Okotoks said:
What can you tell us about Square Meaters? You had mentioned that Rick had also developed them. I think you said they were smaller.
The Square Meaters are a miniature Murray Grey. Quite literally, they're supposed to be about a 'metre square' in shape (though they don't usually conform to this!). They do have size restrictions though.
From the Square Meaters association: "Ironically a breeder who had helped drive that bigger is better mantra, Rick Pisaturo, would also be one of the first people to see flaws in the sizing up of the herd. In the early 1990's Mr Pisaturo determined that a market existed for a specific type of beef animal and specifically a breed that was fast growing and well muscled but very importantly early maturing. By the meticulous selection of older style pre-1970s Grey bulls and females he produced the worlds first Square Meaters calves at his Mandalong Stud in 1994."
"Characteristically a mature Square Meaters female will weigh around 450 kgs and be around 125 cms tall at the shoulder. She will be silver to grey in colour and polled, have a deep well muscled body and will produce her first calf at around 2 years of age with no calving difficulties. She will have a good udder and a plentiful milk supply. Her calves will be born small but show explosive early growth to weigh between 250 and 300 kgs at weaning. From only a few weeks of age they will exhibit a characteristic rounded bum.
Mature bulls weigh around 800 kgs and stand around 130 cm tall. He will have a deep, long, thick and muscular body on relatively short legs. Despite this shortness of leg Square Meaters bulls can easily serve larger frame females in commercial crossbreeding situations. Mated to females of any breed he will produce progeny with lower frame scores and increased muscling which will be able to be finished to market specifications at a relatively young age. He will also genetically dehorn his calves and give them calmer natures which make them easier to handle.
The Square Meaters Cattle Association has a height restriction on the registering of bulls and females. At 12 months of age bulls cannot be less than 103cm and not more than 113 cm at the shoulder. Only females which measure between 100 and 110 cm at the shoulder can be registered as A grades. This regulation is aimed at providing a safety net against animals becoming too small or regressing back to taller, slower maturing characteristics "
When I visited with Rick recently, I mentioned all of the pictures of his cattle on the walls of his office. He had a pic of one of his first Square Meaters bulls.... honestly, it looked like a Murray Grey crossed with a Belgian Blue or some other extreme muscled animal... it had that much butt to it.
