Hereford: Breed of Choice

Enjoying a little bit of shade on a hot day.

NPS Photo / Jack Burton

Quick Facts

Amenities

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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

The names of Lyndon Johnson's cabinet and staff members are nearly as well known as the president himself: Robert McNamara, secretary of defense; Bill Moyers, White House press secretary; Jack Valenti, special assistant to the president; and many others. But do you know the names Mischief, Husker, Domino, and Lamplighter?

These registered Hereford bloodlines were integral to the LBJ Ranch and the image Lyndon Johnson wished to portray as a man of the great American West—symbol of honor, self-reliance, and frontier spirit. With bloodlines dating back to 1817 when statesman Henry Clay introduced Herefords from England, Lyndon Johnson's prized bulls formed the basis for a herd of 400 animals. Descendants of these cattle roam the ranch today just as they did in the 1950s and 1960s.