Polled Hereford
Herefords are an ancient breed, kept in
Herefordshire in western England for
centuries. They gained their modern appearance around 1800 by crossing with
cattle from Flanders. Originally, Herefords were large framed draught
cattle, some weighing over 3,000 pounds. During the nineteenth century
there was selective breeding for
early maturity, which entailed a reduction in the size of the frame. The
first herd book was published in 1846, and later adopted by the
'Hereford Herd Book Society', founded in 1878.
Polled Herefords were developed
from the horned Hereford breed which was founded in the mid-18th century
by the farmers of Hereford County, England. Among the horned Herefords
an occasional calf would be born which did not develop horns. This
change from parents' characteristics is known as a "mutation."
These cattle soon came to be called "polled," which means
naturally hornless.
Polled Hereford are medium framed cattle
with distinctive red body color
with the head and front of the neck, the brisket, underside, and switch
in white. They have well
developed fore-quarters, a deep brisket, broad head and stocky legs. Polled Herefords are generally docile and
fast growing cattle with good beef quality.
Today the Polled Hereford registry
is combined with the American Hereford Association.
How to Contact the Breed Association:
American Hereford Association
P.O. Box 014059
Kansas City, MO 64101
(816)842-3757
List of Polled Hereford Breeders
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You'll find a list of Polled Hereford Breeders, how to contact the Polled Hereford Association, information about the Polled Hereford breed, a Q&A Board where you can ask questions, hundreds of links to sites of interest to Polled Hereford breeders, and the USDA Market Report.
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