Hereford

The Hereford is a beef breed that comes from Herefordshire, a county in the west of England. It is one of the most widely kept beef breeds anywhere, and stockmen recognise it at a glance by the deep red body and white face, with white running along the underline, down the lower legs and onto the tail switch.

What makes the Hereford useful to a farmer is how well it turns grass into beef with little fuss. On South African ground, from highveld grassland to the drier bushveld and Karoo, the breed generally holds condition on pasture that would leave a more demanding animal thin. Mature cows typically weigh 540 to 730 kg, and bulls often go over 800 kg.

Temperament is steady and easy to work with. Because cows breed reliably and calve without much drama, and the white face carries through to crossbred calves, Herefords are a standard choice for commercial herds and cross-breeding programmes across the country.

Who it suits

The Hereford suits commercial farmers and smallholders alike, provided the operation is built around grass rather than a feedlot ration from birth. Handlers with less experience generally find the breed manageable because of its quiet temperament, and its toughness fits herds run on marginal or seasonal grazing where heavy supplementary feeding is not on the cards.

The breed's name comes from Herefordshire, a county in the west of England close to the Welsh border. During the 1700s, farmers in that district set about building cattle that would put on beef efficiently from local grass and forage, without needing rich feed.

Benjamin Tomkins is usually credited with the early shaping of the breed, having started his selective breeding in the mid-1700s from a small group of foundation animals. Breeders of the day focused on size, the ability to thrive on pasture and a uniform look.

The Hereford Herd Book opened in England in the 1840s, putting pedigree records for the breed onto a formal footing. By the nineteenth century the Hereford had become a leading beef type across Britain.

From there the breed travelled widely. Herefords reached North America in the early 1800s, and in time became firmly established in Australia, South America and southern Africa, where their ability to cope with extensive grazing systems suited large-scale beef farming.

The Hereford carries a broad, deep, well-muscled body on short, sturdy legs. Its trademark is the white face, which shows up together with white on the crest of the neck, the dewlap, the underline, the lower legs and the tail switch. Body colour ranges from a lighter red through to a deep, almost brick red.

Both horned and polled (naturally hornless) types exist. Polled Herefords were bred specifically to do away with dehorning, and they are now common in herds right across the country.

Coat and colours

Depth of red varies from one animal or herd to the next, but it is always set off by the white markings that mark the breed out. Pigment around the eyes is a real asset in hot, high-UV parts of the country, since it cuts the risk of eye trouble linked to sun exposure on bare, unpigmented skin.

The Hereford has a reputation for a quiet, good-natured disposition. Among beef breeds it ranks as one of the more docile, and animals generally load and move without much fuss when handled consistently and without shouting or rushing.

Cows watch over young calves closely, so it pays to give a cow-calf pair a wide berth in the first few days after calving. In a mixed herd, or run alongside other breeds in a cross-breeding programme, Herefords fit in without trouble. Their steady nature cuts the risk of injury to both stock and handlers during routine jobs such as weighing, dosing and moving cattle between camps.

Grooming

• Day-to-day grooming is minimal; the short coat sheds on its own with the seasons
• Check and trim hooves when needed to head off lameness
• Look over skin and eyes regularly, especially where the sun is fierce
• Keep external parasites such as flies, lice and ticks under control

Exercise

• Give the herd plenty of grazing land for daily movement
• Rotate camps to keep forage quality up and hold parasite numbers down
• Make sure there is enough space for stock to graze and rest without crowding

Environment

Herefords cope well with both cold and heat, but they still need shelter from harsh weather, wind and strong sun. Put up shade structures in hot regions and windbreaks or housing where winters turn severe. Clean water must be available at all times, and intake climbs sharply once the mercury rises.

The Hereford is built around forage and performs well on decent grazing. Grass and other forage form the core of the diet, topped up with hay or silage when grazing runs short. The breed is known for holding condition on lower-quality forage than many other beef breeds can manage on.

Mineral supplements make up what the veld cannot provide, particularly salt, calcium, phosphorus and trace elements. Adjust the ration to the production stage, stepping feed up during late pregnancy, lactation and the finishing period.

Treats and supplements

Offer free-choice mineral and salt licks matched to local soil conditions. Bring in any change of feed gradually over several days to protect rumen health, and make sure water is always on hand alongside dry feed.

Herefords are generally tough animals that settle well into a range of climates. Given sound management, cattle can live 15 to 20 years, though commercial stock is usually run on a shorter production cycle. Most health needs come down to preventive care, sound nutrition and keeping parasites in check.

The breed's unpigmented face and the skin around the eyes can push up the risk of certain eye and skin conditions in regions with strong sun.

Preventive care

• Keep to a vaccination programme suited to local disease risk
• Follow a regular parasite control schedule
• Check and trim hooves to prevent lameness
• Provide balanced minerals and clean water throughout the year
• Keep an eye on body condition through the production cycle

Hereford heifers generally reach breeding condition at around 12 to 15 months old, with first calving close to two years under good management. Gestation runs about 285 days, roughly nine and a half months, and cows almost always deliver a single calf.

The breed is rated for calving ease, fertility and enough milk to raise a healthy calf. Cows keep a close eye on their young, and calves are typically weaned at six to eight months. The white face passes through strongly to crossbred calves, which is a large part of why Herefords are used so widely as both a maternal and a terminal cross.

Bulls work both for natural mating and as a source of semen for artificial insemination. Sound feet, fertility and temperament are the traits breeders select hardest for in breeding stock.