Brafords: the best of two breeds

The Braford was developed with improved efficiency and meat quality in mind. Today, the breed thrives on the veld and in feedlots. It is also renowned for its early maturity.

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The medium-framed Braford was first developed in Florida in the US in 1947, and is a cross between Hereford and Brahman. As such, the breed demonstrates characteristics and traits associated with the Hereford and Brahman.

The breed was initially developed for more efficient beef production. However, the first offspring of this cross could not adapt adequately to the Florida weather, and Partin and Hudgins Breeding thus continued the development of the breed by experimenting with various Brahman-Hereford-cross bulls. Eventually, the Braford was developed, producing calves that could adapt easily to the Florida weather and that yielded high-quality meat. Thus, the foundation herd of the Braford was born. The Hereford was used as it was one of the most popular breeds in the world in terms of numbers (and thus there was a large genetic pool from which to choose), as well as for its fertility and meat quality. The Brahman was chosen for its outstanding longevity and mothering ability.

Adams Ranch Brafords was also essential in developing the breed as it is known today. The ranch-based bull selection on weaning and yearling weights, and allowed natural selection to eliminate calving difficulties. While the American Braford may be the best-known lineage of modern-day Brafords, the Australian Braford was developed around the same time from a separate bloodline. The Australian Braford Society was founded in 1962, while the International Braford Association (of the US) was founded in 1969.