Hereford breed of cows: features of breeding, maintenance, prices for young and pedigree animals

Of all beef cattle, almost the best in the world is the Hereford breed of cows, which is somewhat inferior only to the Aberdeen-Angus, and even not in all countries: there are states that categorically prefer it to Hereford. And the breed is really worthy of attention.

History of deducing

Selection began in the English county of Herefordshire in the late 17th century and was crowned with success by the middle of the 18th century. In the ancestors, the Hereford breed of cows had local cattle, rather small and used in several directions: as draft and meat and dairy. The purpose of the selection was to increase the weight of individuals, accelerate their maturation (increase early maturity), and switch the intended use solely to meat. The results of breeding were so successful that since 1846 there is a breeding book of the breed, and by the end of the 19th century it had spread almost all over the world. In the 30s of the 20th century the Herefords were imported to the USSR.

Exterior of Hereford

One of the main breed attributes is the red suit of cows with a white head. And white hair is transmitted even when crossing with other breeds. The abdomen, the lower chest, the tail brush are also white. Markings of this color are also on the nape and withers. The horns are white, but they darken at the tips. The constitution is strong, sometimes even rude. Lines of withers, back, waist and sacrum are straight. Legs widely set and short. The breast is round, broad, with a pronounced developed submerge. Representatives of the Hereford breed of cows (the photo is on the same page) are massive and large enough: the adult womb weighs about 700 kg, and the bull producer often reaches a mass per ton.

Advantages and peculiarities of the breed

Its main advantage is the easy breeding of cows. They are undemanding to feed, free pasture grazing is widely used, during which cattle eats up all the greens, including weeds and one that is considered rough. Thus, the Hereford breed of cows does not need specially sown pastures.

Cattle have a great life expectancy - up to 18 years, but not less than 15. For cows, this is quite a lot. And throughout life they retain the ability to reproduce; The quality of the young does not fall from the aging of the uterus.

Hereford breed of cows refers to small-fruited, that is, calves are born relatively small - about 25 kg. This allows the birth to pass without any difficulties and without additional help from the person. If the litter in the calving department changes regularly and remains dry, calves are virtually never sick; Their survival rate is close to 98 percent. With a small weight at the beginning of life, calves grow quickly; For a year and a half, heifers gain up to 400 kg, and bulls - 430-450. It is this early ripeness that stimulates the breeding of cows of this breed.

Separately it is worth noting the high adaptability of the breed, which is perfectly acclimatized to a much hotter or colder climate than English. In addition, even calves easily tolerate long distances without losing weight.

The yield of meat at bottom is on average 65%. As a result of good content and normal fattening, the percentage reaches 70. Plus, meat from Hereford gets a so-called marble, which costs much more than usual. It is because of all the advantages that the Hereford cow has, the price for it is much higher than for animals of other breeds.

However, it also has some nuances that can be considered flawed. The Hereford breed of cows has an important feature that must be taken into account when deciding on its breeding. The uterus is so little milk that it is not subject to milking. Therefore, calves keep on sucking up to eight months.

Arrangement of cowsheds for calves with calves

It is best to dispense unrestrained content both in the cowshed and in the walking areas. The shed itself is equipped on the perimeter with separate premises for the calves with calves, in the center there are drinking bowls with feeding troughs. It is also necessary to identify a corral in which grown calves will be fed. In the remote from the entrance of the end of the barn, a generic branch is arranged, where the cows are transferred for a couple of days before calving. There they will stay the first week after it. The main conditions for equipping a barn for keeping calves with calves: cleanliness, absence of drafts and dry bedding. Heating even in severe winters should not be excessive: adults are quite frost-resistant, and calves, when they are cold, are buried in hay.

Differences in the diet of producers, "nursing mothers" and calves

Just note that slaughter cattle can be fed with ordinary hay in a mixture with salt and barley crushed. For feeding cows, the diet should be much richer and more diverse: roughage - no more than 45%, silage - about 25, and at least 20% of concentrates. Add to the diet and top dressing: bone meal and phosphates (diammonium, tricalcium, etc.). Bulls-producers have good cereal and bean hay, juicy feed and concentrates. Calves up to three months are mostly by mother's milk, but from 2 to 3 weeks you can offer hay. A calf that has reached 200 kg (on average this happens at 8 months of age, but cases when a half-year-old calf is gaining such weight are frequent) is isolated from the uterus - so it will ripen faster and its reproductive capacity will be higher.

We can say that it is because of the investments that the Hereford cow requires for breeding, the price for it is much lower than it could be.

Purchase Herefords

It remains to mention how much the Hereford breed of cows is worth. The price of calves that have not yet emerged from sippy age is quite low - from 130 rubles per kilogram of pedigree stock and 115 - intended for slaughter. Breeding cattle, taken from the mother, transferred to a common system of nutrition and ripe for reproductive activity, will cost 300 rubles per kilo. A cow, at least two times bringing high-quality offspring, is estimated at 500 rubles. Per kilogram of live weight.