Hereford Cattle Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Hereford is a medium to large breed of cattle that has primarily been used for its wonderful beef that is succulent and tasty. They were also once used as draft cattle to draw wagons, carts, and plows today they are also used in various conservation grazing. They are very adaptable to most environments and climates they are also partial to more coarse vegetation, trees and various shrubs upon which to graze.

HEREFORD BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
They are a strong, robust, adaptive and docile breed of beef cattle that are easy to manage and handle
Country of Origin:	England
Other Names:	None
Main Purpose:	Meat
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Can be used for	Breed, Meat, Draft
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most Climates
Conservation Status:	Not listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: Mainly listed as “Least Concern” but the Traditional Hereford Breed is Listed on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Cattle?	Novice to intermediate Cattle farmer/keeper level
Cattle Associations:	The Hereford Cattle Society and American Hereford Association
Cattle Clubs:	Please refer to The Hereford Cattle Society and American Hereford Association for more information on the Hereford cattle breed. The Traditional Hereford Breeders Club may also be of some help.
Where to buy them?	Please refer to The Hereford Cattle Society and American Hereford Association for more information on the Hereford cattle breed. The Traditional Hereford Breeders Club may also be of some help.
Child Friendly?	Livestock should not be left unattended around unsupervised children
General Information:	Traditionally a Hereford bull crossbred will produce calves that have white faces. The white face is a mark of the Hereford cattle breeds genetics. The Traditional Hereford breed has shorter legs than the modern-day Hereford. Herefords were traditionally developed on farms in its native county in order to work the land for around five to six years before they were sold off for “fattening”. The Hereford cattle breed are extremely hardy and as such are well suited to outwintering. The cattle are usually horned but for the ease of use and safety, they are usually dehorned as calves. Hereford cows can produce calves right up to and sometimes a little beyond the age of 15 years old. The Hereford bull can be kept as a more than adequate stud bull for up to 12 years of age.
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Herefords most outstanding feature is the medium sized white face. The cows are more refined in shape to their male rounder more muscular counterparts. They have a medium to a large sized frame with sturdy legs and the females make great suckler cows.

Size:

Medium to large

CATTLE ⇒	COW	BULL
Breed Color:	Dark Red with a white face	Dark Red with a white face
Breed Weight:	800 kgs	1200 kgs
Breed Height:	140 cm	152 cm
Horns:	They have small horns that point forward	They have small horns that point forward
Temperament:	They are calm, docile and easy to handle	They are calm, docile and easy to handle but a bull is not to be taken lightly.
Matures at age:	6 to 8 months or 9 + months	6 to 8 months or 9 + months
Puberty Age:	6 to 15 months	9 to 1o months
Breeding Age:	13 to 15 months	1 year
Breeding Traits:	See Cow breeding & Milking Info	Cover 25 to 30 Cows in 1 season

COW BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION
Most Cattle produce milk but not all of them are used in the dairy Cattle capacity for their milk. Cows only calve once a year and should have 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. They are fertile and have a good birth rate percentage with an ease of birth with little to no birthing problems. They are very good caring mothers with excellent maternal instincts. They are not used for their dairy and have a poor milking yield.
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 6 to 24 hours Most ave. 12 to 16 hours Cows usually come on heat every 21 days.
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days to 24 days Heifer – usually ave. 20 days Cows – usually ave. 21 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 279 to 287 days but most gestation is 283 days. Cows that are carrying bull calf’s their gestation period is usually a little longer than cows that are carrying heifer calves.
No. Calves/Litter:	1 calf at a time. Cows rarely have twins or triplets, but it can happen
Lactation Period:	Cows lactation period can last for up to about 10 months (305) days.
Milking From:	1 to 6 weeks after Calving
Drying off Period:	The cow should have a 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. Drying off period for around 60 days before she can calve again.
Milk Quality:	Good
Milk Ideal for:	Calves
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CATTLE MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Hereford cattle breed produces a high-quality meat that is succulent, flavorsome and well marbled for fine tasty tenderness. They Hereford grow quickly and have a very efficient feed to meat ratio. They have good carcass percentages that dress out well and with good meat to bone ratio and little waste.

Meat Production?

N/A

CATTLE ⇒	VEAL	BEEF
Ave. Maturity Age:	6 to 8 months	9 months up to 4 years

CATTLE SKIN PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Most meat Cattle will have a skin by-product, and these are usually used in some form or just as a hide. As a beef cattle hide is one of the breeds by-products and is probably used in the manufacturing of various leather products, rugs, hides, etc./td>

Skin Production?

N/A

Skin is used to Produce:

Calf/cow skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, handbags, belts, furniture, rugs, etc.

CATTLE ⇒	CALF	ADULT
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months for Calf skin	1 to 2 years old for Normal leather

HISTORY

The Hereford cattle breed are one of the oldest traditional British Native Cattle breeds. For many a century they were observed wandering the English countryside and for the past 300 years or, so they were used as draft oxen. They could be found pulling large carts, wagons and even used for plowing the land.

Herefords are thought to be the result of various local cattle crosses producing draft and beef cattle. They were at first found in variations of color before becoming the standard red with the white face as we know the breed today.

The first Herefords to be imported into the United States of America were in 1817 where they were imported by Henry Clay a politician of the time. Larger importations and breeding of the cattle breed were during the 1840s.