Benchmark Programme

BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM
NZ HEREFORDS
BENCHMARK AWARDS 2026

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 awards highlight the very top performing females in the NZ Herefords gene pool, by recognizing those cows that get in calf every year and continue to produce quality calves year after year meeting the high criteria including the requirement of heifer mating which has become the usual practice for the majority of commercial farms when Hereford genetics are used.

In 2026 there are two new Platinum Benchmark Dam - the very highest echelon of the Benchmark Awards, a distinction awarded to a cow who has had 3 daughters reach Benchmark Dam status. 

This year, the recipients are Ardo Spot 6241, bred by Morrison Farming and owned by Campbell Lawrence. 

We have also seen 1 new Gold Benchmark Dams awarded - Colraine Madonna 15 213, and 6 move up from silver - Bluestone 170058, Orari Gorge Leslie 160238, Bushy Downs Amethyst Girl 17945, Koanui Irane 7465, Beechwood Bella 601 & Beechwood Bella 607.

In the Silver Benchmark tier we saw a massive 20 cows move up from Standard Benchmark status, alongside 3 new Siver Benchmark Dams while 66 new Standard Benchmark Dams were awarded in 2026.

The four tiers of Benchmark dams can be described as the following;

Benchmark Dam: meets the Benchmark criteria after three or four calves.

Silver Benchmark Dam: meets the Benchmark criteria after five or six calves.

Gold Benchmark Dam: meets the Benchmark criteria after seven or more calves.

Platinum Benchmark Dam: Dam of three or more Benchmark Dams.

Other improvements to the Benchmark awards include, all cow’s calves require a birth weight to be recorded and the use of the new Hereford Prime and Beef Heifer indexes.

The criteria for 2026 Benchmark Dams:

Benchmark Dams

1. First calf must be born before two years and three months of age.
2. Average calving interval of 391 for first three calves and 382 for first four calves.
3. Maternal value is in the top 25% of the Trans-Tasman Hereford analysis.
4. Indexes in the top 30% of the Trans-Tasman Hereford analysis for both Hereford Prime and Beef Heifer indexes.
5. Calves must be reared by own dam and have a birth weight and 200-day weight recorded.
6. Dam must have a registered calf recorded no more than two years prior to current group run cut-off.

Download Benchmark Dams - Standard, 2026 Spreadsheet

Silver Benchmark Dams

1. All criteria as above for Benchmark dam.
2. Average calving interval of 378 for first five calves, and 375 for first six calves.

Download Benmark Dams - Silver, 2026 Spreadsheet

Gold Benchmark Dams

1. All criteria as above for Benchmark dam.
2. Average calving interval of 373 on first seven or more calves.

Download Benchmark Dams - Gold, 2026 Spreadsheet

Platinum Benchmark Dams

Dam of three or more Benchmark Dams.

Download Benchmark Dams - Platinum, 2026 Spreadsheet

Benchmark Sires

Bulls that have sired three or more Benchmark dams.

Download Benchmark Sires, 2026 Spreadsheet

Benchmark Dam Breeders

Those breeders who have bred five or more Benchmark dams.

Download Benchmark Breeders, 2026 Spreadsheet

All the dams that have qualified under the new criteria are listed on the following pages.  To find a full list of benchmark animals, refer to the ‘technical’ tab or click ‘online search’, on the NZ Herefords website: www.herefords.co.nz