The Baldie

What can horned Herefords do for you?

The Crossbred (F1) Cow – The only “free lunch” in the cattle business.
Reproducive traits are the most economically important traits in commercial beef cattle production and respond most to crossbreeding. Research has shown that a crossbred cow is 8% more efficient than a purebred cow, lives 38% longer and has 25% more lifetime production in pounds of calf weaned.

Hybrid Vigor – it’s free, and nothing is spared to achieve it.
Heterosis (the added advantage in performance of crossbred over the average of its purebred parents )and Hybrid vigor are buzzing in the cattle industry as of late. Using Hereford bulls on Angus based cows will give producers advantages in profitability, cash flow, herd size, and retained fertility and longevity.  Not to mention, the crossbred animal is hardier than a straightbred animal. Read about the aforementioned topics in the following articles and publications.

Hereford Testimonials: from folks in the cattle and food industries. More
Healthier & Heavier w/ Herefords: An F1 Hereford-Angus cross helps the Montana Circle B Ranch keep business booming. More
Simply Value: When the J.R. Simplot Co. needed to add consistency and value to its cow herd, the choice was simple: Herefords. More

The Results are in… Herefords are indeed making Black better!
400 Angus-based cows were randomly mated to 10 Hereford and 10 Angus bulls.

Here’s how the numbers read:

  • ADG in the feedlot favored the Hereford-sired calves in two of the three years.
  • Cost of gain had a marked advantage for Hereford-sired calves in comparison to the predominantly straightbred Angus.
  • Economic performance favored Hereford-sired calves in the feedlot in two of the three years, with an average return of approx. $30 per head.
  • Overall net return for the Hereford-sired calves was approx. $30 per head, this does not include the maternal advantages of the baldie female.
  • Pregnancy rates for Hereford-sired females (black baldies) averaged 7% higher than those of the Angus-sired heifers.

DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE REPORT HERE. (Harris Report Final)