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Thoroughbred Livestock - Hereford CattleHereford cattle are raised mainly for beef production and are known for very high quality meat. They are also extrememly adaptable, and are raised in a wide range of climates on nearly every continent of the world. Because of their more docile temperment, they are one of the easier breeds of cattle to control. They are one of the most popular breeds of cattle being raised here in Modoc County, California. 
This breed originated in Herefordshire, England, perhaps as early as the seventeenth century. They were first introduced into North America in the early 1800's. As a testament to their hardiness and adaptability, they now thrive in the hot and dry desert regions of the U.S. Southwest as well as they did in their native cool, moist climate in Herefordshire. They've also adapted well enough to be able to survive the hard winters in the American northern plains states.
Herefords are often called white-faced cattle because of their very distinctive marking. They have deep dull-red body coloring with white head and face, stockings and underside. They are relatively short and stocky in stature, and modern breeding techniques are producing cattle with more meat per pound. Except for Polled Herefords, most of them have horns that grow close to the head, pointed slightly down and in toward the face. Polled cattle are cattle that have had the ability to grow horns bred out. Yearling bulls range in average weight from 1200 to 1500 pounds. They are also known and prized for their longevity. Cows remain productive and bearing calves to age 15, and bulls routinely remain fertile and profitable at stud to the age of 12 or more. Adding to their popularity, these are very efficient animals. They thrive mostly on pasture and grazing grass and grass products, and are able to efficiently convert the food into quality meat. These animals also lend themselves to effective herd management, the heart of any cattle operation. As any ranch's livelihood depends on producing market animals at a sustained rate, the herd must be continually monitored and grown. The herd cycle is constantly monitored from breeding season to breeding season. Herd productivity is measured by how many cows calve and how many of those calves can be raised to market size. Other factors, such as amount of feed and labor required to maintain herd health, naturally enter into the herd's profit equation. However, the basis for ranch economic health rests on a rancher's ability to grow the herd.
Look for more information on a country environment to grow your herd and raise thoroughbred livestock like
Hereford cattle on other pages at Modoc Country Living.com.
Whether you're raising Hereford cattle for your own freezer, or to build a profitable beef-producing ranch, the country is really the only place to do it. Whether raising prize-winning show animals or beef-producing Herefords, the country environment offers freedom, no congestion and comfortable distance from friendly neighbors.
More About Thoroughbred Livestock: Alpacas
More About Thoroughbred Livestock: Palomino Horses
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Modoc Country Living - Raising Thoroughbred Livestock
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Although methods for growing herds are debated, the method currently accepted by most ranchers as the most economical is managing breeding. Ranchers routinely grow their herds by managing breeding cycles, either by natural means or with artificial insemination (AI). AI involves purchasing bull semen from authorized breeders and manually implanting it into eligible heifers during their breeding cycle. Although statistics differ, some report that AI is only used by a small percentage of ranchers, even though the end costs are close to those of natural breeding. Slightly over-simplified, natural breeding is one bull mating with one cow to produce a calf. As cattle are not monogamous, you won't need a bull for each heifer. An old rule of thumb dictates one breeding cow for each month of a bull's life. Therefore, if your bull is two years old, he can service approximately 24 heifers, which results in a bull to cow ratio of 1 to 24. In reality, many other factors are involved in maintaining and growing a herd.
