I agree with many of the thoughts expressed here regarding breeding up to a desired goal. Some of the best cattle in many breeds have been arrived at through the grading up process. Take a look at the Charolais , Simmental, Maine, Limousin, and many others to see how this has taken place. Virtually all the Charolais breed consists of cattle that were bred up to purebred status from some other breed. There are a few herds that are maintaining the Full French bloodlines, and this is a good thing, as it provides genetics that breeders can go back to, to infuse back into their breeding programs from time to time.The same can be said for many other breeds.
I am a big believer in grading up programs, as they provide a method of documentation for breeders. I know there are some people who think so called " purebred" ( or in the Shorthorn breed... non asterisk) cattle are superior, but I do not agree with this premise. I know enough about several bloodlines to know that there are many cattle in closed herd books that are much less purebred than many cattle in the appendix programs.
One of the best lines of cattle I ever produced started from my white Shorthorn herd bull breeding a black half blood Simmental female back in the 1970s. We tried to abort the calf but this Simmental cow really must have wanted this calf as we retained the pregnancy after three shots of Estumate. She had a red roan heifer calf that was simply amazing. We were very fortunate as we were able to breed her up to purebred level very quickly as the first calf born in each succeeding generation was a heifer calf. Many of this line were our best show cattle and also our best sale cattle. I smile often when I see this bloodline in some of today's non apprendix " purebred" pedigrees. This has occurred because for a period of time in the early 90s, our breed association allowed graded up cattle that had achieved purebred status to move back into the closed herd book. It is funny how things go around, because they are now doing the same thing again.
I have attached a picture of a little project I have right now. This is a rather poor picture of this heifer, but it is the only one I presently have ( and I am too busy today to go out and snap a better one!) This heifer is now a yearling heifer, and she is two generations from a purebred Angus cow. Her mother is a solid black half blood cow. We kept her to be a recip but she is a very good cow on her own right. She did not retain the embryo and was bred to a white Shorthorn herd sire. I have had many visitors ask me to price her, but I have told them she is only a 3/4 blood heifer. She has continued to develop very well and is an extremely thick heifer with tremendous capacity. I am keeping her and going to try to develop a new line of Shorthorns.
Carm, if you decide you want to go this way, there are several things to keep in mind. Firstly, have a definite goal in mind. Secondly, I would suggest you consider the time it will take and think about the fact that a grading up program may limit the income produced from your herd for a period of time. The good thing is you can select a few good females to go this route with and continue to keep the rest of your herd purebred.