Why Herefords???

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wvcowgirl

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Joined
Nov 2, 2005
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The only dependable help I have on my farm our my girls, age 6 & 9. I seperated cows and heifers today and put my girls in the lot to run out the cows. Everything went smooth, I put the heifers in one lot and told my girls to run the rest out, no problems....... That's why I like herefords. :)
 
I agree with Doc and Camp. Herefords are the most docile breed of cattle; but don't expect too much out of a 6 or 9 year old when working cows (of any breed or age). A six year old is so short and so slight that ANY of my cows probably would run through her (including the Herefords) if she wanted to go in the other direction. A 9 year old isn't much bigger. I remember going out into the field to watch my Grandfather's Polled Hereford Bulls fight at ~age 6 (I had the run of about 300 acres). In my memory they are giant titans going at it. In reality, those were probably frame score 2 or 3 1300-1600 pounders; but they looked like elephants to a ~50 lb kid.
 
Hi wvcowgirl,

I can relate sometimes. I have two girls 10 and 8 (and a boy that is only only enough to point and grunt at the cows), and there are many things that you just can't do alone. My dad grew up in th 40's and he was milking at 5, driving a tractor at 7. These kind of thoughts scare me with my kids. I do like to get em involved, my 8 year old is the official counter when we go into a paddock with cattle. But I've seen so many times when tame cattle get spooked and do weird things (my dads recent unwilling "ride" on a 500 lb heifer was a sight), that about the most dangerous thing that I let my girls to is open/close the gates as the cattle go through. They also make great note takers when working cattle. Ofcourse sitting in the back of the truck.

I do agree with you that herefords (we call em whiteface down here) are very docile, and I would much rather work 100 herefords than 50 of my brangus'. While the brangus can be tame as well, there's always one that gets hotter than hell in the process. Too hot, and she's gone, I don't care how good she is. On that train of thought, I wish more people wold cull for disposition. I can't remeber who, but one of the members puts "culling prevents 75% of your problems", and I agree totally with this. In this day and age, all breeds should be docile.

Sorry for the run of the mouth, as you can tell, I'm long winded.
 
cypressfarms":1s0hurix said:
My dad grew up in th 40's and he was milking at 5, driving a tractor at 7. These kind of thoughts scare me with my kids."
Click to expand...

I was driving a tractor at age 8 or 9 clipping fields or disking solo; BUT the tractors were different then too. My Allis-Chalmers WD-45 had a hand clutch that stopped the tractor and a foot clutch to change gears and operate the PTO (the Case SC was ALL hand clutch). I could stop the tractor with the hand clutch and then stand up to depress the foot clutch and change the gear or pull out/push in the PTO. Then I would climb back up into my seat and start the tractor moving again with the handy hand clutch. On a modern tractor if you aren't tall enough to stop the thing while sitting in your seat and pressing the foot clutch you are an accident waiting to happen.
 
Hey Brandonm2,

Glad to hear your Allis chambers and Case memories. Just last weekend my dad was telling me how the first tractor he drove was a john deere with metal wheels and it was hand operated as well. He, as any kid would do, got it stuck so bad that two teams of mules and three other tractors had to pull it out. He spent the next week cleaning said John Deere while recovering from the beat marks that his dad and grendfather gave him.

At 36 some call me a youngster, but it's amazing to me how things have changed so much. I one of those people who sit next to paw paw and ask him to tell me about the old times. It wasn't until I got into my twenties that I realized that listening to older people relive the olden days helps them way more than they entertain me. :) :)
 
I am actually 36 as well. My Grandfather just had a remarkable ability to keep machines running well past obsolesence. It was kind of cool to have your own personal tractor at age 9 though. I still have both machines (52 and ~65 years old respectively). My Grandfather had one of those steel wheeled two cylinder John Deere's too; but it didn't quite have enough power for his taste so he traded it in on the new AC WD-45 in 53).
 
Campground Cattle":1zzmq9yt said:
DOC HARRIS":1zzmq9yt said:
Caution supercedes complacency.

DOC HARRIS
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Doc is right you must maintain caution even with the Hereford.
Click to expand...



I am cautious when it comes to letting my girls help me with the cattle. We only have 20 head and I have been right here with each one since the day they were born. We got our bull when he was 6 months old and he is like a big dog, he does get rowdy though and I don't let the girls in the lot when he is running with the cattle. I have him in the barn right now. If you want to know the truth their pony is more likely to kick ya, he runs with the cattle and I always have to put him in the barn whenever we are doing anything with the cattle. he's more rowdy then any cow I have. ;-)
 
cypressfarms":2kj2uqgz said:
Hi wvcowgirl,

I can relate sometimes. I have two girls 10 and 8 (and a boy that is only only enough to point and grunt at the cows), and there are many things that you just can't do alone. My dad grew up in th 40's and he was milking at 5, driving a tractor at 7. These kind of thoughts scare me with my kids. I do like to get em involved, my 8 year old is the official counter when we go into a paddock with cattle. But I've seen so many times when tame cattle get spooked and do weird things (my dads recent unwilling "ride" on a 500 lb heifer was a sight), that about the most dangerous thing that I let my girls to is open/close the gates as the cattle go through. They also make great note takers when working cattle. Ofcourse sitting in the back of the truck.

I do agree with you that herefords (we call em whiteface down here) are very docile, and I would much rather work 100 herefords than 50 of my brangus'. While the brangus can be tame as well, there's always one that gets hotter than hell in the process. Too hot, and she's gone, I don't care how good she is. On that train of thought, I wish more people wold cull for disposition. I can't remeber who, but one of the members puts "culling prevents 75% of your problems", and I agree totally with this. In this day and age, all breeds should be docile.

Sorry for the run of the mouth, as you can tell, I'm long winded.
Click to expand...

Like them bramer crosses myself with a good Hereford bull but you are right the ones that there fuses aint lit have a box of matches.
 
If you want to know the truth their pony is more likely to kick ya, he runs with the cattle and I always have to put him in the barn whenever we are doing anything with the cattle. he's more rowdy then any cow I have. ;-)[/quote]
A little off topic, but my granddaddy was a farrier and he used to say he'd rather shoe anything than a Shetland pony. He said they were the meanest horses of all of them.
 
J. T.":2bye3ft6 said:
If you want to know the truth their pony is more likely to kick ya, he runs with the cattle and I always have to put him in the barn whenever we are doing anything with the cattle. he's more rowdy then any cow I have. ;-)
Click to expand...
A little off topic, but my granddaddy was a farrier and he used to say he'd rather shoe anything than a Shetland pony. He said they were the meanest horses of all of them.[/quote]They are just like little dogs - they have to put up a big front! It's called a "Napoleanic Complex" - like a school yard bully.

DOC HARRIS
 
I have herefords too, they will surprize you when you least expect it. For example: there is one 5 yr old we have that is the nicest cow, will eat cubes out of your hand. We penned them a couple months ago to sort calves and this cow got mad and ran right through a barb wire and field fence. She then turned around and came and stood by the fence looking into the lots. If me or anyone else was standing in her way she would have plowed them (or me) under. Point of the story: never trust cattle to do what you want them to do, or what you think they are going to do.
 
sidney411":1ognyr2w said:
I have herefords too, they will surprize you when you least expect it. For example: there is one 5 yr old we have that is the nicest cow, will eat cubes out of your hand. We penned them a couple months ago to sort calves and this cow got mad and ran right through a barb wire and field fence. She then turned around and came and stood by the fence looking into the lots. If me or anyone else was standing in her way she would have plowed them (or me) under. Point of the story: never trust cattle to do what you want them to do, or what you think they are going to do.
Click to expand...
My BEEF CATTLE Friends: Please read this object lesson in Animal Physiology and Endocrinology!

When we are dealing with and handling ADULT animals, we are in direct conflict with forces we are not PHYSICALLY capable of controlling. Testosterone (male sex hormone) and Estrogen (female sex hormone) cause animals ( humans included) to function and perform in surprising and alarming behaviors at certain times. We breed our females for the purposes of enhancing their "Mothering" abilities - calving ease, milking abilities, fertility, PLUS - protection of their calves from danger and perceived threats! The 'Mother Instinct' is a very strong urge, heightened and intensified by hormonal (Endrocrine) influences incited and kindled by the Pituitary Gland, located in the Brain.

Good ol' Sally or Suzie, or Bossy or Whomever can be a veritable pet at times,- - BUT something - or somebody - or some occurrence, perhaps even a "look", can metamorphose her into an unrecognizable raging, fire-breathing dragon, and EVERYTHING at that moment is vulnerable and in BIG TROUBLE! At that particular moment when her calf, in her hormone-influenced cow mind, is threatened, she reverts to what God and Nature has provided her with - POWER! And every time we consider purchasing or raising a brood cow we regard that Maternal trait. Don't get angry. Just think and protect your kids and yourselves.

AND THE ABOVE GOES TEN-FOLD FOR BULLS!

DOC HARRIS
 
I have yet to see a cow that knows 2 seconds ahead what she's going to do. How can we mere humans think ahead of them?

dun
 
wvcowgirl":1yei2wdl said:
The only dependable help I have on my farm our my girls, age 6 & 9. I seperated cows and heifers today and put my girls in the lot to run out the cows. Everything went smooth, I put the heifers in one lot and told my girls to run the rest out, no problems....... That's why I like herefords. :)
Click to expand...

I understand what you mean but please be carefull when handling them. Yes they seem gentle but listen to the voice of experienced cattlemen and women on this board and always proceede with caution. By the way may 10yr old girl isn't afraid of anything but I still wont let her near the bull even though he is gentle and probably wouldnt do anything. I dont trust him enough to let her help when I do something with him. JHH
 
Well said Doc, very well said. I noticed a big difference in my cows this year at calving. This was the first year for calving in June on open ground, and with coyotes and such around in kicked that maternal instinct into high gear on some of em. A few that would normally chew my coat while I tagged their baby rolled me over or were breathing down my neck, gut-growlin like an old bull. All just from calving on open range w/the predators around and such. I just had to pack a bigger stick or grab the calf when they went for water.
 
I am lazy so I drive the truck into the field at all times. I also use dogs to run cows up, move them from field to field, etc. Well, I don't let my dog mess with any new mamas, for obvious reasons. During late winter I came up with the brilliant idea of bringing some hay and feed down to a baldie cow which had just calved. So the dog would not be a problem, I put her in the cab. That cow eyed that dog. Feeling clever, that the dog was distracting the cow, I put out the hay and feed and messed with the calf completely ignored by the cow. The dog did not like a cow snorting at her so bared her teeth and said come get me, and the cow launched herself into my passenger side door.....the door was not a pretty site afterwards. Don't underestimate what a mad cow can do.
 
I know it is not the norm, as I raise Herefords. I had a Vidicator bull that would fight a circular saw and win. I didn't retain any of his calfs and hauled him to Burger King. Point is a bull is a bull.
 

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