The Beefmaster Cowman: Beefmaster Breeders United History, Content and Staff
Profile updated November 2026
The Beefmaster Cowman is the official publication of Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU), the registry for the composite breed Tom Lasater began building in South Texas in the 1930s. The magazine goes to BBU members as part of their membership and carries breed news, sale reports, performance programs and management advice.
| Publisher | Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) |
|---|---|
| Association founded | 1961 |
| Breed recognized by USDA | 1954 |
| Headquarters | College Station, Texas, since the move from Boerne (2022-2023) |
| Distribution | Included with BBU membership |
| Sister title | The Beefmaster Pay Weight, for commercial cattlemen, twice a year |
| Official website | Beefmasters.org |
History of The Beefmaster Cowman
Tom Lasater began developing Beefmasters in the early 1930s by crossing Hereford, Shorthorn and Brahman cattle, aiming for animals that could produce profitably in harsh South Texas conditions. He selected on what became the breed's Six Essentials: weight, conformation, milk production, fertility, hardiness and disposition, and he set no color standard. The USDA recognized Beefmaster as a breed in 1954.
Beefmaster Breeders United was founded in 1961, and the breed spread rapidly beyond South Texas from the early 1970s. Membership grew from about 300 in 1974 to nearly 7,000 by 1998 before settling at roughly 3,000 members. BBU added a junior association in 1984 and the Beefmaster Educational Endowment Foundation, or B.E.E.F., in 2009.
In 2022 the board approved moving the association from its office in Boerne, Texas, to College Station after Texas A&M University invited Bos indicus-influenced breed associations to the area. The plan included a long-term lease of land beside the university's Beef Center for offices, an education center and a cattle barn. That year BBU also hired Joe W. Mask, Ph.D., a former American Brahman Breeders Association executive, as executive vice president.
The Beefmaster Cowman Today
The Beefmaster Cowman remains BBU's member magazine, focused on improving the breeding, management and marketing of purebred Beefmasters and on upgrading commercial herds with Beefmaster genetics. It offers ideas on feeding, animal health and herd management alongside association news.
BBU pairs it with The Beefmaster Pay Weight, its commercial publication printed twice a year, and with a network of nine satellite breeder groups and six marketing groups whose sales fill the calendar pages. The association calculates 13 EPDs for the breed, including $T and $M indexes, which feature in the magazine's genetics coverage.
What The Beefmaster Cowman Is Publishing Now
Genetics and performance
EPD updates, the Advancer and other breed-improvement programs, DNA testing and ultrasound data.
Sales and events
Sale reports and advertising from satellite associations and marketing groups, plus the annual BBU convention.
Youth and education
Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association news, scholarships through B.E.E.F. and the Beefmaster Breeders Cattlewomen.
The Beefmaster Cowman Editors and Staff
BBU's website and media listings name these association and magazine contacts:
- Chel Terrell - Editorial contact, The Beefmaster Cowman
- Joe W. Mask, Ph.D. - Executive Vice President, BBU
- Lance W. Bauer, Ph.D. - Director of Breed Improvement
- Jon Garza - Membership Coordinator and B.E.E.F. Liaison
- Collin Osbourn - Office Manager
Editorial and advertising questions for the magazine go through Beefmaster Breeders United in College Station.
Who Reads The Beefmaster Cowman
Readers are registered Beefmaster breeders, junior members and commercial cow-calf operators, concentrated in Texas and the South, where the breed began. Cattle and calves are the largest share of U.S. animal receipts, about 37 percent in 2021 according to USDA's Economic Research Service.
Beefmaster breeders like to say their cattle were selected for disposition, which puts them one up on some of their neighbors. For a lighter read between EPD tables, farm.FM serves farm satire and farm humor with a Texas-sized straight face, plus ranch humor for anyone who has worked cattle in August heat. Its farm jokes were not selected for any of the Six Essentials.
farm.FM calls itself the nation's first satirical farm site, and between the headlines it spins Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers; a good place to start reading is this farm.FM columnist's archive.
The Beefmaster Cowman Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Beefmaster Breeders United: About - breed history, publications and staff.
- BBU: Association moves to College Station - the Texas A&M partnership.
- Wikipedia: Beefmaster - an overview of the breed.
- Oklahoma State University: Beefmaster cattle - land-grant breed reference.
- USDA ERS: Animal product receipts - the economic weight of cattle.
The Beefmaster Cowman FAQ
Who publishes The Beefmaster Cowman?
Beefmaster Breeders United, now headquartered in College Station, Texas.
How do I get The Beefmaster Cowman?
It is included with BBU membership.
Who developed the Beefmaster breed?
Tom Lasater, starting in the early 1930s, from Hereford, Shorthorn and Brahman cattle.
What is the Beefmaster Pay Weight?
BBU's commercial publication, printed twice a year for commercial cattlemen.
Built on Lasater's Six Essentials and a move to Aggieland, The Beefmaster Cowman keeps BBU members connected to the breed's next chapter.