Are Hereford x Cattle unpopular

RDuffy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Hi, I recently sold my 12month old Hereford x Heifers at market after having them indoors for 6 months over the winter with the associated costs of cattle nuts, hayledge and straw. Other breeds of cattle at the sale of the same age and same condition/build were fetching 50% more than my Herefords sold for. The other cattle included Simmentals and Limousines. Is this the norm and if so why are Herefords so unpopular?
 

Flatlander

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lorette Manitoba
My dad bred pedigree Herefords for forty years and I had many various crosses and found that Hereford was a drop in price. I put it down to be part fashion and the rest to potential frame size at a given age and the heifers turning fat if Fed too well. Hereford were always good for grazing and were good at turning grass into beef. Continentals Are a faster growing animal if fed well but now grain prices are up high Herefords and their ability to convert forage into meat could make a comeback.
 

gatepost

Member
Location
Cotswolds
The store market is all about potential, so native bred heifers lower potential than continental steer, in general terms, throw in size wt condition for age, named sire, loads of variables. I just tried a few pure Sussex steers, but they didn't grow much money for me and they weren't going to for the next man, but I bought them reasonably and sold them the same, one of them is going to be very tasty though.
 

Werzle

Member
Location
Midlands
Hi, I recently sold my 12month old Hereford x Heifers at market after having them indoors for 6 months over the winter with the associated costs of cattle nuts, hayledge and straw. Other breeds of cattle at the sale of the same age and same condition/build were fetching 50% more than my Herefords sold for. The other cattle included Simmentals and Limousines. Is this the norm and if so why are Herefords so unpopular?
If you bought them i expect they cost less to buy than sims or lims so its all relative. They wouldnt grade as good as continental cattle when slaughtered either. Older hfds sell pretty well 18mths/450kg+ but younger things are usually discounted against conti's. Nothing wrong with alot of native bred cattle but you have to sell them older and heavier imo if your selling them as stores.
 

Jonp

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Gwent
Hi, I recently sold my 12month old Hereford x Heifers at market after having them indoors for 6 months over the winter with the associated costs of cattle nuts, hayledge and straw. Other breeds of cattle at the sale of the same age and same condition/build were fetching 50% more than my Herefords sold for. The other cattle included Simmentals and Limousines. Is this the norm and if so why are Herefords so unpopular?
Only a small herd of Hereford X BF sucklers. Sell calves at 9 months old. Named Hereford sire. Sell them at market, with plenty of interest, for a good margin.
Live out all year round, which is why I keep them so I don't get the housing, muckspreading etc costs.
Slightly lower price than similar weight continental breads but not much. Steers always get best price.
 

Bald n Grumpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Only a small herd of Hereford X BF sucklers. Sell calves at 9 months old. Named Hereford sire. Sell them at market, with plenty of interest, for a good margin.
Live out all year round, which is why I keep them so I don't get the housing, muckspreading etc costs.
Slightly lower price than similar weight continental breads but not much. Steers always get best price.
Do you sell at Raglan?
Usually good trade for named sire native
 

maen

Member
Location
S West
Interesting, in Denmark several years ago there were steak houses selling only Hereford Beef. At that time we were finding it almost impossible to sell Hereford x calves in the SW. It is all a matter of taste in more sense than one. Spain loves well fattened cow beef and values it highly. I think it’s called marketing!!!
 

Jonp

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Gwent
A couple of years ago the local co-op sold Hereford steaks. Well marbled, juicy when cooked and very tasty....don't know why they stopped selling them.
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
So many factors that could devalue an animal vs another the same size. If they are ‘soft’ that will devalue them /kg over one that is the same weight but a bit more framey.
 

Jonp

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Gwent
So many factors that could devalue an animal vs another the same size. If they are ‘soft’ that will devalue them /kg over one that is the same weight but a bit more framey.
Think outwintering youngstock on forrage alone puts frame on them rather than fat in a shed.
 
Mine do well at Frome, its often the devons that dont, reds always make less than blacks, no idea why, im sure they look the same with their coats off
Red seems to be associated with more pure Herefords, the black ones are associated with the dairy breeding that generally adds growth.
One of my friends has a dairy herd and some sucklers, all get Hereford bulls, he sells his heifers for breeding, and his red ¾ herefords are the hardest to sell, likewise with the store bullocks, the more Hereford that's in them the less demand there is, his best sellers are Her x dairy

Same with a grey vs orange Char x, grey is associated with an AA cow so is thought to grow less, orange is associated with a continental cow and is assumed they will do better.
 
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