hereford steer

Help Support Steer Planet:

common sense

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
359
O.K., can anybody tell me what it takes to have a steer qualify down "south" as a Hereford steer?  I have a steer out of a purebred unregistered Hereford cow and a PB Maine bull.  He is colored like a Hereford except that he doesn't have white on the top of his neck and not a lot of white coming up underneath his neck. Otherwise he is colored like a hereford.  I just wondered if he would or could work down south?  Thanks!
 

renegade

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
725
Location
Caldwell, Idaho
What are you wanting to do with him? Show, register or just sell him? I dont see why you need to "qualify" him as a hereford unless you were wanting to register him. Just wondering. BTW  (welcome)
 

common sense

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
359
I am looking to sell him and just wondered if he could be shown as a hereford in the places that don't require papers but that the calves have to meet breed characteristic criteria.  He would have to have papers in my state but not every place requires them.  Just curious where to market and if it was possible based on the color pattern.
 

renegade

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
725
Location
Caldwell, Idaho
my suggestion would be to look at the rules and regs for the shows that dont require papers, just breed characteristics and see if your calf would fit into those rules. Couldnt you market him as a 4-H/FFA fair project? You dont have to have papers for something like that.
 

Jill

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
3,551
Location
Gardner, KS
I think both TX and OK work that way, AAOK or Chambero should have an answer for you.
 

CPL

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
608
I would start of by advertising him as a X-bred steer. Herefords do not allow breeding up to purebred and steers have to have a Certificate by the American Hereford Association. If mommy and daddy aren't registered and daddy certainly isn't even I Hereford I think you should stick with the term crossbred.
 

CAB

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Messages
5,607
Location
Corning,Iowa
I have heard that to create more buzz & oppertunity that alot of shows have backed way off and actually will let 1/2 bloods show if they have hereford characteristics. Don't know which shows or if it is unilateral. I also don't know if there would be any stipulations as to whether or not one of the parents would need to be registered. Some breed ass. have rules that state that the calf  has to be sired a papered sire of said breed. Makes sense, promoting said breed bred cattle, selling bulls.
 

gocanes719

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2007
Messages
316
Will be hard without white on the top of the neck.  Put a picture, I will give you my honest opinion.
 

DLD

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Messages
1,539
Location
sw Oklahoma
Sounds like he'd be iffy in Texas, but prob'ly okay for Oklahoma. Like gocanes said, we need pics. What age is he?

The rules in OK require only that they show predominantly Hereford characteristics. There is no stated requirement for how they're bred, right now. Here the breed classification rules are set by the state breed associations and vary alot from breed to breed (Angus must be solid and black, polled and out of a registered Angus cow, but the sire could be anything... Limouisins are supposed to be 50% and are subject to DNA testing... some breeds are pretty much wide open...). I think there's a good chance that the OK Youth Expo will make some kind of move toward a more uniform system of classification sometime soon.
 

DLD

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Messages
1,539
Location
sw Oklahoma
Actually, it's been like this for quite awhile here. It doesn't mean that any red baldie will get in. They do need to be pretty much Hereford in appearance, it's just that here in OK we will accept rednecks and eye pigment (which are perfectly acceptable with the national association) that are pretty hard to get in in Texas. The paper deal here (breeders certificates) is pretty much a joke anyway - in most cases the paperwork is filled out (and paid for) by the exhibitors, not the breeders. Originally it was a well intentioned program that has slipped downhill over the years. I guess it's pretty much over for OYE, actually, as last year only a few breeds did the certificate process. This year we filled out the paperwork and sent it in with nominations (as usual), but I'm not sure if it's being forwarded to the breed associations or if the OYE is taking over the classification process.
 

JSchroeder

Well-known member
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
1,099
Location
San Antonio, Tx
How old is the calf?

There was a clinic last year in Waco that provided great guidance to both classifiers and extension/ag teachers.  It provided pretty clear guidance for the majors.  I'm trying to find my notes from it for the Hereford breed but I just moved offices so it could be anywhere.  If I find it I'll let you know.

For those that don't know, papers are absolutely meaningless in Texas for Hereford steers.  They aren't checked and it's a waste to even get them.  The entire breed classification process is done via visual appraisal.
 

DLD

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Messages
1,539
Location
sw Oklahoma
When I speak of steer certicates in Oklahoma, that doesn't mean registration certificate from the national association but a "steer certificate" from the state association that clarifies that the steer has met OK classification requirements. (Not that anyone said any different, just clarifying  :)  )

JSchroeder, I'd sure appreciate that info on Hereford steer classifying in Texas. I have relatives I'll be sending some to, and they don't really know exactly what passes and what doesn't. I've sold alot of Hereford steers in to Texas, but all of the buyers seemed to have a different idea about passes and what doesn't.
 

chambero

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
3,207
Location
Texas
Its a crapshoot on getting in down here whether you show a "real" Hereford or not.  They just have to be marked like one.  Too much butt though and they'll sift you everytime.

I have the written visual appraisal guidelines, but they are pretty much what you already know.

They need to be marked like a Hereford.  You can get by without white on the neck, but everything else better look right.

There is no more pathetic looking animal than a slick sheared Hereford.  That can come into play also.

Freckles will usually get you sifted also.
 

knabe

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
13,639
Location
Hollister, CA
i think pedretti herefords had a famous bull nicknamed freckles.  don't know too much about him.  it was mid 80's i think.  he did have freckles.
 

chambero

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
3,207
Location
Texas
You can go to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo website and open up the Exhibitors's Handbook.  They actually included our Steer Classificaton Guidelines in its entirety.  It's a joke, but its in there.

I often think you have a better chance to get a crossbred in as an Angus or Hereford than you do a real one.  Last year, we sold two true Angus calves that got sifted at Houston.  Our only "Angus" that got in was out of a white Charolais cross cow and a high % Maine bull.  You can't outguess them down here.
 
Top