Hereford cattle are a widely used breed used mainly for beef production. They are popular among ranchers of the American Southwest are found in temperate areas around the globe.
From the University of Oklahoma Breeds of Cattle website:
“Thrifty and enterprising farmers near Hereford in the County of Herefordshire, England, were determined to produce beef for the expanding food market created by Britain’s industrial revolution. To succeed in Herefordshire, these early-day cattlemen realized they must have cattle which could efficiently convert their native grass to beef and do it at a profit.
“There was no breed in existence at the time to fill that need, so the farmers of Herefordshire founded the beef breed that logically became known as Herefords. These early Hereford breeders molded their cattle with the idea in mind of a high yield of beef and efficiency of production, and so firmly fixed these characteristics that they remain today as outstanding characteristics of the breed….
“Herefords came to the United States in 1817 when the great statesman Henry Clay of Kentucky made the first importation — a bull and two females. These cattle and their offspring attracted considerable attention, but they were eventually absorbed by the local cattle population and disappeared from permanent identity.
“The first breeding herd in America is considered to be one established in 1840 by William H. Sotham and Erastus Corning of Albany, New York, and for practical purposes Herefords in the United States date from the Sotham-Corning beginning. The more densely populated eastern area of the United States, including herds in New England, was the early home of Herefords and from there they fanned out to the South and West as the population expanded and the demand for beef increased….
“With the end of the Civil War and the coming of the American Industrial Revolution, the westward expansion continued and so did America’s appetite for beef. Western ranching developed from free land and local longhorned cattle originally brought to Mexico by the Spanish conquerors and allowed to drift northward into what is now America’s great southwestern cattle country. These cattle were tough and had the bred-in ability to survive, a trait that enabled their being driven to railhead shipping points and then transported by rail to slaughter at eastern markets. It was on such cattle that Herefords proved the great improver. They survived the rough ranching conditions and improved beef quality in the process. Demand for Hereford bulls boomed.”
And it has continued until today. Hereford growers have proven to be exceptionally good at collecting scientific data about breeding efforts and changing the nature of their cattle to meet customer demands. A polled (hornless) Hereford strain developed in the United States by selective breeding is now very popular. Herefords are also widely raised in Australia and South America.
The American Hereford breed association website can be found HERE. Bill King from Stanley, New Mexico is the current President.
If you have problems seeing the video below click HERE.
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