American
Hereford
Association

Built on Tradition. Engineered to Sustain.

Longevity

Efficiency

Docility

Sustainability

Fertility

Longevity

WHAT WE DO

The American Hereford Association (AHA) is the second largest beef breed association in the United States, serving more than 7,000 active members.

Member Services

Register purebred Hereford cattle, providing verified pedigree documentation and maintaining the integrity of the breed’s herd book which was established in 1881.

Genetics

Conduct ongoing breed-wide genetic evaluation and provide genetic selection tools for purebred Hereford breeders and commercial users of Hereford genetics.

Research

Conduct relevant third-party research documenting the genetic and phenotypic performance of Hereford and Hereford-influenced cattle, relative to other beef breeds.

Commercial

Share the breed’s benefits with cattle producers via national advertising, social media, cattle exhibitions and industry events, as well as AHA’s Hereford World and Baldy Advantage publications.

Marketing

Provide AHA members with communications and promotions tools to help them serve their purebred and commercial customers.

Certified Hereford Beef

Add value and marketing opportunity for Hereford and Hereford-influenced cattle through Certified Hereford Beef® — one of the largest premium brand beef programs in the United States — as well as a variety of commercial cattle verification programs.

Youth

Cultivate breed and industry leadership. This begins with conferences, contests and educational opportunities through the National Junior Hereford Association and extends through the Hereford Seedstock Academy where young, established Hereford breeders delve into each sector of the beef cattle industry.

Advocate for efficient, sustainable beef production.
The cows are brown and white at home.

Efficiency Pays. Numbers Matter.

A breed to fill the need as the nation rebuilds the beef cow herd. Hereford breeders’ are at the threshold of a historic opportunity.

Focus on Fertility

Fertility is an important trait for seedstock and commercial herds alike. Documented research and rancher tested success has shown the positive impacts Hereford genetics can have on fertility. Nate Frederickson, Spearfish, S.D., has seen firsthand the power of the Hereford-influenced female.

Fertility, Docility and Longevity Reign Supreme!

Leveraging the traits the Hereford breed has to offer is the foundation of Merritt Ranch. Joseph Merritt, Porterville, Calif., has seen the added docility, fertility and longevity that belongs to Hereford genetics.

aha podcast

1881: Hereford Network

Powered by the American Hereford Association, 1881, has a mission to share stories of the breed’s rich history in the beef industry, connect with the faces behind the bald face and share the progress that has impacted operations across the country. Check out our latest episode.

Upcoming Events

Blue Grass Stockyards - Lexington, KY

12/12/2024

Pipestone Livestock Auction Market - Pipestone, MN

12/12/2024
Cox Ranch Semen & Embryo Online Sale

Online

12/12/2024
Minnesota Hereford Association Annual Meeting

Hutchinson, MN

12/13/2024

Desdemona, Texas

12/14/2024
Minnesota Hereford Association Go-Pher the Purple Sale

Hutchinson, MN

12/14/2024
Illinois Hereford Association Winter Classic Sale

Carthage, IL

12/14/2024
Crane Herefords Online Heifer Sale

Online

12/17/2024
Three Hills Bull and Commercial Bred Heifer Sale

Maquoketa, IA

12/19/2024
Golden Oak Livestock Production Sale

Olds, AB

12/19/2024

Hereford Headlines

November 26, 2024

DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

‘Tis the season, and the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) is continuing to celebrate the festivities as the cold weather hits. With the holiday season fast approaching, make sure to purchase your NJHA and Hereford …

November 25, 2024

Herefords on the Green Chips

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –  Grand champion Hereford cattle were selected on the green chips in Louisville, Ky., at the 2024 North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) on Nov. 19. Judge Will Coor, Greenfield, Ohio, sorted …

November 25, 2024

NAILE Junior Hereford Champions Crowned

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –  Hadley, Wyatt and Blayne Dunklau, Wayne, Neb., showed the grand champion female on Nov. 16 in Louisville, Ky., at the 2024 North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE). Judge Jon Sweeney, Cedarville, …

November 21, 2024

Champions Selected at 125th American Royal

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –  The American Royal was born from a National Hereford Show held underneath a Kansas City Stockyards tent. One-hundred-twenty-five years after that inaugural event in 1899, Maddie Jenkins, Athens, Texas, and McGuffee …

November 21, 2024

Paulsen, Blankenship Take Home Junior Hereford Show Titles

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – National Junior Hereford Association members exhibited females at the 125th annual American Royal on Oct. 26 in Kansas City, Mo. When the dust settled in Hale Arena, Kinnick Paulsen, Preston, Iowa, …

November 5, 2024

NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Feeding off of the momentum from an amazing week spent in Kansas City, Mo., with the Hereford family during the American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Meeting and Educational Forum, the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) …

October 29, 2024

Belcher Announced as 2025 National Hereford Queen

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Prior to the selection of the grand champion bull at the 2024 American Royal hosted in Kansas City, Mo., Nataleigh Belcher, Twin City, Ga., was selected to represent the breed as …

October 29, 2024

2024 NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Winners Recognized in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Fed Steer Shootout teaches young people about the cattle feeding industry. HRC Feed Yards LLC, Scott City, Kan., hosts the annual event. This year the …