The Square Meater cattle are a comparatively new breed of cattle from Australia. It was developed from selected grey cattle breed in the 1990s by Rick Pisaturo of Mandalong Park near Sydney, New South Wales.
Rick Pisaturo was an experienced cattleman who researched and developed such a cattle breed that satisfied the domestic export trade in Australia.
The Square Meater cattle were actually developed to meet the domestic consumer demand of high quality or premium beef. The breed has excellent muscling and perform well in steer and carcass competitions, despite their stature.
It was recognized as a purebred in 1996, and the Square Meater Cattle Association was formed in the same year. The purebred Square Meater bulls must not be more than 113 cm and not less than 103 cm at the shoulder at 12 months of age to be registered class “A”.
And the females at their 12 months of age must be 107 cm or less at the shoulder. The breed is gaining popularity rapidly for meat production, and mainly for their early maturity and easy-care attributes. Read more information about this breed below.
Square Meater Cattle Characteristics
The Square Meater cattle are a medium sized animal with small frames, short legs and they are naturally polled. They are generally silver or gery in color with dark hooves and a dark skin. Their dark skin reduces the chances of eye cancer and sunburned udders.
Mature Square Meater cattle have many similarities and resembles that of the Murray Grey cattle.
Murray Grey cattle are the breed from which the Square Meaters were originally derived. When born, the calves already have well-muscled rumps and are just 25 to 30 kg.
The mature Square Meater bulls weight between 700 and 800 kg. And the weight of the cows range from 400 to 500 kg. Photo and info from Wikipedia.
Uses
These animals are pretty new. They were actually developed for meat production. They are very good choice for producing smaller cuts of premium beef.
Special Notes
There are many reasons behind the high popularity of Square Meater cattle breed. Fast growth rate or early maturity, easy to care attributes etc. are some notable features of this breed.
They are also noted for their good temperament. They are very suitable breed for smaller farms. They are quiet in nature than many other cattle breeds, and easy to handle.
They are usually hardy and have long lifespans. Review full breed profile of this breed in the following table.
| Breed Name | Square Meater |
| Other Name | None |
| Breed Purpose | Meat |
| Special Notes | Hardy, fast growers, easy to care and handle |
| Breed Size | Medium |
| Bulls | Between 700 and 800 kg |
| Cows | Ranges from 400 to 500 kg |
| Climate Tolerance | All Climates |
| Coat Color | Silver or grey |
| Horned | Polled |
| Milk Yield | Poor |
| Rarity | Common |
| Country/Place of Origin | Australia |
