More recently, questions continue to be raised over which breed is best.
Now, with grass assured programs, and premium Angus brands, are Hereford’s falling behind in the red meat market?
A very wise marketeer took the Angus breed from a level playing field to that of what we see today.
However, is there a real difference? Do shoppers go to the butcher and ask for Angus beef, or is price the determining factor?
I believe the average customer doesn’t really gets excited about paying more for and Angus steak.
Generally the consumer only wants value and tenderness. From a breeders perspective, a preference for a particular breed comes from family history, farming district, or availability, and some others varying factors.
From a spectators’ viewpoint, some markets will see higher prices for Angus cattle over Hereford cattle, or any other breed for that matter.
However, this is true at times, but even more recently, I have seen Herefords make more money than Angus, because repeat buyers know how their cattle have performed in the past.
Looking for other examples?
For a number of years, the rise of the Charolais breed, especially for grain feeding, saw many sales way above any other breed.
Now, Charolais cattle have come back to the pack, and sell equal to Angus or Hereford.
Marketing of a particular breed has really come to the fore over the past few years, as exporters target specific requirements.
Angus beef to Japan is a prime example, and now Wagyu is becoming the name on the hierarchy of the producer world.
To some degree sheep producers have a more finite line to follow.
Breeders looking to grow the best wool follow a different path to those producing prime fat lambs.
Breeding choices can also relate to growing heavy, export lambs, against those suited to retail trade.
But beef is beef, and yes there are degrees of quality out there, but for Angus, Hereford, Charolais and other straight-bred cattle, once the hide is off, it is all beef meat.
Some parts of Victoria continue to support the Hereford breed. Take note of the Mountain Cattle sales held each autumn. Equal numbers of Angus and Hereford cattle are sold. While at Bairnsdale last week, one producer said, “when times are tough in the high country, I find Angus bellowing at the gate, while Herefords are grazing for what they can find”.
Some say that a Hereford skin is thicker than another breed and handles the cold weather better. There is an obvious difference when heading to northern Australia. We all know that the true British breeds have struggled in the excessive heat and humidity.
The Bos Indicus breed handles the northern weather much better, but over the past few years, cross breeding is seeing a big change in breeds and breeding in the north. Heaven forbid, that someone is trying to improve the quality of meat up there.
On an entirely different note, they obviously breed people differently in the north.
Take the Honorable Barnaby Joyce for instance.
It appears that some potential different breeding makes a difference in how good a politician you are allowed to be.