 Some paddocks were fenced off, but much of the country was "open".In 1943 the Wairuna Brahman cross-bred (hybrid) herd totalled 170 including the pure-bred bull "Abel" and one pure-bred female; the remainder being various cross-bred cattle.The hybrids, which were relatively few in number, were depastured with the other cattle (mainly Devon Shorthorn crosses), of which there were approximately 7000.