Limehills Herefords co-owner Gray Pannett said the "hybrid vigour effect" made farmers money .
"For doing nothing other than putting a contrasting breed out."
Crossing different beef breeds could lift growth rates by 8%.
Any beef system could reap the production gains, including those selling weaners, yearlings and growing cattle for slaughter.
"With the higher schedule, it is even better isn’t it?"
The first cross cows on Limehills were "pretty much bulletproof" and were fertile, easy to manage and had great longevity.
He believed the cows in New Zealand’s beef herd were too old.
Younger cows were more productive, he said.
At mating time at Limehills Herefords, heifers and cows were given two heat cycles to get in-calf.
Female cattle must produce calves to remain on Limehills.
In-calf Hereford heifers had their udders scored from one to three.
The heifers with an udder score of one were retained for breeding.
Heifers with an udder score of two were commercial cows.
Any of the heifers with an udder score of three were slaughtered.
"She’s got genetic issues that I don’t want."
If any assistance was required at calving, the mother and progeny were put in the commercial herd.
When selecting a sire, he had to like its appearance first and then looked at its estimate breeding value data.
"If I can tolerate the figures, I’m happy."
The data had to be breed average or higher, he said.
Mr Pannett selected cattle on four traits — 400-day weight, birth weight, mature cow weight and carcass weight.
Those traits were selected because that was where he thought his herd needed to be better.
Before using any of its semen in his breeding programme, he had first seen the sire bull.
A gait of a bull was important as it needed to walk to Lake Onslow.
The most important part of buying a bull was to like the look of it.
"It can have all the numbers but if you don’t like the look of it, you won’t like it."
Winter stock numbers
Cattle
Mixed-age cows: 630
Rising 2-year-old heifers: 248
Rising 2-year-old bulls: 10
Rising 1-year-old heifers: 310
Rising 1-year-old bulls: 168
Rising 1-year-old steers and bulls: 160
Mixed-age stud bulls: 20
Sheep
Mixed age ewes: 2600
Annual draft: 1200
Two-tooth ewes: 1200
Ewe hoggets: 1210
Wether hoggets: 1100
Sire rams: 50
