Cows of Hereford breed: characteristics, content, photos and price of calves

Cows of Hereford breed 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 in this country since 1846. The ancestor of the breed were red cows, cultivated by peasants in the south and west of England.

Selection of Hereford cows

Initially, the Hereford breed of cattle was bred as a draft and intended for meat. Attention to the milk production of these animals is almost not given. Therefore, at the moment, this breed is valued above all for its large physique and adaptability to pastures of absolutely any type. Another undoubted advantage is considered early maturity and unpretentiousness. In addition to growing on meat, hereford cows are used as producers while improving the qualities of other breeds. Some of the latter are also very popular in our country. As an example, you can bring a white-headed Kazakh breed.

Exterior

The Hereford breed of meat cows is distinguished by a well muscled forelock and heavy weight. The constitution of these animals can be described as very strong, if not to say - rough. Purely this breed can be recognized by its white head (dominant feature), abdomen, neck, sometimes back, and also a tail brush and nasolabial area. In other places the wool of animals is red-brown. The head and neck of the Hereford cows are short and wide. The horns are directed forward, sideways and slightly upward, painted white and have dark tips. The trunk of these animals is long, and the legs are short. Another distinctive feature of the breed is thick skin, strong muscles and underdeveloped mammary glands.

Characteristics of the breed

In addition to the large weight, the Hereford breed of cows (the photo of which can be seen on this page) is fertile and longevous. The birth in animals is very easy, and the mortality of calves is low. It is very easy to keep these cows, since they do not differ in aggressive or wayward character and are very simple to handle.

At the moment the Hereford breed is considered to be one of the most widespread in the world. Its popularity is due primarily to unpretentiousness, including food. Another remarkable feature of these animals is that they adapt very quickly to the climatic conditions of a given locality. For example, even in severe Russian winters these animals can be kept almost in the open air.

Quality of meat

Cows of Hereford breed are also valued and for very tasty "marble" (with fatty interlayers) juicy meat. Among other things, it is distinguished by its fine fiber and nutritional content. These qualities are inherited even when crossed with other breeds of cows. Slaughter yield of meat can vary from 65 to 70%.

Animal Skin

Another reason for the popularity of this breed is the excellent quality of its hide. Thick and elastic, it is very suitable for making shoes, insoles for it and soles. Make of it and other tan products.

Cost of young animals

You can buy the Hereford calves at a not too high price. At the beginning of 2015, it is about 100-130 rubles per kilogram of live weight when bought wholesale for farms and 130-160 rubles for the purchase of one head by private traders. Since the suckling of this breed is grown up to 8 months, most of all offers of individuals of this age.

Features of development

Cows of Hereford breed grow very quickly. Already at one-year-old age, the calves reach a weight of about 270 kg, bull-calves - 320 kg. By one and a half years, this indicator increases to 396 and 430 kg, respectively. At birth, the calves live weight is 31-36 kg. The average daily growth in its subsequent fluctuates from 850 to 1300 grams. The height of adult cows at the withers is 130-140 cm, the calves are 135-150 cm. The chest circumference is 190-195 cm in bunches, 210-215 cm in calves.

The content of cows with suckling calves

Since the milk of the Hereford breed of cows, the characteristic of which is given above, gives very little, the animals do not milk. Therefore, the calves are kept on the sump for up to 8 months. At the same time, the most acceptable is the technology of free-standing maintenance on open-air walking areas and in lightened premises. An animal shed must be clean, dry and free from drafts. In it, you need to arrange a lair for cows with calves, located along the perimeter. In the middle, it is necessary to install feeding troughs with water bowls. It is also necessary to provide a separate enclosure for calves, in which they will receive additional food. At the very end of the barn, a room for calving is usually arranged. Here cows are cited 2-3 days before the appearance of the calf and contain a week after childbirth. In summer, animals are transferred to a free or grazing paddock.

Feeding cows with suckling calves and bulls-producers

The diet of moms, feeding young, should contain 45% of roughage, 20% of concentrates, 25% of silage. As mineral dressings, bone meal, defluorinated phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, etc., are used.

Bull-producers need to give beans and hay good quality hay, concentrates and juicy feed. For 100 kg of live weight give 1 k. Unit, 100 gr. Proteins, 5-6 g. Phosphorus, 7 g. Calcium.

Since in the food the cows of the Hereford breed are not too whimsical, the individuals bred for meat can be fed simply with hay, adding barley and salt to it.

Feeding of suckling calves

The newborn should be admitted to the mother for milk at a maximum of 1-1.5 hours after delivery. Up to three months of age it will be its main food. You can begin to feed hay with 15-20 days. Up to three months of age, 0.4 k. Up to 6 months - 2-2.3 units, up to 8 - 3.5 k. Units. If the calf gets 200 kg of weight by the half-year, it can be taken away from the cow. This will help improve reproductive ability and weight gain.

In the initial period of fertilizing, in addition to roughage, you can use juicy, in the end - add concentrated.

Where the Hereford cows are bred

This wonderful breed is very suitable for breeding in steppe regions with a sharp continental climate. Abroad, it is bred in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States, some countries in Europe. At us in the country of the best results at cultivation of calves of this breed achieve in the Orenburg area. Cows of this breed in the steppes of Kazakhstan are very common and not bad.

As you can see, the Hereford breed is unpretentious, quickly gaining weight and does not require too much investment. It is very easy to care for these cows, and calves and meat can be obtained from them a lot. Taking all these factors into account, the breeding of Herefords in both private farms and large farms is more than advisable.