A Black Hereford is created by the mating of a registered Red Hereford (which is a 100% animal) and a registered Angus (which is considered to be 0% for these purposes). This creates the 50% F1. This F1 female will be given a certificate with EPDs through the ABHA and begins the journey to a registered Black Hereford. The F1 male cannot be used in breeding but they can receive a certificate and EPDs through the ABHA.
This F1 female can then be bred to either a registered Red Hereford or a registered Black Hereford that is 75% or higher which creates an animal that is at least 62.5% Black Hereford. This is the minimum percentage to be a registered Black Hereford. The Angus is used for the black hide but is never introduced again.
A black baldy can have any breed in its genetics. It is basically a commercial animal with black hide and a white face. The Black Hereford is a Hereford based breed and no other breeds can be used other than the Angus to make the first cross. Females are bred back to a Hereford or a Black Hereford with a goal of increasing the percentage of the animal above 62.5%.
A percentage black Hereford is a registered animal that is 62.5% up to 87.49%. To be a purebred the animal needs to be 87.5% or higher. The formula for finding the percentage of an animal is taking the percentage of each animal and adding that together then dividing by 2. For example, an F1 is 50% and if she is bred to a 100% Red Hereford that would equal 150 divided by 2 is 75% which would be a percentage Black Hereford. On the other hand, if you breed a 75% to a 100% that offspring will be an 87.5% purebred animal.
Homozygous black means that all of the Black Hereford’s offspring bred to a red or black based cattle herd will be black hided. A Heterozygous animal carries a red gene which gives you a possibility of having a red hided calf. This works the same when talking about polled or horned. If the animal is homo polled, its offspring will not have horns or scurs. If it is hetero polled there is a chance that its offspring will have horns or scurs.
Genotype is the genetic makeup of the animal and phenotype is its physical characteristics. However, phenotype is created from the genotype and most breeders use both equally to decide what works best for them. If a certain genetic combination doesn’t produce what that breeder is looking for then another genetic combination should be researched. The breed will continue to excel by using the best genetics available.
If a female calf has a red hide, and it is the product of a mating of animals that are registered in the association, it is called an HX and can be registered and used in breeding. If the calf is a bull however, it is not eligible to be used in breeding but it can receive a certificate and EPDs through the ABHA.
Yes. Neither of these animals can be registered but you can enter them in the Digital Beef system so that the progeny of the sire and dam is recorded. They will have a U number.
No. However, it is imperative to weigh the animal at birth, weaning, and yearling to have the data needed to create EPDs and to show prospective buyers how your animals compare to others.
An Approved Herd Sire is a bull that is registered and has been tested for all known genetic defects through the ABHA. Once the DNA has been processed and the bull is free of all the tested defects he becomes an Approved Herd Sire. He must be an Approved Herd Sire to register any of his offspring.
It will produce offspring with heterosis, which is a measure of the superior performance of the crossbred relative to the average of purebreds involved in the cross, in our case a Red Hereford and an Angus. A Black Hereford will produce offspring with unequaled feed lot demand and give you a financial advantage over red hided animals. Another benefit of having a registered Black Hereford as a Certified Herd Sire is that lethal genetic defects that come from the Hereford and Angus are eliminated.
Reproduction is the most important factor for earning profit in a cow/calf operation. Black Hereford cattle are proven to have higher conception rates and added fertility. The Black Hereford female adds fertility and an increased calving rate to the herd.
The Black Hereford also produces offspring with a docile temperament. Overall the Black Hereford will give you an animal with increased profitability, fertility, feed efficiency, and put more pounds on the ground.
As explained in the previous question, the main purpose of any commercial operation is to put pounds on the ground. There is no better way to do that than cross your Bos Indicus (short haired, big eared, Brahman influenced cattle) or Bos Taurus (Angus, Hereford, and all other breeds) herd with a Black Hereford. You will obtain hybrid vigor from the Black Hereford bull and bring more fertility and docility to your herd as well. Black Hereford genetics increase weaning weight by 3.9% and feed conversion by 2.2% for unequaled feedlot feeder demand.
As of January, 2025:
Direct Heterosis Stats
Increased performance of the crossbred calf relative to the average of the straightbred parental breeds.
Maternal Heterosis
Increased performance of the crossbred cow relative to the average of straightbred females of the parental breeds.
