Masterton farmer Bruce McKenzie has been recognised for his services to the cattle industry in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours.
McKenzie, who runs the 113-year-old Maungahina Hereford Stud in Masterton with his son, was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
For the past 50 years, McKenzie has been at the forefront of genetic development in the primary sector.
He pioneered the importation of different livestock breeds, as well as frozen embryos and semen, with the aim of improving herd quality in New Zealand.
He was also recognised for refining the Charolais breed, creating the Red Charolais, and introducing the new cattle breed Speckle Park into the country.
"The effects of the Maungahina Stud genetics over New Zealand meat production continues to contribute to millions of dollars of value both in meat production and the value of female genetics," the Queen's Honours list states.
McKenzie was also involved in importing fallow deer genetics from Europe in the early 1980s.
He has been a leading cattle judge in events around the world and was recently the first non-Angus breeder to be asked to judge at Australia's National Angus Sale.
