were remnants of cattle originally brought by Spanish Conquistadores. The first cattle to arrive in the New World landed near Tampico in 1521, brought by Gregorio Villalobos (Rouse, 1977). These cattle came from either Cuba or Hispanola and were 50 head of calves. Cattle continued to be brought from Cuba and later Santo Domingo to the mainland of the New World. A brand book was established in Mexico City in 1529 and a national livestock association was formed in 1537. Stock raising became the common vocation of retired military officers and nobility of Spain who were the recipients of large land grants. In the 1530's cattle ranches were established as far north as the plains of Guanajuato and by 1539 wild cattle had reached the present day border of the U.S. and Mexico (Rouse, 1977).

In the early 1700's fear of French encroachment into present day Texas led to the development of six missions north of Beaumont. Further development of missions in the San Antonio area and a mission and a presidio at Goliad in 1749 firmly established cattle herds in Texas. Establishment of missions ceased when Spain acquired Louisiana from France in 1762. At the end of the 18th century some missions counted their herds in the thousands; Goliad reported 40,000 head, and several others reported over 10,000 head. These Spanish cattle remained uncontaminated by influence of other breeds, other than the original Andulusian stock brought from Spain to the Canary Islands, Cuba, and Santo Domingo then to the mainland. They were called "Spanish" cattle, then later "Mexican" cattle. To northern U.S. cattlemen they were "Texas" cattle or "Longhorns". These "Longhorns" became the base stock for the currently popular "Texas Longhorn" (Rouse, 1977).

As Texas was colonized from the east, emigrants brought with them descendants of stock of primarily dairy (Freisian, the forerunner of the modern Holstein breed, and Jersey), and draft influence. The ancestors of these cattle were brought from England and Western Continental Europe. After the independence of Mexico from Spain, and later the independence of Texas from Mexico, herds in Texas expanded. Only after the admittance of Texas into the U.S. was there any demand for products from this vast herd, primarily hides and tallow due to lack of preservation techniques. Shortly before the U.S. Civil War cattlemen began to trail cattle to markets in the northern U.S. hungry for beef. During the Civil War drives went east to supply beef to the armies of the Confederacy. After the War, Texas cattlemen were short of cash but had plenty of cattle and northern drives resumed with millions of cattle being driven to the northern markets in the next two decades. All during this period the major breed had been the hardy stock of Andulusian ancestry with some small influence of British and European breeds.

In the mid 1800's U.S. cattlemen imported the British Shorthorn, Hereford, and Angus and by the late 1800's and early 1900's some of this influence had reached Texas. These cattle were more beefy and earlier maturing but lacked the adaptability of the Longhorn to the climate of South Texas and its resistance to disease and internal and external parasites. However, the first crosses of these breeds survived and some adaptation was slowly acquired. These breeds and their crosses became so popular that by the 1930's the Texas Longhorn was in danger of extinction.

These British beef breeds were not suited as purebreds to the harsh South Texas climate and some cattlemen along the coast during the mid- to late- 1800's were able to obtain a few animals of a new type from India called the "Brahman" (Sanders 1980). These Indian cattle were representatives of several different Indian breeds (Gir, Guzerat, Nelore, etc) that were more suited to the climate than British cattle but were somewhat lacking in beef qualities (Turner 1980).

These "Brahmans" were crossed with existing Texas cattle to achieve the desired adaptation and beef qualities. Breeds developed from these crosses included the Santa Gertrudis (5/8 Shorthorn - 3/8 Brahman), Beefmaster (½ Brahman - 1/4 Shorthorn - 1/4 Hereford), and Victoria Hereford (3/4 Hereford - 1/4 Brahman). The American Brahman (both Gray and Red) was developed from a mixing of Indian and Brazilian breeds (Gir, Guzerate, Nelore and later the Indu-Brazil) imported into the U.S. and Texas from the mid 1800's until 1946 (Sanders, 1980).

In the 1936, French Charolais cattle were imported into Texas from the Pugibet herd in Mexico. This breed became widely recognized and popular in the 1960's and early 70's in Texas and the U.S. when large numbers were imported from France via England and Canada. Charolais were the first European cattle imported in large numbers into Texas. Charolais cattle were also crossed with Brahman cattle to create the Charbray (5/8 Charolais - 3/8 Brahman). Importations of Charolais were followed by Simmental, Limousin, Maine Anjou, Gelbvieh, Chianina, and several others. These importations have all had a significant impact on the Texas cattle industry.

Other breeds that have been developed with success from crossing include the Brangus and Red Brangus (5/8 Angus - 3/8 Brahman), Simbrah (5/8 Simmental - 3/8 Brahman), Braford (Hereford - Brahman cross), and most recently the King Ranch Santa Cruz, a "composite" (½ Santa Gertrudis - 1/4 Gelbvieh - 1/4 Red Angus). A composite breed differs in development from a breed derived from a crossbred base in that the intent is to develop a breed to retain as much heterosis or hybrid vigor (for growth as well as milk and fertility) as possible in advanced generations. A breed developed from cross loses some hybrid vigor in advanced generations due to mild inbreeding. A composite is designed to minimize this negative effect on productivity.

The adaptability of the Brahman has allowed the breed to have a tremendous impact on beef production in South Texas. Retaining 25 - 50% Brahman influence in the cowherd improves adaptability. There is an added benefit of hybrid vigor in these crosses which improves fertility and milk production in cows and growth in calves (Paschal et al, 1991). Brahman crosses have the ability to digest lower quality forages (Byers, 1996) and retain minerals to prevent deficiencies (Jamarun et al, 1993). However, Brahman crosses are lower in carcass quality and tenderness attributes than nonBrahman crosses (Butler et al, 1956: Paschal et al, 1995).

The 1.9 million head cattle herd of South Texas is comprised of mostly crossbred, commercial (non-purebred) herds of primarily British - Brahman breeding. The principal British breed is the Hereford and the resulting cross is the highly popular "tiger stripe" Braford cow. There are also large numbers of commercial straightbred Beefmaster and Santa Gertrudis cattle with hundreds of purebred herds of both of these breeds. Other breeds, although not as numerous, that are raised in South Texas include Hereford (including Polled Hereford), Charolais, Maine Anjou, Limousin, Simmental, Red Brangus, Brangus, Simbrah, Santa Cruz, Charbray, Brahman (Red and Gray), and Indu-Brazil. These breeds represent mostly purebred herds raising seedstock (Table 1). The choice of breed used by individual ranchers can be based on aesthetic as well as economic reasons.

The average breed composition for a South Texas feeder calf is about 3/8 - 3/16 Brahman influence. This level of Brahman influence can affect calf value based on it's projected feedyard performance and carcass quality. Weaned calves usually weigh between 400 to 500 pounds between 7 and 9 months of age. About 2/3's of the calves will be born in the Spring with the rest in the Fall (Hanselka et al, 1991).

Approximately 90% of the calves are marketed through local auction barns, which act as a gathering and sorting point for young calves, stockers (young cattle to be grown before finishing, particularly on winter grazing such as wheat, oats, or ryegrass), feeders (sent directly to the feedyard for feeding), and cull bulls and cows. Video marketing is growing in popularity, where cattle are video-taped prior to sale with an accurate description and then sold on a selected television channel with several hundred or thousand other lots. Some ranches are feeding their own cattle, usually in a commercial feedyard.

Most of the feedyards in South Texas (about 25 yards feed almost 600,000 head a year) and both major independent beef processing plants (Sam Kane's Beef Processors in Corpus Christi and H&H Foods in Mercedes) feed and process most of the calves bred and raised in South Texas and, in some years, a large number of imported Mexican steers. There is a major non-fed beef processor (cows and bulls) in San Antonio, L&H (Leonard and Harral) Meat Packing Companies. Without these feedyards and beef processors, South Texas cattle markets would be much lower than the traditional $.02-.05/lb difference in comparison to the Panhandle area of Texas.

Cattle breeds and breeding systems used in South Texas for beef production must be adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions which include not only heat and humidity but a host of internal and external parasites and diseases. Cattle breeds in use, for the most part, were developed under existing conditions to fit specific production and market requirements. Several of these breeds will continue to be used primarily due to the environment in which they are managed and not due to market conditions.

Table 1. Functional Levels of Major Cattle Breeds in Texas 1/ (adapted from Hammack, 1998)

Butler, O. D. , R. L. Redding, G. T. King and R. L. Sims. 1956. Factors contributing to the differences in dressing percentage between Hereford and Brahman x Hereford steers. J. Anim. Sci. 15:523.

Byers, F. M. 1996. Manejo de la nutricion y el crecimiento de ganado Bos indicus vs. Bos taurus: Retos en la nutricion y el crecimiento. 8th International Brahman Conference, Maracaibo. Ed. N. Huerta and K. Belk. pp. 167-200.

Hammack, S. P. 1998. Cattle types and breeds -characterization and utilization. Texas Agicultural Extension Service (In press).

Hanselka, C. W., J. C. Paschal and C. W. Richardson. 1991. South Texas Ranching - A Profile. Comprehensive Ranch Management for Profit South Texas Rangelands. B-5010, 12pp.

Jamarun, N., L. W. Greene and J. C. Paschal. 1993. Serum or plasma mineral concentrations in Simmental and Brahman cows grazing bermudagrass pastures. Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, PR 5180, 3pp.

Paschal, J. C., J. O. Sanders and J. L. Kerr. 1991. Calving and weaning characteristics of Angus-, Gray Brahman-, Gir-, Indu-Brazil-, Nellore- and Red Brahman-sired F1 calves. J. Anim. Sci. 69:2395.

Paschal, J. C., J. O. Sanders, J. L. Kerr, D. L. Lunt and A. D. Herring. 1995. Postweaning and feedlot growth and carcass characteristics of Angus-, Gray Brahman-, Gir-, Indu-Brazil-, Nellore- and Red Brahman-sired F1 calves. J. Anim. Sci. 73:373.

Rouse, J. E. 1977. The Criollo: Spanish cattle in the Americas. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.

Sanders, J. O. 1980. History and developement of Zebu cattle in the United States. J. Anim. Sci. 50:1188.

Turner, J. W. 1980. Genetic and biological aspects of Zebu adaptability. J. Anim. Sci. 50:1201.