Belmont Origins and History

The Belmont blends the highly adaptive and productive traits of the Africander (the oldest recognised African breed) such as easy calving, parasite resistance, disease resistance, heat tolerance, hardiness, meat quality and fertility, with the productive traits, such as fertility, growth, carcase traits and meat quality of the British breeds. Genetically the Africander component distinguishes the Belmont from other “New” breeds derived from the Brahman, such as Santa Gertrudis, Droughtmaster, Braford, Brangus, Charbray etc. The Belmont Breed Society has based its standards of excellence on productive traits that can be objectively measured and are known to be heritable. In this respect the Belmont differs significantly from ALL other breeds.

Emphasis is placed on objectively measured traits:

(a) Performance (growth, fertility, carcase yield, meat quality),

(b) Adaptive (parasite resistance),

(c) Managerial (temperament, polled), and

(d) Structural soundness.

The Belmont is about a philosophy of breeding highly productive, easy care cattle, adapted to their environment, rather than the traditional notion of a breed.