Breeds of Hereford
A cathedral city on the Wye that gave its name to the white-faced red Hereford, now raised across the world.
Breeds of this place
Best time: May to October.
Hereford is a small cathedral city in the west of England, close to the Welsh border, surrounded by orchards and pasture. In the eighteenth century, farmers here bred the local red cattle for beef and draught. Benjamin Tomkins, who started his herd in 1742, is usually counted as the breed's founder. The white face of the Hereford became one of the most familiar sights on ranges from Texas to Argentina.
The Hereford
Hereford cattle are deep red with a white face, white crest, white underside and white tail switch. They are docile and good at turning grass into beef, and they adapt well to many climates. The breed's herd book began in 1846. Herefords went to the United States from 1817, and later to Argentina, Australia, South Africa and Canada, where they became range cattle on a huge scale.
The city
A bronze statue of a Hereford bull stands in the city's High Town. Hereford's livestock market, which once filled streets near the centre, moved to a new site on the edge of the city in 2011. The cathedral holds the Mappa Mundi, a medieval map of the world, and a chained library.
A trail idea for Hereford
- High Town The city square with its bronze Hereford bull.
- Hereford Cathedral Home of the Mappa Mundi and the chained library.
- Livestock market The city's market, on its new site at the edge of town.
- Wye valley farms Red and white Herefords on the meadows along the river.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Hereford" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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