Leading the way

Zia is putting Creamy through leading practice at our Ag farm. Creamy is a breed of beef cattle called a Square Meater.

Zia and Creamy

As purebreds and in crossbreeding operations Square Meaters are proving to be the key to the more efficient production of quality beef. Square Meaters sire calves have low birth weights (20 to 30 kgs), explosive early growth and great feed efficiency. They consistently grow into heavily muscled premium 250 to 300 kg weaners.
The Square Meaters female has a calm nature and is a highly fertile, heavy milker. Due to her compact frame and extra muscling she holds on when times are tough, and leaps ahead when feed is plentiful.

The Square Meater is an Australian breed of small, polled cattle which were developed by Rick Pisaturo of Mandalong Park near Sydney, New South Wales in the early 1990s from a base of Murray Grey genetics. Despite their smaller stature they have excellent muscling and perform well in steer and carcase competitions.

Square Meaters are usually silver or grey in colour with dark hooves and a dark skin that reduces the chance of eye cancer and sunburned udders. The breed is noted for its good temperament, early maturity and easy-care attributes, which makes them a popular breed of cattle for smaller farms.

To be registered class "A", purebred Square Meater bulls must not be less than 103 cm and not more than 113 cm at the shoulder at 12 months of age. Females must be 107 cm or less at the shoulder at 12 months of age. Mature females will weigh about 450 kg and be around 125 cm tall


Around the farm they go



Characteristics

Photo courtesy of Gleannholme Square Meaters, www.gleannholme.com.au

Square Meaters are phenotypically the same as a Murray Grey as it has come directly from this breed, so in colour it ranges from light grey and brown to average brown. The essential difference between Square Meaters and their ancestors is the height, Square meaters are shorter due to the developed decrease in leg length. Although this breed is shorter it is not a miniature breed.

A mature female will weigh around 450kg and be around 125cm tall. She will have a deep body with a good udder and produce calves at 20-30kg birth weight, with no calving difficultly, at 2 years of age. The young calves grow rapidly to achieve a live weight of 280-340 kg at 9-11 months of age. From only a few weeks of age onwards the calves have a characteristic 'rounded bum' that is noticeable when comparing animals of other breeds at the same age.

Mature bulls weigh around 800kg plus at around 130cm high, again with a deep body on short legs. Despite the shortness of leg, Square Meater bulls can easily serve larger females in commercial crossbreeding programs.

The Square Meaters Cattle Association does have a height restriction on the registering of bulls. At 12 months of age bulls cannot be less than 103cm and not more than 113cm. This regulation is aimed at providing a safeguard against animals becoming too small or regressing back to taller/slower growing characteristics.

Statistics

Photo courtesy of Kelkette Park, www.kelkettepark.com.au

Early maturing

Moderate birth weights

Quiet temperament

High milking ability

Strong muscling and superior fleshing

Optimum, even fat cover

Distribution

This breed is produced in Australia.

References (the above information was cited from the following sites)

www.squaremeaters.com.au
www.gleannholme.com.au
www.kelkettepark.com.au

Mrs McNeil our Agriculture and Primary Industries teacher shows Zia how to put the leading halter on.