Hitchings Ranch has a strict dedication and commitment to cattle standards. Each one of the Six Essentials of Beefmaster Breeders United are used to carefully screen each animal. Conformation, fertility, disposition, milk production, weight, and hardiness are the Six Essentials that the BBU was founded upon and that the Hitchings Ranch lives by. These strict standards and quality improvement through genetics are what ultimately led the Hitchings Ranch to raise the Beefmaster cattle breed.
The Beefmaster cattle was the first American composite breed (combining three or more breeds) and was developed by Tom Lasater in south Texas, beginning in 1931. The Beefmaster breed was recognized by the USDA in 1954, and the BBU is the fifth largest breed registry in the United States.
The Six Essentials are what most distinguishes the Beefmaster cattle from other breeds. This unique cattle selection method in contrast to other methods, is why Beefmasters are known as “The Profit Breed.” The revolutionary selection technique blends strong maternal traits with excellent growth and carcass abilities. The cattle are heat, drought, and insect resistant, and moderate in size. Females are outstanding mothers and raise a healthy, weighty calf each year, while bulls are aggressive and fertile breeders.