Polled Hereford

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Polled Hereford Bull

The Polled Hereford is a breed of beef cattle without horns. It is a direct relative of the Hereford breed of cattle which derive their name from their place of origin, Hereford, a county located in west England. In fact, the breed is a genetic mutation that evolved into its own breed. Occasionally, Hereford cows would produce offspring which did not develop horns. As a result, the Polled Hereford breed was born.

Warren Gammon, a young Iowa rancher capitalized on the idea of the Polled Hereford breed and started the Polled Hereford registry with eleven naturally hornless cattle. Today, the Polled Hereford and Hereford breed has been combined under the same American Hereford Association name.

The Polled Hereford breed is bred for its deep fore-quarters, depth and muscling, docile temperament, fast growing calves, and good quality of beef, considered by many to be a better quality beef than black angus cattle.