Associação Brasileira de Hereford e Braford

What Associação Brasileira de Hereford e Braford does

The Associação Brasileira de Hereford e Braford (ABHB) is a nonprofit civil association founded in 1958 and headquartered in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is the sole entity authorized by MAPA (Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária) under Portaria nº 587 of June 5, 2003 to maintain and execute the Genealogical Registry Service for the Braford breed across all of Brazil, and operates the equivalent registry for Hereford. ABHB serves a national membership of beef cattle breeders through four interconnected product pillars: (1) genealogical registration and genetic evaluation (PampaPlus, PampaPlusNet), (2) standardized performance testing — the Prova de Avaliação a Campo (PAC) and Prova de Eficiência Alimentar (PEA) conducted in partnership with Embrapa Pecuária Sul, (3) official auctions and exhibitions (Nacional HB, Expointer, sanctioned remates) that commercialize evaluated genetics, and (4) the Programa Carne Pampa certified meat program, which licenses the Carne Certificada Hereford and Carne Braford Certificada seals to partner slaughterhouses and retailers.

ABHB's revenue model combines recurring registry and membership fees from breeder members, transaction-based participation fees for performance testing, licensing royalties from certified meat partners (Frigorífico Silva, Frigorífico São João, Producarne, El'Golli, and historically Marfrig), and event-based revenue from official exhibitions and sanctioned auctions. The association monetizes its regulatory exclusivity through the registered certified-meat seals, and channels commerce through official auctions broadcast on Lance Rural and YouTube, AI stud distributors (ABS Pecplan, Select Sires, Alta Genetics/Progen), and certified retail/restaurant listings at Zaffari, Carrefour Braford Selection, Sam's Club Walmart, and 100% CCH restaurants. Pricing is largely unit-based (PAC participation historically priced at 450 kg of live cattle per animal) with no publicly disclosed commercial schedule for registry or certification services.

The association is governed by an elected triennium board (currently 2024-2027 under President Eduardo De Souza Soares) with 22 staff, supported by a national network of credenciado technical inspectors, regional Núcleo HB nuclei, and a Technical Council. The technical foundation rests on the long-standing co-development partnership with Embrapa Pecuária Sul, whose bovine crossbreeding database — described as one of the world's largest — underpins PampaPlus, PAC, and PEA. Over its history ABHB has registered more than 1 million animals, hosted the World Braford Congress in 2000, became the first Brazilian breed association to export bovine semen (to Kenya, 2017), and recently hosted the Mundial Braford RAM-IESA at Esteio in 2025.

Name

Associação Brasileira de Hereford e Braford

Legal name

Associação Brasileira de Hereford e Braford

Website

https://abhb.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Associação Brasileira de Hereford e Braford (ABHB), founded in 1958 and headquartered in Bagé, RS, Brazil, is a nonprofit breed association that maintains the MAPA-exclusive Braford genealogical registry, runs genetic evaluation and performance testing with Embrapa Pecuária Sul, sanctions official genetic auctions, and licenses Carne Hereford/Braford certified meat seals to partner slaughterhouses and retailers serving Brazilian member breeders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Livestock Breed Association Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Certification, Compliance & Traceability Support (Movement Certs, QA Programs) (AFACALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN), Regulatory, Health Certificates & Export/Import Compliance (Large Animal/Equine) (HLAMABAL), Animal Welfare Certification Services (AFALAMAE)

Keywords

• Cattle breed registration
• Genetic improvement programs
• Certified meat programs
• Livestock performance testing
• Breed association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bagé

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Genealogical Registry Services: Fees collected from breeders for animal registration, birth declarations, transfer certificates, and official pedigree documentation for Hereford and Braford breeds. ABHB holds exclusive government-authorized registry authority for Braford nationwide.
2. Prova de Avaliação a Campo (PAC) Participation Fees: Cattle breeders pay participation fees to enter animals in official field evaluation tests. Historical reference from 2015 shows fee of 450 kg of live cattle per animal, payable in up to 5 monthly installments. The PAC is a cornerstone genetic testing program that generates recurring participation revenue.
3. Programa Carne Pampa - Certified Meat Premium: Through the Programa Carne Pampa, ABHB earns revenue by licensing its certified meat brand (Carne Certificada Hereford and Carne Braford Certificada) to partner slaughterhouses and retailers. Partner companies pay for certification rights and use the official seal, with bonification paid to certified animal producers.
4. Official Event Management: ABHB sanctions and manages official events including the Nacional HB exhibition, Expointer participation, official auctions, and breed judging competitions. Revenue derives from event entry fees, exhibitor charges, and the commercial proceeds of official sales events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ABHB is the official Brazilian breed association for Hereford and Braford cattle, providing sole MAPA-authorized genealogical registry services, genetic improvement programs (PampaPlus), standardized performance testing (Prova de Eficiência Alimentar and Prova de Avaliação a Campo), and certified meat programs (Carne Certificada Hereford and Carne Braford Certificada) that connect member breeders to slaughterhouses, retailers, and premium restaurants. The association operates as a nonprofit civil association owned and governed by its breeder members, generating revenue through registration fees, testing participation, event sanctioning, and licensed meat certification.

Product overview

Associação Brasileira de Hereford e Braford (ABHB) offers a comprehensive portfolio of interconnected products and services focused on the development, genetic improvement, and valorization of Hereford and Braford cattle breeds in Brazil. The core offering consists of four main pillars: (1) Registro Genealógico - the official genealogical registration service authorized by MAPA that maintains breed purity records; (2) Programa Carne Hereford/Braford Certificada (CCH/CBC) - certified meat programs that connect producers to slaughterhouse partners and premium markets through bonification systems; (3) PampaPlus - genetic evaluation and ranking program for herd classification; and (4) Prova de Eficiência Alimentar (PEA) and Prova de Avaliação a Campo (PAC) - standardized performance testing programs conducted at Embrapa Pecuária Sul for identifying superior breeding genetics. Additional services include Exposições Oficiais (official exhibitions), Eventos Oficiais (official auctions), and the Programa Network (annual ranking program). The ecosystem is unified through the PampaPlusNet online platform for registrations and integrates with government systems like SISBOV and MAPA's PGA for traceability and certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Programa Carne Hereford: Certification program that offers bonuses to associated breeders through partnerships with slaughterhouses, ensuring consumers receive a product of controlled origin, superior quality, and responsible production.
• PampaPlus
• Prova de Eficiência Alimentar (PEA)
• PAC - Prova de Avaliação a Campo
• Programa Carne Pampa

Products and services

• Registro Genealógico (Genealogical Registry Service) Official genealogical registration service for Hereford and Braford cattle breeds in Brazil, authorized by MAPA through Portaria nº 587. Maintains breed purity records, processes birth registrations, transfer certificates, and issues official pedigree documentation. ABHB holds exclusive government authority for Braford registry nationwide.
• Programa Carne Hereford (Carne Certificada Hereford - CCH) Certified Hereford meat program offering bonuses to associated breeders through partnerships with slaughterhouses like Frigorífico Silva, Marfrig, and others, ensuring consumers receive controlled-origin, superior quality, and responsibly produced beef. The program licenses the Carne Certificada Hereford seal to partner slaughterhouses and retailers.
• Programa Carne Braford Certificada (CBC) Certified Braford meat program mirroring the CCH initiative, providing certification and market access for Braford beef producers through partnerships with slaughterhouses and use of the official registered seal (Selo Carne Braford Certificada).
• PampaPlus - Genetic Improvement Program Official genetic improvement program for HB breeds that classifies producers in a production ranking and presents evaluation results for each selection criterion, influencing the added value of animals. Developed in partnership with Embrapa Pecuária Sul leveraging one of the world's largest bovine crossbreeding databases.
• Prova de Eficiência Alimentar (PEA) - Feed Efficiency Test Annual feed efficiency test for HB breed bulls conducted at Embrapa Pecuária Sul under standardized climatic and nutritional management conditions. Measures residual feed intake, residual weight gain, and carcass quality traits to identify superior genetics.
• Prova de Avaliação a Campo (PAC) - Field Evaluation Test Field evaluation test for HB breeding animals, considered the 'Formula 1 of weight gain tests' in Brazil. Evaluates individual weight gain capacity and characteristics affecting reproductive efficiency over approximately 8 months at Embrapa Pecuária Sul. Historical 2015 reference fee: 450 kg of live cattle per animal.
• Exposições Oficiais (Official Exhibitions) Official exhibitions and shows for Hereford and Braford breeds, including the major Nacional HB event and Expointer participation, showcasing superior genetics and promoting the breeds to producers, the meat industry, and consumers.
• Eventos Oficiais - Leilões Oficiais (Official Auctions) Official auction events bearing ABHB's seal that guarantee reliability to buyers, offering evaluated animals with superior genetics ready to add value to herds. Conducted in-person and virtually via Lance Rural and YouTube.
• Conexão Pampa (Joint Auction Group) Group of cattle ranches that conduct joint auctions for Hereford and Braford genetics under the ABHB official calendar, including virtual auction stages like the Conexão Pampa Outono.
• Programa Network (Annual Ranking Program) Annual ranking program that recognizes top HB breeders and promotes networking among producers, culminating in the Ranking Nacional event with national media coverage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million animals registered since founding in 1958
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• ABS PecplanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Beef genetics company that hired bull 1335 (Agropecuária Dom Vitor, 1st place overall PEA 2026) for its bull battery, providing commercial distribution of the champion's genetics through artificial insemination.
• Select SiresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Beef genetics company that hired two PEA 2026 standout bulls: C0021 'Coeficiente' from P.A.P. Suñé (Braford overall winner) and FIV T5610 from Fazenda Santa Tereza (3rd place overall, best zootechnical index) for its commercial bull battery.
• Cambará RematesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Professional auction house (Arthur Freitas) that conducts official ABHB auction sales, providing market access and buyer aggregation for association-sanctioned genetic auctions.
• MAPA - Ministério da Agricultura e PecuáriacoreOthers · 1 January 2017Government authorization (Portaria MAPA 587/2003) granting ABHB exclusive authority to operate the Genealogical Registry Service for the Braford breed nationwide. MAPA also approves changes to the breed registry regulations (e.g., 2026 Braford registry rule updates).
• CNA - Confederacão da Agricultura e Pecuária do BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2015Cooperation agreement signed in November 2015 to implement voluntary adhesion protocols for Carne Certificada Hereford and Carne Braford Certificada within the official national Sistema de Gestão de Protocolos. Prohibits unauthorized labeling of beef products with breed names without Association authorization and MAPA-registered seal.
• Progen (Alta Genetics)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015AI stud facility in Dom Pedrito, RS that collects semen from PAC elite-classified animals, commercializing elite HB genetics through its Alta Genetics distribution network.
• SicrediminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014Partnership established in 2014 with Sicredi (Sistema de Crédito Cooperativo) to provide preferential financing conditions for buyers of animals at official ABHB auctions. Covers financing up to 3 years with rates potentially below official credit, targeting small and medium breeders.
• ANC - Associação Nacional de Criadores Herd Book CollarescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Joint organization of the Nacional HB exhibition and breed competitions. ANC organizes the national Promebo evaluation system of which ABHB is a key participant. The Fenagen (Feira Nacional de Genética Promebo) is organized by ANC with ABHB breed judging events.
• Embrapa Pecuária SulcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1958Long-standing strategic partnership with Embrapa Pecuária Sul (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) in Bagé, RS, for joint operation of the Prova de Avaliação a Campo (PAC) and Prova de Eficiência Alimentar (PEA), genetic research, and development of the PampaPlus genetic evaluation program. Embrapa provides one of the world's leading bovine crossbreeding databases. This is ABHB's most important institutional partnership.
• Frigorífico SilvamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSlaughterhouse partner since 2005 processing certified HB beef under the Programa Carne Pampa. Supplies certified beef to Rede Zaffari (exclusive initial partner), Best Beef Hereford, Carrefour Braford Selection, and Sam's Club Walmart. Provides bonification payments to certified animal producers.
• Frigorífico São JoãomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst slaughterhouse outside Rio Grande do Sul to receive ABHB certification (2015). Partner in Santa Catarina distributing certified Hereford beef under the Programa Carne Pampa to the local market.
• Marfrig GroupmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor slaughterhouse partner since 2010, operating in Alegrete, São Gabriel, and Bagé plants. Launched Marfrig Hereford brand in 2013 and, from November 2015, implemented a bonification table for HB-standard animals across 5 central Brazil plants (Promissão-SP, Mineiros-GO, Bataguassu-MG, Tangará-MT, Paranatinga-MT) with up to 10% bonification.
• Frigorífico ProducarneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSlaughterhouse partner since August 2014 (36th Expointer) in the Campanha region, acquiring superior HB-standard animals for certification. Supplies meat boutiques, restaurants, steakhouses, supermarkets, and butchers with certified beef cuts.
• Frigorífico El'GolliminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSlaughterhouse in Santa Catarina guaranteeing bonification of up to 10% for Hereford and Braford standard animals, extending ABHB's certified meat reach in the southern region.
• Carnes do SulminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialized distributor of certified Hereford beef and other gaucho products, with direct brand relationship with ABHB's Programa Carne Pampa. Ships certified beef nationwide to retailers, restaurants, and direct consumers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Associação Brasileira de Angus: Brazilian Angus breed association — direct domestic peer offering the same registry, genetic evaluation, certified meat program (Angus Certified Meat), and event platform model as ABHB for the competing Angus breed.
• Asociación Argentina de Hereford: Argentine Hereford breed association — direct regional peer in the Mercosur beef cattle belt, with parallel genealogical registry, performance testing, and breed promotion activities.
• Australian Braford Breeders Association: Australian Braford breed registry — international counterpart maintaining the Braford genealogical registry in Australia, sharing the same breed genetics as ABHB and operating under an analogous member-based registry model.
• American Hereford Association: The US national Hereford breed registry and member association, structurally identical to ABHB. Operates genealogical registry, genetic evaluation programs, and junior/senior membership services for Hereford breeders in the United States.
• Associação Nacional dos Criadores de Nelore (ACNB): Brazilian Nelore breed association — the dominant national beef breed registry in Brazil, providing genealogical registration, PMGZ genetic evaluation, and Certified Nelore Beef programs in the same operating model as ABHB.
• Canadian Hereford Association: National Hereford breed association in Canada, performing the same registry, performance evaluation, and member-services functions as ABHB for Canadian Hereford breeders.

Broad incumbents

• Beefmaster Association: International Beefmaster breed association — adjacent breed registry offering similar genealogical registration and genetic improvement services for the Beefmaster composite breed, comparable in operating model though focused on a different (heat-tolerant) breed.

Others

• Embrapa Pecuária Sul: Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation's southern livestock unit — ABHB's core research partner co-located in Bagé; not a competitor but an enabling/ecosystem participant without which ABHB's PAC and PEA programs could not operate.

Regional players

• Asociación de Criadores de Braford (Argentina): Argentine Braford breed association — direct cross-border peer maintaining the Braford registry in Argentina, sharing the same breed genetics as ABHB but operating in a different national regulatory and competitive context.
• Sociedade Rural Brasileira (Hereford Uruguay): Uruguayan Hereford registry — direct regional peer operating in the same Río de la Plata cattle region as ABHB's southern Brazil operations, with comparable breed promotion and registry services for Uruguayan Hereford breeders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ProPampa/videos
• Instagraminstagram.com/abhb_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/associa%C3%A7%C3%A3o-brasileira-de-hereford-e-braford

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Associação Brasileira de Hereford e Braford