Standard of Excellence

Maintaining & Improving The Breed

The Santa Gertrudis Standard of Excellence is measured under 4 categories.

Individual animals may be rejected when presented for classification due to an absence of “Desirable” characteristics and shall be rejected for manifestations of “Undesirable” characteristics considered to be extreme or for hereditary or non-hereditary deformities and/or abnormalities and/or objectionable characteristics, examples of which (not intended to be exclusive) are set out in the “Disqualification” column below.

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ITEMDESIRABLEUNDESIRABLEDiISQUALIFICATION
A. BREED CHARACTER
Showing true Santa Gertrudis typeLacking Santa Gertrudis type
B. FUNCTIONAL EFFICIENCY
1. FertilityLongevity

Cows - feminine, regular calving Bulls - masculine, virile, high libido
Irregular calving

Cows - lacking femininity Bulls lacking masculinity
Hernia, malformed genitalia. Abnormal reproductive organs.
2. Sheath & NavelRetracted prepuce, small orifice, flat medium sized navel flap.

Less than 45 degree angle from the horizontal.
Loose, parietal prepuce. Large navel flap.

Open Orifice.
Bulls with sheaths extending below the H to K line (the imaginary line between the break in the rear (lower) Hock and the break in the Knee). Non-retractable prepuce. Abnormal or excessive sheath and/or navel structure.
3. TesticlesAdequate size. Good conformation and tone.Too small or too large. Pendulous. Tied.

Permanently retracted. Unsatisfactory conformation and/or tone.
Cryptorchid
4. Udder & TeatsWell attached, balanced. Fine teats of moderate length.Meaty and/or loosely attached udder. Large teats. Large supernumerary teats.Very large or bottle teats.
Excessive udder.
5. DispositionAlert, easily managed.NervousExtremely nervous and/or aggressive
6. SizeWell grown for age, fast gaining.Lacking growth or weight for age.
7. Hair (dependent on environment)Short. straight, slick coat.Excessive curly or coarse hair.
8. HideLoose, vascular, moveable.Tight, thick.
Excessive skin folds.
9. LegsSquarely set, sound joints.Bow legged. Post legged. Calf kneed. Straight hind pasterns that don`t flex. Straight and/or Sickle hocked. Cow hocked. Low pasterns.
10. Feet and HoofsEven claws, solid dark pigment.pigment. Turned out. Pigeon toed. Uneven claws.

Light or multi-coloured pigmentation. Low heels.
C. CONFIRMATION
1. General Form or TypeSymmetrical, balanced, thick, long and deep bodied, well sprung ribs, muscular.

Good bone, strong legs with free movement; males thicker and well muscled; females refined in forequarter
Flat sided, coarse and rough. Light boned.



Lack of free movement.
2. HeadShowing masculinity or femininity according to sex; broad, slightly convex forehead, straight profile.Long and narrow, dish face.

Short.
Wry
a. HornsHorned or Polled
b. EarsMedium to large size, slightly drooping, open forward.Small upward pointing.Vestigial ears.
c. EyesClear, moderately hooded, strongly pigmented.Recessed. prominent. Fat polyps.Entropian
d. MuzzleBroad and largeNarrow, smutty noseWry nose
Black - Overshot or undershot jaw.
3. NeckSmooth attachment Good extensionU neck, very short
4. ShoulderFree moving, smooth and well-muscled. Bulls - thick, well defined, heavy muscling. Cows - smooth, with moderate muscling.Open or prominent.
Straight, high
5. BrisketModerately broadExcessive fat, downward sloping. Narrow.
6. Heart GirthDeep, broad, full.Pinched
7. BackBroad, strongSway backRoach back. Fish back.
8. LoinBroad, fullNarrow, weak
9. RibsWell sprungFlat sided
10. HipsBroad, somewhat rounded on topProminent
11. RumpLong, broad, moderate slope - hip to pin -Square. High sacral bone. Recessed tail insertion.Short, narrow, droopy
12. TailSmooth insertion, good switch, thick and long.Short, thin.Tail deformities eg. wry.
13. Hind QuartersBroad, muscular, wide between pins. Bulls - thick and well muscled Cows - deep with moderate muscling.Narrow, high twist.Double muscling.
D. COLOUR
1. CoatSolid Santa Gertrudis Red
(Light or dark)
Occasional white hairs falling short of roan condition.

Dilution, light or dark spots in other areas.

Very light red. Blackish red. Birth marks.
White spots out of underline. White underline exceeding 25% of the total area.

Fawn or cream colour. Brindling or roan condition. Black hair.

White forward of the front legs and behind the udder.
2. SkinRed pigmentationSome blackSolid black