Santa Gertrudis cattle

The Santa Gertrudis cattle are a breed of cattle from Texas in the USA.

It was grown on the King Ranch in South Texas. The name comes from the Santa Gertrudis Creek, which flows through the ranch.

Officially, the breed was recognized in 1940 and became the first breed that was developed in the United States. On the King Ranch bulls of Zebu Brahman breed were crossed with meat - Shorthorn cows. The offspring were crossed in a specific pattern to each other again, so that the breed now ultimately consists of 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Shorthorn. However, there are from the early crossings little or no records and the crosses were made in an open area. To make matters worse, the King Ranch had no purebred Brahman bulls and had to buy it.

There is also a rumor that Monkey, the progenitor of the race - all of today's Santa Gertrudis originate from him, had an African father ( Zebu ) and a dairy Shorthorn mother. The constant deep red color of Santa Gertrudis also fits much better to Africans as to the Brahman. The high for a meat breed for milk production ( which is reflected in the rapid growth of calves and high marketable yearling weights ) would also fit very well with dairy Shorthorn. The cows, which were covered by Monkey, of course, can be derived, among others, of Brahman and Shorthorn cattle meat. All this would mean that there even is a four- breed crossbreds at Santa Gertrudis.

Whatever the early history of the breed, so Santa Gertrudis is now regarded as a meat breed. The adult animals are very large and have long legs ( a big advantage in cactus country). They have a high heat tolerance and parasite resistance and are ideal for desert and Halbwüstenklimate where large temperature variations occur adjusted.