66 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN March 2026 was a big shakeup in breed market share. Angus became the favorite of Midwest cattle feeders and packers, while Hereford became the dominate breed in the West based on their survivability during the big die up. Due to their versatility, Shorthorn would remain the most favored farm cow. The next big type change was triggered by World War II when the demand for tallow again skyrocketed, ushering in the “Belt Buckle” era. The value of tallow was primarily based on the glycerin it contained. The tallow would be heated to liquify it and when an acid was added, the glycerin would precipitate out, becoming the key component for making the explosive nitroglycerin that was used in the war effort. The remaining tallow would then be used to make soap. With this reemergence of tallow as a valuable commodity, cattle selection shifted to very early-maturing cattle with a high propensity to fatten. However, this trend to ever-smaller cattle continued after the war, even though it no longer made economic sense, particularly after detergents were introduced, largely replacing tallow-based soaps. The Belt Buckle fad got its name as desirable cattle would only be as tall as a person’s waist (i.e., their belt buckle). With the steer show at the International Livestock Exposition in Chicago being the main entity for setting type, having A.D. “Dad” Weber, Ph.D., of Kansas State University judging the show for about 10 years after the war helped solidify the Belt Buckle fad. However, these small cattle were not practical or profitable in a commercial setting, and in 1965 when the Department of Agriculture adopted the USDA Yield Grading System as an estimate of lean meat yield in beef carcasses, it became apparent that it was time for a change. This started with the importation of Continental European breeds, which in general were larger frame, heavier muscled, leaner and faster growCHANGES IN CATTLE TYPE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 64 CONTINUED ON PAGE 68 03.25.26 BROKEN BOW LIVESTOCK MARKET BROKEN BOW, NEBRASKA • 1:00 PM BRADEN BENES, TEST MANAGER • 402-608-0577 •NEBRASKABULLTEST@GMAIL.COM 63 YEARS OF PERFORMANCE TESTING FOR MORE INFORMATION SCAN HERE OR VISIT NEBULLTEST.COM SCAN CODE FOR DIRECTIONS TO VIEW BULLS! Grand Champion Heifer exhibited by Penn State at the 1960 Pennsylvania Livestock Expo. Credit: Herman Purdy Archieve.
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