Page 145 - NZ Herefords Magazine 2019 Edition

The Hereford Year
24 YEARS

BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM

NZ HEREFORD • BENCH M A RK AWARDS •
BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM• HEREFORD
BENCHMARK AWARDS 2019

THE BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM HEREFORD BENCHMARK PROGRAMME HAS
A TRULY COMMERCIAL FOCUS; RECOGNISING ELITE HEREFORD ANIMALS
THAT DISPLAY EXCELLENCE IN FERTILITY AND LONGEVITY – BOTH PROFIT
GENERATING TRAITS OF SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE TO THE BEEF INDUSTRY.

THE BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM Benchmark Awards continue THE 2019 BENCHMARK ANIMAL QUALIFYING
to recognise excellence within the Hereford breed by identifying CRITERIA IS AS FOLLOWS:
superior and functional high-performing females and their sires. BENCHMARK DAMS
On the animal enquiry page of the NZ Hereford Association’s 1. First calf before three years, one month of age.
website, www.herefords.co.nz, breeders and commercial 2. Average calving interval of 391 for first three calves, 382 for first
farmers can search online for benchmark animals by simply four calves, 378 for first five calves and 375 for first six calves.
entering the desired benchmark status (e.g. platinum, gold, 3. Maternal value in top 10% of Trans-Tasman Hereford analysis.
silver or standard) in the selection parameter called ‘Select if’. 4. Calves must be reared by own dam, have a 200 day weight
With the use of this selection, commercial farmers can entered and dam must have a registered calf born no more
select proven superior Hereford genetics to use within their than two years prior to current group run cutoff.
beef breeding operations. The programme is profit driven and 5. Calving Ease direct in top 85% of Trans-Tasman Hereford
recognises cows that produce a live calf, unassisted, on time, analysis.
each year, and rear that calf to an average or above average 6. In the top 20% of Trans-Tasman Hereford analysis for Export/
weaning weight. This is what makes a commercial cow herd Maternal & Hereford Prime/Maternal Selection Indexes.
viable and gives the commercial beef farmer confidence in
registered Hereford breeding programmes. PLATINUM DAMS
NZHA congratulates Chris and Jennifer Chesterman, The dam of three Benchmark dams. Can be any combination of
owners of Koanui Dainty 2453, for her recent recognition of gold, silver or standard.
being dam to three benchmark dams and thus being awarded
the prestigious platinum benchmark dam status. There were no GOLD BENCHMARK DAMS
new gold benchmark dams this year, but the silver category 1. Seven or more calves with calving interval averaging no
had 70 new dams added to the list, dominated by Morrison more than 373 days.
Farming, JM Taylor, Koanui Polled Herefords, Okawa Farm Ltd, 2. Other criteria as for Benchmark Dams.
and Gray and Robin Pannett Ltd.
Congratulations to all recipients in the 2019 Boehringer SILVER BENCHMARK DAMS
Ingelheim NZ Hereford Benchmark Awards. 1. First calf before two years and two months.
2. Other criteria as for Benchmark Dams.

BENCHMARK SIRES
Sires having produced three or more Benchmark Dams.

BENCHMARK DAM BREEDERS
Breeders of five or more Benchmark Dams.

Please note due to the current Benchmark dam EBVs and calving
records taken from the January EBV group run, some young
cows with calves already registered for 2018 will be awarded this
year, while others without 2018 calves registered by January will
not be recognised until next year.
LEFT: Boehringer Ingelheim sales and key Account Manager,
David Dodge presents David Henderson, Craigmore Holdings,
a 2018 Gold Benchmark Certificate for Craigmore Ida 08075.
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