Shrimpton’s Hill Herefords was established in 1969 and today the herd consists of 750 females and approximately 750 support stock. 

Our property consists of 1420 Ha, ranging in altitude from 200m to 1100m above sea level. Our native tussock block of 900Ha is home to our stud cows for the winter.

We hold an annual on farm bull sale at the end of September, featuring up to 200 R2 Hereford bulls. In 2019 we moved the sale site from the home property, to our bull farm and built a new selling complex.

Our Short Gestation breeding programme was established in 2001, selecting only for this single trait, specifically for the Dairy bull and semen markets. 

Today we are the breeding leading Herefords, both male and female in the Australasian market, for Short Gestation Length (SGL) 

Recognising this LIC (Livestock Improvement Corporation), entered into a breeding relationship with us in 2013, to supply semen exclusively to their SGL breeding and marketing programme, both domestically and internationally.

In the 2019 season, our SGL Herefords added $2.5 million to LIC’s customers’ milk payouts, through the extra days in milk generated.

In the 2019 season we celebrated selling our 1 millionth straw of Hereford semen, and to best of our knowledge, the first Hereford stud in the world to do so.

We also run a 70 ewe Border Leicester Stud, which was established in 1869 by John’s great great Grandfather, making it one of the oldest flocks in the country of any breed, still in the same family.

In 2019 our Border Leicester stud was be 150 years old, our Hereford stud was 50 years old and it was 100 years since the McKerchar family moved to South Canterbury, from Southland.

Shrimpton’s Hill Herefords has sponsored the Canterbury North Otago Sharemilker of the Year since 2007. We are so proud to be able to call so many of the past winners of this prestigious competition, repeat clients and friends. Sponsoring, attending the presentation, and the subsequent field days are highlights of our calendar.

We are in the process of transitioning 200Ha into Regenerative muti-species pastures and setting up a hunting business on our tussock, to control wallabies and fallow deer populations. Watch this space!

John and Liz McKerchar

Shrimpton’s Hill Herefords