Hereford cattle, which originated in Herefordshire, England, in the 1700s, are a globally popular beef breed known for their hardy nature and distinctive reddish-brown coat with a white face and underline. The breed exists in two distinct forms: the traditional Horned Herefords and the naturally born Polled Herefords. The original cattle were horned, but a naturally hornless variant emerged and was developed into a separate line.
The Two Varieties: Polled and Horned Herefords
The original Hereford cattle possess horns that are typically short and thick, curving downward alongside the head. These horns are a natural anatomical feature, forming a bony core covered in keratin. The traditional Horned Hereford remains a significant part of the breed, maintaining the appearance selectively bred for generations in England.
The Polled Hereford variety is identical to its horned counterpart in every physical characteristic except for the absence of horns. They share the same distinctive red and white coat pattern, robust frame, and docile temperament. This naturally hornless line began development in the United States around 1900 by Iowa breeder Warren Gammon, who recognized the commercial benefits of a horn-free animal.
Gammon selectively bred the few naturally hornless Herefords, which resulted from a genetic mutation, establishing a separate registry for these animals in 1901. The Polled Hereford line quickly grew in popularity due to its practical advantages in a commercial setting. Today, the two varieties are so closely related that their registry associations in the United States have been combined under the American Hereford Association.
The Genetics Behind the Polled Trait
The presence or absence of horns in cattle is determined by a single gene locus, following a Mendelian inheritance pattern. The trait for being hornless, known as polled, is dominant over the trait for horns. This means the polled gene only requires one copy to be expressed to prevent horn development.
Scientists use simple genetic notation: ‘P’ represents the dominant polled allele, while ‘p’ represents the recessive horned allele. A calf that inherits two copies of the horned allele (pp) will be horned, as the recessive trait is only expressed when the dominant allele is absent. Any animal that possesses at least one polled allele—either homozygous polled (PP) or heterozygous polled (Pp)—will be naturally hornless.
An animal that is homozygous polled (PP) carries two copies of the dominant polled gene and will pass a polled allele to 100% of its offspring. A heterozygous polled animal (Pp) carries both the polled and horned alleles and will pass on the recessive horned gene approximately 50% of the time. Understanding this genetic mechanism allows breeders to make informed mating decisions to reliably produce hornless cattle.
Practical Reasons for Breeding Hornless Cattle
The widespread adoption of Polled Herefords and other hornless breeds is driven by practical considerations for management and commercial efficiency. Horned cattle pose a greater risk of injury to other animals and human handlers, especially in confined spaces like feedlots, trailers, and working corrals. The absence of horns contributes to a calmer herd environment and safer working conditions.
Breeding for the polled trait is a preferred alternative to the traditional practice of dehorning or disbudding calves. Surgical removal of horns, even with pain management, is a time-consuming procedure that can cause stress to the animal. By using naturally polled genetics, producers eliminate the need for this labor-intensive and costly physical intervention.
Furthermore, hornless cattle are more space-efficient, as they require less room in feeding troughs and transportation. This leads to reduced facility costs and minimizes hide or carcass damage from aggressive behavior. This focus on genetic solutions, rather than physical alteration, improves overall animal welfare and provides an economic benefit to the beef industry.