26 | Rock-End’s bulls are bred and tested on some of the toughest hill country in the King Country. “Our bulls are raised on hard country, and they run with our ewe flock, so they’re competing for feed.” RURAL PEOPLE » Rock-End Polled Herefords Rockend producing hardy, fertile cattle Kelly Deeks Rock-End Polled Herefords is continuing to raise the bar for performance genetics, fertility, and constitution, producing hardy, fertile cattle well suited to New Zealand’s toughest hill country. At Te Matai Station in the Paraheka Valley near Piopio, the McCormick family are seeing the results of years of careful genetic selection and data-driven breeding. Following a record-setting annual bull sale this year in May, Josh McCormick says demand has never been stronger. “We had our best sale yet,” he says. “We sold everything at a great average price and had a really busy day. It was the strongest sale we’ve had in terms of both volume and value.” He says the lift reflects renewed confidence across the meat sector. “The meat market is strong, and there’s a lot of positivity around both sheep and beef sectors at the moment. Both beef and lamb schedules are at record levels. The outlook for the next couple of years looks really positive too.” Rock-End’s bulls are bred and tested on some of the toughest hill country in the King Country, which are the same conditions faced by their clients. Josh says that’s what sets them apart. “Our bulls are raised on hard country, and they run with our ewe flock, so they’re competing for feed and maintaining pasture quality,” he says. “That means their fertility, constitution, and durability are genuinely proven under pressure. They have to get in calf and perform, just like our clients’ herds.” About 90% of Rock-End’s sales go to sheep and beef farmers on similar country, who value that proven performance. Pete and Kirsty McCormick founded the stud in the early 1980s, Son Josh returned home in 2013. Rock-End has focused on continual genetic improvement through multiple-trait selection from the start. Advances in DNA technology have allowed the stud to make faster, more accurate progress. “All of our sale bulls are tested with 100k SNP, which tells us which are homozygous or heterozygous polled,” he explains. “ Put a homozygous polled bull over a horned cow, and you’ll only get polled offspring. This scientific approach has delivered steady gains in fertility, meat quality, and efficiency, lifting both the standard of Rock-End cattle and the expectations of their clients. Rock-End Polled Herefords offer clear benefits to both beef and dairy farmers. Their bulls produce easy-calving, fast-growing progeny that perform well through every stage of the supply chain. “The Hereford won’t mask the brown of a Jersey like some other beef breeds, so those white-faced calves are easily recognised and consistently sell at premiums - from four-day calves right through to two-year cattle,” Josh says. For finishers, Rock-End progeny offer flexibility, able to be finished before a second winter or carried through to heavier weights at 2–3 years. For beef breeders, Hereford crosses deliver impressive hybrid vigour. “The first cross gives an 8% performance lift, and the second cross Hereford female gives about a 20% productivity gain over straight-bred animals - and that’s essentially free.” Looking ahead, Rock-End has an exciting line of bulls for their 2 year bull sale in May 2026. Featuring two new outcross sires in Limehills Belter 210473 and Injemira Robert Redford Q287. Limehills Belter features a powerful phonotype with a strong New Zealand pedigree and high performance across calving ease, growth and carcass traits. Injemira Robert Redford is an Australian import who was sold for a record $160,000 (AU), delivering exceptional performance.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=