Herefordshire Through Time
Herefordshire Through Time
In 1960, the Third World Hereford Conference was held in Kansas, Missouri, USA. There were 210 export certificates issued, but an outbreak of foot and mouth disease was affecting trade. In spite of the continued ban of exports to Australia and New Zealand, due to foot and mouth, the export level for 1961 remained steady at 211. The following year it rose to 323.
In 1964 the Fourth World Hereford Conference was held in the Aberdeen Hall of the Evesham Hotel in Dublin, Ireland. Delegates attended from America, Argentina, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Uruguay and South Africa. This was also the year of the largest shipment of Herefords purchased by a private individual this century. A 44/52 head of Herefords left Liverpool in August for Porto Alegre in Brazil. They had been purchased by a Dr. Assis Chateaubriand.
In 1965 the Princess Royal, patron for the Hereford Herd Book Society, died. A record average price of £502 was achieved at the January Sale and Show. Two hundred and fifty-five cattle were exported, with the market expanded to include Denmark, Japan and Turkey.
Early snowfall in November 1965 led to reduced numbers at the January 1966 Show and Sale.
On 23rd October 1967, foot and mouth disease was identified on a farm in Shropshire. The number of confirmed outbreaks was 2,364, and 211,300 cattle and 103,600 sheep were slaughtered. Compensation was estimated to reach £26 million. Export figures were at 469 but would have been double if the Russians had not cancelled their order due to the foot and mouth outbreak.
The Society's first sale in 1968 was held in March after foot and mouth had cancelled the previous November and January sales. The average price paid for a bull was £276. The 5th World Hereford Conference was held in Sydney, Australia. New elected members were Mexico, Portugal and Spain.
In 1969 export figures were at 564, the highest of the decade. The majority of these animals went to South Africa, Sweden and Denmark.
[Original author: Miranda Greene, 2005]