Hereford cow breed
The Hereford breed is famous for its bulls, which are the world's cattle producers in animal husbandry. Hereford meat is famous for its excellent taste.
Hereford breed
About the Hereford breed
According to the classification existing in animal husbandry, the Hereford breed of cows belongs to the meat direction, therefore, among the main indicators that breeders are often interested in, one can note:
- rapid increase in body weight;
- the possibility of breeding in the conditions of both a private farm and on an industrial scale;
- unpretentiousness in the use of feed;
- the docile nature of the bulls;
- excellent reproduction quality;
- taste characteristics of the obtained meat products.
It is based on the blood of red breeds bred in England in the 18th century, because the cattle of the Hereford branch carries the genes of a dark red suit.
The name hereford comes from the name of the small homeland of the described animals - the English county of Herefordshire. At the moment, representatives of the Hereford cattle breed can be found in Australian, Canadian, American and New Zealand livestock breeding. This breed is also bred on the territory of Russia in the Siberian and Far Eastern regions.
The price of a Hereford is calculated based on the age of the cattle. The table below shows the average cost:
| Age | Weight | Price |
| Suspended calves (up to 8 months) | weight from 25 kg and more | 130 rub / kg |
| Those who switched to non-general nutrition (by the age of one) | bulls - weight 0.2-0.32 t heifers - weight up to 0.27 t | RUB 300 / kg |
| 1.5 year olds and older | bulls - weight 0.43 t heifers - weight 0.4 t | RUB 500 / kg |
External signs
Hereford gobies grow at the withers up to 1.20-1.30 m with a body length of 1.5 m, they have a wide chest with a depth of 65 cm and a girth of 1.95-1.97 m. , 9 to 1.3 tons. Cows weigh a little less. Massiveness, well-developed muscles, impressive size and proportional coherence of Hereford bulls can be noticed from the photos, vividly demonstrating them to become full-fledged sires. In addition, the Hereford breed of cattle is characterized by other distinctive features. Thus, the description of the appearance suggests that beef cattle should have:
- barrel-shaped squat body with a straight dorsal region;
- protruding forward dewlap;
- short cervical spine;
- tightly built short limbs.
The skin of animals is elastic and covered with a soft fleece.
The color of the breed is manifested in the main color of the body. The head and lower body, including the belly, are white.
Attractiveness of the breed for breeders
Hereford breed of cows is distinguished by high indicators of vitality and is able to easily acclimatize in new conditions of keeping. Thanks to these characteristics, as well as taking into account the aesthetic component and good reproductive characteristics of the offspring, Hereford became a frequent resident of farms.
Hereford gobies are one of the most prominent representatives, actively used in breeding work, passing on the genetically fixed qualitative characteristics of the breed to subsequent generations.
Hereford offspring are resistant to survival, deaths among newly born Hereford calves are observed in rare cases, calving in heifers is usually without complications.
Do not expect the Hereford breed of cows to bring a lot of milk. These representatives are usually not milked and are bred not so much for milk, but solely for obtaining new offspring, crossing and meat. The lethal yield is 60 to 70%. Hereford bulls give marble meat.
Reviews of breeders note not only the rapid weight gain of animals, but also their high rates of fertility and longevity. Hereford cattle showed good results in animal resistance to infectious diseases.
Among the disadvantages noted by the breeders, one can mention the gluttony of the representatives of this breed. During the wintering of cattle, a Hereford of 15 individuals is capable of destroying up to 200 tons of hay. But the resulting meat is nutritious and juicy, with an evenly distributed layer, therefore, the farm is often ready for such fodder costs, assuming what indicators can be achieved from Hereford cows and what quality meat from it.
Features of the content
The non-aggressive nature that Hereford shows makes it easy to keep livestock not only in large premises, but also in confined spaces. As a rule, these are open walks or easily constructed buildings. Among the main conditions for keeping Hereford cattle are the absence of drafts and dryness in the room.
Excellent fatty layer of animals and dense skin protect livestock from the cold, therefore keeping and feeding in the open air is permissible even at the beginning of the winter period. During the summer months, the best place for a Hereford is a pasture.
Typically, cow and calf pens are installed along the perimeter for Herefords, and water drinkers are located in the center. A hotel enclosure is provided for the young, where they are fed for the purpose of raising offspring and fattening.
Separately from all animals, a calving pen is located, where the cows are kept several days before the scheduled birth and a week after the birth of offspring. Cows reach sexual maturity at the age of 2-3 years.