Livestock breeding and genetics company LIC says the KiwiCross cow has overtaken Holstein-Friesians as New Zealand's most popular dairy breed.
It says KiwiCross bulls are now producing a quarter of the dairy cows in New Zealand and it expects that trend to continue.
LIC established the KiwiCross as a separate breed about four years ago to cover any combination of cattle that did not fit the specifications of the pure dairy breeds.
Genetics manager Peter Gatley says there are good commercial reasons why more farmers are adopting the hybrid approach.
He says the cross-breed animal is very efficient with greater fertility and longevity.
