The American Black Hereford Association was officially organized and started in 1994 in Lawrence, Kansas by the late John Gage. Since that time J&N Ranch, Leavenworth, Kansas purchased the Black Hereford herd and the Association in 1997.

The primary purpose of the ABHA is to register and transfer Black Hereford seedstock as well as maintain records of pedigrees in the Black Hereford herdbook. The ABHA promotes the Black Hereford breed and produces promotional materials for the association as well as member breeders as a service to the ABHA membership.

By using a registered Black Hereford bull on a set of black commercial cows, you can eliminate red baldie calves. Almost all sale barns in America will pull red and red baldie calves off a set of calves from the same herd and sell the blacks and black baldie calves for more money. Red Herefords and red baldie calves will generally sell a 5 to 15 cents per pound discount.