Breeding the best with Bluestone

For Timaru breeders Hamish and Alex Lee from Bluestone Hereford, successive generations of targeted breeding has culminated in one potentially legendary bull that's making waves in the Beef + Lamb Dairy Beef Progeny Test.

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Bluestone Lincoln, of Timaru breeders Hamish and Alex Lee of Bluestone Hereford, is an exceptionally-performing bull in the dairy beef progeny test (DBPT).

The B+LNZ Genetics Beef Progeny Test aims to identify beef genetics suitable for use in the dairy sector using high-genetic-merit beef bulls over dairy cows that would otherwise be mated to follow-up bulls.

Hamish and Alex took over the stud from Hamish's parents, Ben and Yvonne, who had the philosophy to begin breeding cows for the growing dairy-beef sector.

From his parents' humble beginning of just ten cows, the breeders now boast a herd of more than 250 on their block in Timaru.

"We're just hoping to build on from their success, and keep growing the business."

Bluestone Lincoln is one of the very best. A wonderfully balanced set of EBV data, he mixes strong stature with great markings, muscle and more.

We've had great feedback from calf rearers that he's performing exceptionally well, and they're getting great early growth from his progeny.

Lincoln isn't the Lee's first foray into the Dairy Beef Progeny Test either, says Hamish.

"Bluestone has put some bulls into the DBPT before - we've actually got two in cohort 11 which is quite exciting.

"Looking back, Lincoln has definitely been performing the best, historically over those cohorts.

"In the calving traits, he's probably been the number one performing Hereford in the progeny test."

Bluestone Hereford's relationship with WWS spans nearly a decade.

"Since being back on the farm, I've been helping with the breeding decisions and trying to find new genetics.

"It's over the past 10 years, we've been working with WWS to supply them with Hereford semen."

It's all down to informed, selective breeding decisions for Bluestone.

"Thanks to the Dairy Beef Progeny Test, all our data collection has given us confidence that he will perform as he has performed, with the calving traits that have already been reported.

"That helps us on our stud to select early and know which bulls and heifers we would want to keep around, and which bulls we would like to supply into the semen market for companies like World Wide Sires to supply to dairy farmers."