
A Hereford Bull
'Hereford'
cattle are a widely-used breed in temperate areas, mainly for
beef production.
Originally from
Herefordshire,
England, they are the most common breed of beef cattle in the temperate parts of
Australia. The breed also enjoys great popularity among ranchers in the desert
American Southwest of the
United States and also in the centre and east of
Argentina and in
Uruguay. There are more Hereford Breeders in
New Zealand than any other beef cattle breeder. It is a testament to the hardiness of the breed that, while originating in cool, moist Britain, they have found great success, and indeed have thrived, in much harsher climates. The breed has adapted to a wide range of climates on nearly every continent.
Hornless variants with the polled gene are known as the Polled Herefords. Breeding horned and hornless together functions as a genetic dehorner. This is often used as an alternative to a dehorning process, which causes stress and often weight loss.
Closely related to the
Miniature Hereford, the breed is known for its high-quality meat and its excellent
maternal qualities. The Hereford's temperament is more docile thus allowing easier handling than other cattle breeds. Its meat quality is very good, rivaling that of the more aggressive
Angus, another "British Breed", known for 'marbling' (intramuscular fat).
The World Hereford Council is based in the
UK, the Secretary General, Mrs Jan Wills, is from
New Zealand. There are currently 19 member countries comprised of 20 Hereford societies and 7 non-member countries with a total of 8 societies.
Hereford history
The Hereford breed originated in Britain perhaps as early as the
seventeenth century.
Herefords were used as the logo for the 2007
Orange County Fair (California) with the theme of ''Cowabunga! – The Year of Herefords, Surfers and Sand''.
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External links
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About the WHC Secretary General
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American Hereford Association
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New Zealand Hereford Association
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Australian Hereford Society
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Canadian Hereford Association
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UK Hereford Society
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Irish Hereford Society
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List of Hereford Associations
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World Hereford Council
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Polled Hereford Breed Information
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Hereford Breed Information