Overview, origin and history

The Droughtmaster was developed in northern Australia in the mid twentieth century by a small group of cattle breeders. Its creation was a response to a major problem: British-type herds were severely affected by introduced cattle ticks in hot and difficult regions.

Breeders used zebu bulls, followed by Brahman, Afrikaner and Santa Gertrudis influence, to obtain about half zebu ancestry. These Bos indicus-type cattle, such as Brahman, mainly contributed heat adaptation, hardiness, tick resistance, a short coat and the ability to move over large areas.

The other half of the genetic base came from red British breeds, especially Shorthorn, Devon and Hereford. These breeds contributed beef qualities, docility and maternal ability.

The Droughtmaster is therefore a stabilised composite breed: it combines taurine ancestry from British cattle breeds with zebu ancestry adapted to tropical climates. This broad genetic base allows breeders to select different types of animals according to their breeding goals, while remaining within the breed.

As in many composite breeds, different breeding directions exist. Some breeders have selected for more width, power or beef conformation, with the risk, according to breeders attached to the original type, of moving away from the spirit of the breed standard. Parawanga Droughtmaster Stud, on the contrary, emphasises the importance of maintaining the traditional type: a red, mobile animal with a short sleek coat, fairly long ears, good walking ability, good tick resistance and strong adaptation to the hot, dry and extensive conditions of Australia.