Welcome to brahman.org! American Brahman Breeders Association

As the first beef breed developed in the United States, the American Brahman has played an important role not only in crossbreeding programs throughout the United States and beyond, but it has become a common thread among other American breeds developed in the last century. American Brahman influence in the beef industry is felt world-wide, and their genetics are sought by cattlemen in every continent. Their development is a success story unparalled. Today's cattlemen breed Brahmans for all the right reasons.

Originating from a nucleus of approximately 266 bulls and 22 females of several Bos indicus (cattle of India) types imported into the United States between 1854 and 1926, today the Brahman breed has achieved acceptance for their environmental adaptivity, longevity, mothering ability and efficient beef production. Bos indicus cattle have been serving man for thousands of years. Throughout their evolution they have endured famine, insect pests, diseases and extreme temperature fluctuations. Thus through natural selection these cattle came to have the ability to survive and thrive where other types have failed. In their expansion, these cattle have improved beef produciton in every country in which they have been introduced, as they are mated to existing native cattle. While some 30 defined breeds or types of Bos indicus cattle have been identified in India, only a few of these breeds were selected to develop the American Brahman.

The first importation of Indian cattle of any notoriety came in 1854, when sugar and cotton farmer, Richard Barrow of St. Francisville, Louisiana, was presented with two bulls by the Government of Great Britian, for his services in teaching cotton and sugar cane production to British officials establishing these crops in the deltas of India. Their offspring, known as Barrow grade Cattle, would achieve recognition and their fame would soon spread around the globe. Later importations would see cattle brought from Brazil, where large numbers of these Indian cattle could be found.

The American Brahman Breeders Association (ABBA) was organized in 1924. J.W. Sartwelle of Houston was the first recording secretary of the Association and it was he who proposed the word "Brahman" and so it was adopted as the name of the new beef breed. With strict selection, guided by the standard of excellence developed by founding breeders, the American Brahman has been recognized for its exceptional hardiness and physical stamina, its ability to profitably produce on marginal lands, to live twice as long as normally expected, with unequaled performance in weight per day of age. As consumers shift to lean meat and lower calorie diets, Brahmans are perfectly positioned to fill the demand for a beef product which efficiently converts feed into high-quality beef, while producing a carcass free of excess fat.

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		AMERICAN BRAHMAN BREEDERS ASSOCIATION 3003 South Loop West, Suite 520 Houston, TX USA 77054 Phone: 713-349-0854 Fax: 713-349-9795 Email: abba@brahman.org	Web design by: Ranch House Designs

	Thank you to the Corporate Sponsors of the American Brahman Breeders Association!

	©2007 American Brahman Breeders Association			www.brahman.org

	Characteristics Brahman cattle may vary in color depending on the goals of the cattlemen who breed them, but their genetic purity does not. Acceptable colors are light gray or red to almost black. Average Brahman bulls will weigh from 1,600 to 2,200 pounds and cows from 1,000 to 1,400 pounds. Purebred calves are small to moderate at birth. It is documented that Brahman and Brahman cross females calve easily. Brahmans are recognized for intelligence and desired disposition. They are very responsive to kindness and are quite gentle when handled properly.

	Environmental adaptivity Brahmans have dark skin pigmentation, which filters the intense rays of the sun as well as keeps the breed free of cancer eye. Other environmental adaptations which make the Brahman breed so well suited to so many areas of the country include the ability to utilize lower-quality feed, to travel longer distances for feed and water, and to resist insects and external parasites while withstanding vast climactic differences. They also have the ability to reproduce on a regular basis in a stressful environment. Brahman cattle show no effect from extremely high temperatures. A factor which contributes to the Brahman's unique ability to withstand temperature extremes is a short, thick, glossy hair coat which reflects much of the sun's rays, allowing them to graze in midday sun without suffering. In severe winters, Brahmans grow a protective covering of long, coarse hair beneath which a dense, downy, fur-like undercoat can be found. An abundance of loose skin, characteristic of the breed, also aids in its ability to withstand warm weather by increasing the body surface area exposed to cooling. In cold weather the skin is contracted, increasing the thickness of the hide and density of the hair, which aids in retaining body heat. A special feature of the Brahman breed is their ability over other breeds to sweat freely, which contributes greatly to their heat tolerance.

	gain efficiency and carcass quality Brahman hybrid calves and those out of Brahman F1 cows are noted for their fast gains, and it's a fact that these calves consistently produce more weight per day of age than most other breed contemporaries. Brahman cross calves are more desirable to feed in many parts of the country during hot, humid months when the feed efficiency of European and British calves and crosses decreases. The ability of these Brahman cross cattle to finish during warm seasons is a definite economic factor in their favor. While efficiency is an important quality of the Brahman and its crosses, the carcasses are known for their high cutability, which results in a high yielding carcass with limited fat. In a recent study conducted by Texas A&M, Angus and Hereford cows were bred to Brahman bulls. The resulting steers were handled as calf-feds going directly into the feedlot at weaning. The steers were fed for 180 days and slaughtered at 13-14 months. The first calf crops produced 89 steers, with no death loss experienced postweaning. Of those fed, 58 percent of the steers graded Choice, with the rest in the window of acceptability. Tenderness readings using the Warner-Bratzler Shear-Force Test were taken at 0, 7 and 14 days. With this data, a rating of 10 pounds or less is considered satisfactory for supermarket sales, while a rating of 8.7 pounds or less is desirable for steaks utilized in quality restaurants. Eighty-four of the 89 samples were below the 10 pound level at 14 days with the best rating being 5.7 pounds.