Page 145 - Hereford Magazine 2022

BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM

NZ HEREFORDS

BENCHMARK AWARDS 2022

The Boehringer Ingelheim Hereford benchmark programme has
a truly commercial focus; recognising elite Hereford animals that • B E N C H M A RK A W A R DS •
BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM• HEREFORD
display excellence in fertility and longevity – both profit-generating
traits of significant importance to the beef industry.

he Boehringer Ingelheim Benchmark awards have 3. Maternal value is in the top 10% of the Trans-Tasman
been highly regarded by NZ Herefords breeders Hereford analysis.
and commercial buyers of registered bulls for 4. Indexes in the top 30% of the Trans-Tasman Hereford
many years. The awards highlight the very top analysis for both Hereford Prime and Beef Heifer Indexes
Tperforming females in the NZ Herefords gene pool, 4. Calves must be reared by own dam and have a birthweight
by recognizing those cows that get in calf every year and and 200-day weight recorded.
continue to produce quality calves year after year. 6. Dam must have a registered calf recorded no more than
With the NZ Herefords Selection Indexes being updated in two years prior to current group run cut off.
2021, the 2022 Benchmark Awards have also been updated.
The first update of the awards is now all Benchmark Dams SILVER BENCHMARK DAMS
must have their first calf before 2 years and 3 months of age. 1. All criteria as above for Benchmark Dam.
This reflects the practice of mating yearling heifers becoming 2. Average calving interval of 378 for first five calves, and
the usual practice on the majority of commercial farms 375 for first six calves.
Hereford genetics are used on. This now means the 4 tiers of
Benchmark Dams can be described as the following; GOLD BENCHMARK DAMS
• Benchmark Dam: meets the Benchmark criteria after 3 1. All criteria as above for Benchmark Dam.
or 4 calves 2. Average calving interval of 373 on first 7 or more calves.
• Silver Benchmark Dam: meets the Benchmark criteria
after 5 or 6 calves The Benchmark awards also recognize:
• Gold Benchmark Dam: meets the Benchmark criteria
after 7 or more calves BENCHMARK DAM BREEDERS
• Platinum Benchmark Dam: Dam of 3 or more Those breeders who have bred five or more benchmark dams.
Benchmark Dams
Other improvements to the Benchmark awards include, all BENCHMARK SIRES
a cow’s calves requiring a birthweight to be recorded and the Bulls that have sired three or more benchmark dams.
use of the new Hereford Prime and Beef Heifer Indexes in
place of the old Hereford Prime and Export indexes. PLATINUM DAMS
The dam of three benchmark dams. Can be any combination
The 2022 benchmark animal qualifying of gold, silver or standard.
criteria is as follows:
All the Dams who have qualified under the new criteria are
BENCHMARK DAMS listed on the following pages. To find a full list of benchmark
1. First calf must be born before two years and three months animals refer to the ‘Technical’ tab or click “online search’, on
of age. the NZ Herefords website: www.herefords.co.nz
2. Average calving interval of 391 for first three calves and
382 for first four calves.

Year 2022 HEREFORD MAGAZINE 143