The terminal sire was the first of the European exotic breeds imported to NZ and Fisher said their structure and temperament had improved over time.
The 90-odd Charolais breeders in NZ are represented either by Charolais Breeders New Zealand or the New Zealand Charolais Cattle Society.
Fisher said the two organisations worked together to jointly promote the breed.
“There’s always room for improvement, but overall I think the breed’s in good health,” he said.
“I think that with the advent of EID (electronic identification) whereby people are following what is happening with their cattle a lot closer, and yield grading, that will give the Charolais a real boost because the information will be there.”
New Zealand Charolais Cattle Society president Wayne Semenoff agreed that Charolais were performing well.
“We’ve got people who use them and are quite pleased with the growth rate and grading,” Semenoff said.
He said Charolais off-spring could reach finishing weights for market as early as 16 months, but they could also be finished at two-and-a-half years without sacrificing grading or losing any quality.
