cross beef was as palatable as USDA Choice non-Hereford beef. The results from a panel of professional tasters indicated that, based on fl avor, juiciness and tender- ness, the leaner Hereford product had palatability scores comparable to more highly marbled beef from non-Hereford cattle. Lean and palatable became the defi ning goals to-
ward which CHB works today. To achieve those goals, the leaders developed a set of strict guidelines in 1991. Brooks explains, “We’re different from any other
branded program. We must have at least half Hereford and 100 percent English genetics. That can be a proven cross between a Hereford and an Angus, or 100 percent Hereford. The qualifying steer or heifer must have a black or red hide and must have a predominantly white face since this is the identifying trait for the Hereford breed.” CHB’s strict guidelines do not allow Hereford crossed
with Bos indicus or with dairy cattle. The 1991 research study and additional palatability studies on Hereford crossed with something other than an English breed show the palatability scores are not as high as the minimum CHB standards. CHB is distributed in the southwest by a number
of foodservice purveyors and those businesses are ex- periencing growth in demand for this product. Jakes Finer Foods out of Houston distributes about a million pounds each year, Brooks says. “This will be another record year for them. We grew about 20 percent with them this year. That’s going to put us over the million pound mark for our fi scal year, which will end Aug. 31.” Crystal Creek Cattle Company offers specialized
steak cutting and distributes about 700,000 pounds of CHB product in the Dallas/Fort Worth area each year. Additional distribution agreements have been signed with companies from Amarillo to McAllen, Brooks says. CHB works with 2 packers, Greater Omaha in Ne-
braska and National Beef out of Dodge City and Liberal, Kan. Qualifying Hereford and Hereford-English cross cattle are sent to feedyards near these packers. Getting cattle to the feedyards is Trey Befort’s job.
As CHB supply chain manager, Befort is working to build a steady stream of qualifi ed cattle coming from ranchers. “I work with everybody from the cow-calf producer to the packer. We have more than 5,000 producers around the country, both commercial and purebred,” he says. Befort travels extensively to talk to Hereford produc-
ers and to the ranchers who buy Hereford genetics for their commercial herds. “I have been working closely
with major video auction markets to promote both the Hereford breed and Certifi ed Hereford Beef.” He’ll be at most of the major Superior Livestock
Auction and Western Video Market video sales this summer and will be working with producers via any marketing route they might use, such as auction market sales, video auctions and private treaty sales. How can a cow-calf producer participate in the CHB
program? Befort suggests that interested producers take a look at how Montana, Tennessee, Kentucky and Il- linois have organized Hereford-infl uenced feeder calf sales, then apply those lessons locally. He says the fi rst thing ranchers can do is fi nd a fa-
cility that is “Hereford-friendly, a place that’s willing to work with you and help you to promote your sale. Then decide what the guidelines or requirements are for your sale.” Common guidelines are that the calves be weaned
45 days prior to sale and be on a vaccination program standard for the beef industry and for your area of the
Certifi ed Hereford Beef requires straight Hereford or Hereford-English cross cattle for its high quality beef program.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108