Hereford cows are named after the name of the area in which they were once bred - the English county of Herefordshire, located on the border with Wales. Her tribal book has been kept in this country since 1846. The progenitor of the breed was red cows, which were cultivated by peasants in the south and west of England.
Hereford Cows Breeding
Initially, the Hereford breed of cattle was bred as draft and intended specifically for meat. Attention to the milk production of these animals was practically not given. Therefore, at the moment, this breed is valued primarily for its large physique and fitness for pastures of absolutely any type. Another of its undoubted advantages is early maturity and unpretentiousness. In addition to rearing for meat, Hereford cows are used as producers to improve the quality of other breeds. Some of the latter are also very popular in our country. An example is the white-headed Kazakh breed.
Exterior
The Hereford breed of meat cows is distinguished by a well-muscled front part and a large weight. The constitution of these animals can be described as very strong, if not rough. Externally, this breed can be recognized by its white head (dominant feature), stomach, neck, sometimes back, as well as the tail and nasolabial brush. In other places, the coat in animals is red-brown. Hereford cows have short and wide heads and necks. Their horns are directed forward, to the sides and slightly upwards, painted white and have dark tips. The body of these animals is long, and the legs are short. Another hallmark of the breed are thick skin, strong muscles and underdeveloped mammary glands.
Breed characteristics
In addition to the great weight, the Hereford breed of cows (photo of which can be seen on this page) is characterized by fertility and longevity. Births in animals are very easy, and calf mortality is low. Keeping these cows is very easy, as they are not aggressive or wayward in nature and very easy to handle.
At the moment, the Hereford breed is considered one of the most common in the world. Its popularity is due primarily to unpretentiousness, including in food. Another remarkable feature of these animals is that they adapt very quickly to the climatic conditions of this particular area. For example, even in severe Russian winters, these animals can be kept practically in the open.
Meat quality
Hereford cows are also valued for the delicious “marble” (with fatty layers) juicy meat. Among other things, it is distinguished by fine fiber and nutritional value. These qualities of his inheritance are transmitted even when crossing with other breeds of cows. Slaughter meat yield can vary from 65 to 70%.
Animal skin
Another reason for the popularity of this breed is the excellent quality of its skins. Thick and elastic, it is very well suited for making shoes, insoles for it and soles. They make other leather goods from it.
The cost of young animals
You can buy Hereford calves at a not too high price. At the beginning of 2015, it amounted to about 100-130 rubles per kg of live weight when buying in bulk for farms and 130-160 rubles when purchasing privately owned one head. Since calves of this breed are raised for up to 8 months on suction, the largest number of individuals is of this age.
Development features
Hereford cows grow very quickly. Already at the age of one year, heifers reach a weight of about 270 kg, bulls - 320 kg. By one and a half years, this figure increases to 396 and 430 kg, respectively. At birth, the live weight of calves is 31-36 kg. Its average daily growth subsequently ranges from 850 to 1300 grams. The height of adult cows at the withers is 130-140 cm, gobies - 135-150 cm. The chest circumference of cows is 190-195 cm, and in gobies - 210-215 cm.
Cows with lactating calves
Since there is very little milk in the Hereford breed of cows, the characteristics of which are given above, animals are not milked. Therefore, calves are kept on suction for up to 8 months. At the same time, the technology of loose housing on open-air walking areas and in lightweight premises is considered the most acceptable. The animal shed must be clean, dry and free of drafts. It needs to arrange a den for cows with calves, located around the perimeter. In the middle, you should install feeders with drinking bowls. It is also necessary to provide a separate pen for calves, in which they will receive additional food. At the very end of the barn, a room for calving is usually arranged. Cows are brought here 2-3 days before the appearance of the calf and kept a week after birth. In summer, animals are transferred to free or grazing.
Feeding cows with suckling calves and bulls
The diet of mothers who feed their babies should contain 45% of roughage, 20% of concentrates, 25% of silage. As mineral top dressing, bone meal, defluorinated phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, etc. are used.
Producer bulls need to be given good quality bean and cereal hay, concentrates and succulent feed. For 100 kg of live weight give 1 K. unit, 100 g. proteins, 5-6 gr. phosphorus, 7 gr. calcium.
Since cows of Hereford breed are not too whimsical in food, individuals bred for meat can be fed simply with hay, adding barley crushed and salt to it.
Feeding sucking calves
The newborn should be allowed to the mother to receive milk for a maximum of 1-1.5 hours after birth. Until three months of age, it will be its main feed. You can start feeding hay from 15-20 days. Up to three months of age give 0.4 to. Units. Up to 6 months - 2-2.3 units., Up to 8 - 3.5 units. If the calf gains 200 kg of weight by six months, it can be taken away from the cow. This will help to improve reproductive ability and weight gain.
In the initial period of feeding, in addition to roughage, you can use juicy, in the end - add concentrated.
Where are Hereford cows bred?
This wonderful breed is very suitable for breeding in the steppe regions with a sharp continental climate. Abroad, it is bred in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States, and some countries in Europe. In our country, the best results when raising calves of this breed are achieved in the Orenburg region. Cows of this breed are very common and feel good in the steppes of Kazakhstan.
As you can see, the Hereford breed is unpretentious, quickly gaining weight and does not require too much investment. It’s very easy to take care of these cows, and you can get a lot of calves and meat from them. Taking into account all these factors, the cultivation of herefords both on personal farms and on large farms seems more than advisable.