Black Hereford (breed)
Encyclopedia
The Black Hereford is a beef cattle
breed, derived mainly from Hereford cattle (normally red and white), but with some mixture from black Angus cattle
, resulting in black cattle with a white head and finching
.
to produce heterosis
("hybrid vigor") in the progeny, producing a type commonly known as the Black Baldy
.
Beef cattle
Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production . The meat of cattle is known as beef. When raised in a feedlot cattle are known as feeder cattle. Many such feeder cattle are born in cow-calf operations specifically designed to produce beef calves...
breed, derived mainly from Hereford cattle (normally red and white), but with some mixture from black Angus cattle
Angus cattle
Angus cattle are a breed of cattle much used in beef production. They were developed from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland, and are known as Aberdeen Angus in most parts of the world....
, resulting in black cattle with a white head and finching
Finching (cattle)
Finching is a colour pattern of cattle occurring in many unrelated breeds. Cattle with finching are said to be finched or finch-backed.Finching consists of a white or pale stripe along the spine...
.
Characteristics
Like red Herefords, Black Herefords are becoming known for their feed efficiency and docile temperament. If a registered Black Hereford is crossed with a registered red Hereford and the resulting progeny is black, then it may be registered with the Black Hereford Association. The Black Hereford breed was formed to create cattle that would pass on the desirable traits of the red Hereford, but with black and white coloring. Like red Herefords, Black Herefords are often crossed with black Angus cattleAngus cattle
Angus cattle are a breed of cattle much used in beef production. They were developed from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland, and are known as Aberdeen Angus in most parts of the world....
to produce heterosis
Heterosis
Heterosis, or hybrid vigor, or outbreeding enhancement, is the improved or increased function of any biological quality in a hybrid offspring. The adjective derived from heterosis is heterotic....
("hybrid vigor") in the progeny, producing a type commonly known as the Black Baldy
Black Baldy
Black Baldy is a type of crossbred beef cattle produced by crossing Hereford cattle with a solid black breed, usually Aberdeen Angus. Angus bulls are also used on Hereford heifers in an attempt to produce smaller calves and reduce dystocia. The term is particularly used in Australia and New Zealand...
.
History
The American Black Hereford Association was established as a non-profit corporation in 1994, by the late John Gage. The first Black Herefords to qualify for registration were recorded in 1997. In 2003 the Black Hereford received international breed designation by the National Association of Animal Breeds. In 2005 the American Black Hereford Association implemented its own EPDs. Now there are breeders throughout the United States.Uses
Many cattle breeders desire the traits of the red Hereford cattle, but want black cattle. Also, many breeders want to introduce Hereford type traits into their black cattle while maintaining the black color. The Black Hereford allows breeders to accomplish both of these goals. The Black Hereford is an efficient, docile cattle breed used mainly to produce beef.Similar types
- Black Hereford (hybrid), a type widespread in Britain, arising out of the common use of red Hereford bulls to produce cross-bred beef cattle out of black and white Holstein-Friesian dairy cattleDairy cattleDairy cattle are cattle cows bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cows generally are of the species Bos taurus....
. - Black BaldyBlack BaldyBlack Baldy is a type of crossbred beef cattle produced by crossing Hereford cattle with a solid black breed, usually Aberdeen Angus. Angus bulls are also used on Hereford heifers in an attempt to produce smaller calves and reduce dystocia. The term is particularly used in Australia and New Zealand...
, found in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, another hybrid beef type, black with white head, also derived from the Hereford, but usually crossed with the Aberdeen AngusAngus cattleAngus cattle are a breed of cattle much used in beef production. They were developed from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland, and are known as Aberdeen Angus in most parts of the world....
. - Groningen, a traditional dairy breed from Holland, black (or sometimes red) with a white head.