Belmont Red is a breed

Breed

A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...

 of beef cattle

Beef cattle

Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production . The meat of cattle is known as beef. When raised in a feedlot cattle are known as feeder cattle. Many such feeder cattle are born in cow-calf operations specifically designed to produce beef calves...

 developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...

 (CSIRO) during 1954 in response to the need in the Australian Tropics for cattle which would improve the fertility of Bos indicus cattle. The breed was conceived at Belmont Research Station as a composite from several Bos taurus breeds: Africander (African Sanga

Sanga cattle

Sanga cattle is the collective name for indigenous cattle of South Africa. They are sometimes identified as a subspecies with the scientific name Bos taurus africanus. These cattle originated in East Africa, probably western Ethiopia, and have spread west and south...

) and Hereford

Hereford

Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...

-Shorthorn

Shorthorn

The Shorthorn breed of cattle originated in the North East of England in the late 18th century. The breed was developed as dual purpose, suitable for both dairy and beef production; however there were always certain blood lines within the breed which emphasised one quality or the other...

. Selected traits were a more placid temperament, greater resistance to ticks, and use of the environment and the pastures in the most efficient manner to give higher weight gains.

Rigid selection for these traits has resulted in the evolution of well adapted cattle to both a tropical and temperate environment. Belmont Red cattle are heat-tolerant and tick-resistant, requiring little or no dipping, and the cows have a good survival rate in times of drought and do not suffer from eye cancer.

Most of these cattle are red in colour. The breed was released to Australian breeders by the CSIRO in 1969.

Large commercial herds running on native pastures in both Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

 and the Northern Territory

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

 have calving rates above 90% achieved in large breeder groups containing 5,000 head. The cows show good mothering ability with low levels of dystocia

Dystocia

Dystocia is an abnormal or difficult childbirth or labour. Approximately one fifth of human labours have dystocia.Dystocia may arise due to incoordinate uterine activity, abnormal fetal lie or presentation, absolute or relative cephalopelvic disproportion, or a massive fetal tumor such as a...

 (calving difficulties).

Belmont Reds have achieved quite a few wins and placings in The Paddock to Plate Challenge.

Belmont Research Station is owned by AgForce Queensland and is leased to CSIRO as a research facility. Situated on the banks of the Fitzroy River

Fitzroy River (Queensland)

The Fitzroy River lies in Queensland, Australia. Its catchment covers an area of 142,665 square kilometres, making it the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia. The river is formed by the joining of the Mackenzie and Dawson rivers at Duaringa. The catchment stretches...

 just north of Rockhampton

Rockhampton, Queensland

Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....

, the 3,865 ha property runs about 2,000 head of cattle including around 1,000 breeders.