CHALLENGE:
Today's practical cattleman is faced with ever increasing input costs. Costs like feed, labour, and animal health. In the past the solution has been to maximize production, but that doesn't always work as this also means maximized input costs. Mature size, dystocia, temperament, foraging ability, feed conversion, hardiness all affect the amount of inputs required. Today's practical cattlemen is faced with the challenge of maximizing profitability by minimizing inputs through optimized production. So where does the Hereford breed fit in to this scenario.
SOLUTION:
Herefords … optimum production for maximum profitability. What this means is that all things considered Herefords produce more calf for your buck. How do they do it?
The Hereford and Hereford influenced female is more moderately sized requiring less to maintain her condition and produce a proportionately larger calf. Regardless of whether you are situated in an area with abundant or limited feed resources, you can run more Hereford and Hereford influenced females and produce more pounds of calf.
They are hardy foragers, which means, under your practical management conditions they are better able to maintain their condition with less feed resources. Because she is low maintenance, she is more fertile. She weans her calf and maintains her condition while carrying and nurturing her next calf. All this and she still rebreeds within a 365-day span.
This fertility combined with the calving ease of Herefords means you are achieving a higher calf crop percentage.
And the mothering ability and vigorousness of Hereford calves means you are producing more pounds of calf per cow exposed.
This is all before adding the longevity and docility of Herefords to the equation. Hereford's longevity means your replacement costs are lower and you get more value per dollar spent from your Hereford bulls. The Hereford temperament means they are easier to handle putting less stress on you and your handling equipment. Most importantly, the cattle business is a family business, so the docility of Herefords gives you peace of mind when your children and grandchildren are working along side. Best of all you are getting top price at the auction market for your good Hereford and Hereford influence feeder calves and replacement heifers.
