A new world’s record for purebred registrations has been set by more than 72,000 Hereford breeders across the nation. The impressive record of 560,794 registrations issued during the fiscal year ended Aug. 31 represents an increase of 12,376 over the previous year, according to Secretary Jack Turner.
Applications for registrations were received by association headquarters in Kansas City at the average rate of about 2,226 for each working day. Emphasizing the year’s volume, the Hereford
total was more than 2Ѕ times the total registrations for other major beef breeds the last year reported.
Coupled with the unprecedented string of grand champion victories in the showring at major livestock shows over the country, the new registration record tightens even further the Hereford hold on top position in the beef cattle industry.
Calves by Trainload. If calves recorded last year were loaded in groups of 40 into 36-foot cattle cars, they would fill 14,000 cars which would make up 311 trains of 45 cars each. The trains would extend over 95 miles of track.
If the calves were unloaded and placed head to tail they would stretch over a distance of 230 miles, equivalent to the distance between Kansas City and St. Louis.
“In times such as we experienced over the last year,” said Association President Herbert Chandler of Baker, Ore., “the registration record is the most reassuring evidence that purebred and commercial breeders enjoy a firm demand and have great confidence in the ability of their Herefords to lead the way in America’s beef cattle industry.”
Progress Cited. Underlining the steady progress made by the Hereford breed, the new registration figure is more than five times the total registered in 1934, more than four times the total registered in 1939 and about twice the number recorded during the fiscal period 10 years ago.
“As long as Herefords remain the most profitable animals to produce and as long as breeders continue to place more emphasis each year on quality, the breed’s future appears to be even brighter than past achievements,” Secretary Turner said.
The record speeds the day—possibly next month—when the association will issue certificate No. 8,000,000. The first certificate was issued in 1879, and it took nearly 30 years to reach the total number of registrations issued during the last fiscal year alone.
