The Best of the West

News Release

The Kitchen family of Carenda Holsteins, Boyanup, has continued its winning streak in the West Australian finals of the Semex-Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition.

Acclaimed as the largest livestock judging event in the southern hemisphere, the on-farm competition differs from traditional shows in that cattle are assessed for their structural correctness on their home property.

This unique format allows more than 3,000 entries from 500 breeders from throughout Australia to compete on an equal basis, regardless of their location.

The West Australian section of the competition, which attracted 75 entries from 14 breeders, was judged by Jack Bramley of Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla, South Australia.

The Kitchen family – brothers Ray, John and Mal and their families – had dual success in this year’s competition, entering the Three Year Old and Four Year Old Champions with Carenda Geremjo Blackjo VG89 and Carenda Lucky Honeybee VG88, respectively.

Both cows originate from deep-pedigreed families at Carenda Holsteins. “Blackjo is by the Dutch sire, Geremjo, while the maternal grandsire is Carenda Aladin (Allure), who was a high-profile Shotime son here in Australia a couple of years ago,” Ray Kitchen said.

“Blackjo represents 10 generations of breeding tracing back to Carenda Quality Blackmagic EX-5E and ultimately, a Glenjoy cow my parents, Jack and Mary, bought in the 1960s.

“I used to show Blackmagic’s dam in junior parades back in the 1970s while my children are now showing a calf out of Blackleesa, who is Blackjo’s great grandam. We also showed Blackjo herself at Brunswick last week and won the Intermediate Champion.”

Honeybee, whose pedigree also traces back to the Glenjoy herd in the 1960s, is by the Australian sire, Kenron Lucky Strike. “She was Champion Cow at the WA Autumn Fair in Harvey in March and is a finalist in the 2007 Crazy Cow Trans-Tasman Photographic Competition,” Ray Kitchen said.

The No. 3 ASI herd in Australia, Carenda is a major supplier of young sires to artificial breeding organisations and is renowned for its high production, classification and longevity.

Ron, Heather and Brad Mountford of Brampton Park Holsteins, Rosabrook, also had dual success in the competition, claiming the Five Year Old and Mature Champions in Brampton Park SMX Daisy VG89 and Brampton Park CJ Miss, respectively.

A delighted Brad Mountford said Daisy was the product of a three-generation EX bull and a three-generation VG cow family. “Her sire, Brampton Park Storm Max, is a homebred bull by Maughlin Storm and out of our best cow family,” he said.

“His dam is an EX-1E Starbuck who did more than 100,000 litres. His grandam is an EX-5E Commodore daughter who was a Royal Perth and All Australian Champion. The third dam, Brampton Park WB Maggie EX-3E, is the foundation cow of this family.

“She is also the fifth dam in CJ Miss’s pedigree. We have used Canadian genetics extensively in our herd over the years. CJ Miss is by Semex sire, Caernarvon Jay and from a VG86 Approval, then an EX-2E Stardom and then an EX-1E Astro Jet.

“The format of this competition is a great idea. We don’t have time to show so it really suits our needs. This is only our second year in the competition and we won two championships, so we are more than happy with the outcome.”

The Two Year Old Champion was a grade cow, Informer 785, entered by Darren Merritte of Elgin Holsteins, Boyanup. “She has been a stand-out as a yearling and then as a heifer, and her dam and grandam have absolutely outstanding udders,” Darren said.

“I thought she was a pretty handy heifer and I wanted to see how she would stack up against the best in the State. I would have been happy with a minor place so I am dumb-founded to win a championship. I am now thinking of using her in an embryo transfer program to build up this cow family.”

Mr Merritte, who recently took over the family property, is about to re-register his 415-cow herd. “My parents established the registered herd about 35 years ago but they let it lapse about 12 years ago,” he said.

“I am in the process of re-registering the whole herd because I am interested in cow families and breeding. If you don’t have an interest in breeding then it’s a hard job to stay interested in milking cows.”

Mr Merritte had further success in entering the Reserve Champion Five Year Old, Dowin 433.

Other successful exhibitors included Robert and Ruth Poole of Yelverdale Holsteins, Busselton; Ray, Lois and Michael Blackburn of the since-dispersed Burnvale Holsteins, Cookernup; and Geoff and Lorraine Jenkins of Treeton Holsteins, Cowaramup; who all entered Reserve Champions.

The 2007 Semex-Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition was conducted by the breed association, Holstein Australia, in conjunction with leading artificial breeding organisation, Semex Pty Ltd.

“This competition aims to recognise the efforts of dairy farmers to improve their profitability by breeding quality dairy cows,” Semex General Manager, Jim Conroy, said.

“The sheer size of this event is a credit to the efforts of the hundreds of the Holstein breeders who enter each year and the numerous branch officials and judges who make it happen.”

Semex Pty Ltd is the exclusive Australian distributor of livestock genetics marketed by the Semex Alliance, the world’s largest artificial breeding organisation.

2007 SEMEX-HOLSTEIN AUSTRALIA ON-FARM COMPETITION
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Judge: Jack Bramley, Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla, SA.
Entries: 75
Breeders: 14
Two Year Old 1st: Grade Informer 785, D. Merritte, Elgin Holsteins, Boyanup. 2nd: Burnvale Gibson Connie-ET, R. & L. & M. Blackburn, Burnvale Holsteins, Cookernup.
Three Year Old 1st: Carenda Geremjo Blackjo, J. & M. Kitchen & Sons, Carenda Holsteins, Boyanup. 2nd: Yelverdale Gem 241, R. & R. Poole, Yelverdale Holsteins, Busselton.
Four Year Old 1st: Carenda Lucky Honeybee, J. & M. Kitchen & Sons, Carenda Holsteins, Boyanup. 2nd: Yelverdale Sijgje 119th, R. & R. Poole, Yelverdale Holsteins, Busselton.
Five Year Old 1st: Brampton Park SMX Daisy, R. & H. Mountford, Brampton Park Holsteins, Rosabrook. 2nd: Grade Dowin 433, D. Merritte, Elgin Holsteins, Boyanup.
Mature 1st: Brampton Park CJ Miss, R. & H. Mountford, Brampton Park Holsteins, Rosabrook. 2nd: Treeton Winluke Connie, G. & L Jenkins, Treeton Holsteins, Cowaramup.

Four Year Old Champion in the WA finals was Carenda Lucky Honeybee VG88,
entered by the Kitchen family of Carenda Holsteins, Boyanup.