On a scan visit to a pedigree Hereford breeder in north cork today. He informed me that he had just returned from north Dakota. He was informed that there are now lines of breeding within the Hereford breed with an average gestation period of 265 days. The calves have small birth weights which would also be beneficial to uterine repair post calving. These shorter gestation periods would have particular importance in grass based milk production, per compact calving as a pre-requisite in cost efficient milk production.
Dr Dan @ www.cows365.ie