South Australia Punches Above its Weight!

News Release

South Australia is punching out of its weight range when it comes to the quality of its dairy cattle, according to this year’s state judge for the Semex-Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition.

Bill Leggat, a former Holstein Australia head classifier, placed 162 animals from 22 breeders in three days. The national spectacle, which is in its ninth year, has a number of unique points of difference. The most obvious is that all the cows were judged for their conformation on-farm in their working cobber.

Bill moved between individual farms, covering more than 600km in his biggest day’s judging as he worked to place cows, in first the Central and Fleurieu sub-branches, before going on to name his state champions.

The competition has become renowned for allowing cows that may not have enjoyed a profile (because of the work, time and knowledge needed to show cattle) to have the chance to shine or be discovered, not unlike Network Ten’s Australian Idol mantra.

“I think this competitiion is the future,” Bill said. “IDW (International Dairy Week in Victoria) will always go ahead, but I really feel this competition is special. I saw cows of exceptional quality. Cows that had never been to a show and probably never will. That was the beauty of it.

“There were some awesome young cows, which really impressed me for their pheomonial rear udder width and height. This state is certainly punching out of its weight range when it comes to the exceptional depth and quality of its animals. I’d have to say judging this competition was one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever done.”

One of the dominant forces in the competition was Jack Bramley, of Paravale Holsteins, at Yankalilla. Jack won four of the five classes in his sub-branch and two champion and two reserve championships in the state final.

Jack milks 150-head on his property, which is located 35km from Victor Harbour. Amongst his team were two full sisters, sired by Semex sire Ladino Park Talent. He bought Rockridge Ladino Shantell (South Australia champion five-year-old) and Rockridge Ladino Sharp (South Australian second four-year-old) from Peter and Helen Maxwell, at Myponga. Shantell already has a stellar career, winning an All-Australian title, reserve intermediate at the 2008 Adelaide Royal Show and second in the five-year-old class at this year’s Adelaide Royal. She is a repeat on-farm winner, having won the state title as a three-year-old and Jack describes the cow, who has produced more than 11,000 litres, as a special one.

One of the champions and the judge’s favourite animal came out of the three-year-old class. Wirrabank Morty Regina, is owned by Mallala farmers Brian and Bev and Greg and Jeanine Wilson, who milk 600 cows at Wirrabank Holsteins. The family last entered the On-Farm Competition nine years ago and they have been developing their operation since then. This year they decided Regina needed to be seen by someone other than them. They said the Semex-sired Stouder Morty daughter was the best cow they have had and they appreciated an objective and fresh judge’s perspective confirming their thoughts.

“She was an awesome young cow in a big herd. She could go anywhere and be highly competitive,” Bill said.

Family operators Neil and Grace Kroehn, of Belmont Proprietors, at Springton emerged with a state champion and reserve champion in the two-year-old class. Belmont Primus Pamela and Belmont Lucky PaulaSprington were both producing 30 litres in a 140-cow herd that is milked on 220 acres (which is part of a 2000-acre operation that includes Neil and Grace’s son, Graeme). Both calved in May.

The state champion, Belmont Primus Pamela, is sired by a homebred Ladino Park Talent son out of a Summershade Igniter dam, who had finished third in the 2008 regional On-Farm Competition.

“We had a good feeling about the two heifers, but you never really know until it is announced,” Neil said. “I like both of them. The Luckystrike heifer is a little bigger and she is out of the stronger cow family, but the Primus is sired by one of our bulls, which is nice too.”

The Mason family, which runs a 6000-acre operation and two 250-cow herds was also in the money, winning the four-year-old class with Jervois Mendel Pride 2nd. Brothers Clem and Frank together with their respective wives, Leanne and Annie, (and Clem and Leanne’s sons, Wade and Joseph) operate the two holdings. In addition to the milking herds, they also own and operate a contracting business.

Pride 2nd was milking 54 litres at the Adelaide Royal where she finished fourth. Pride 2nd also won Reserve Champion Holstein and Best Udder of show at Murray Bridge recently.

“It’s nice to be able to pit yourself against every cow, not just the show cows,” Clem said. “This is a very worthwhile competition for us and Semex have done very well getting it going.”

One of the highlights of the presentation night was a video of the finalists, which was shot by Bev Thorpe.

South Australia Results

Central (SA)
Judge: Bill Leggat, (Former Holstein Australia head classifier)
Two Year Old
1st: Belmont Primus Pamela, N & G & G Kroehn (Belmont Proprietors, Springton)
2nd: Belmont Lucky Paula, N & G & G Kroehn (Belmont Proprietors, Springton)
Three Year Old
1st: Wirrabank Morty Regina, B. & B. & G. Wilson, Wirrabank Holsteins, Mallala
2nd: Jervois Drake Concorde 1, F & C Mason (Jervois Holsteins, Tailem Bend)
Four Year Old
1st: Jervois Mendel Pride 2nd, F & C Mason (Jervois Holsteins, Tailem Bend)
2nd: Belmont Talent Paula 2, N & G & G Kroehn (Belmont Proprietors, Springton)
Five Year Old
1st: Balara Durham Ros, L Thorpe Pty Ltd (Balara Holsteins, Meningie)
2nd: Jervois Ladino Sue, F & C Mason (Jervois Holsteins, Tailem Bend)
Mature
1st: Eclipse Zircon Lucky 2nd-ET, A & A Koch (Glenunga Proprietors, Moculta)
2nd: Belmont Bond Viola, N. & G. & G. Kroehn, Belmont Proprietors, Springton.

Fleurieu (SA)
Judge: Bill Leggat, (Former Holstein Australia head classifier)
Two Year Old
1st: Mistymoo Ladino Paris-R, A Pacitti (Mistymoo Holsteins, Myponga)
2nd: Edge Dundee Cassy, S & H Treloar (Edge Holsteins, Victor Harbor)
Three Year Old
1st: Paravale Ladino Belle F (J Bramley, Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla)
2nd: Misty Brae Jannsen Della-ET, G & A Pacitti (Misty Brae Holsteins Pty Ltd, Myponga)
Four Year Old
1st: Rockridge Ladino Sharp, J. Bramley (Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla)
2nd: Misty Brae Allan Della-ET, G & A Pacitti (Misty Brae Holsteins Pty Ltd, Myponga)
Five Year Old
1st: Rockridge Ladino Shantell, J Bramley (Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla)
2nd: Windy Vale Roses Champion-ET, C & K Royans (Windy Vale Holsteins, Myponga)
Mature
1st: Sleepy Hollow Boss Magic, J Bramley (Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla)
2nd: Windy Vale Inquirer Tania, C & K Royans (Windy Vale Holsteins, Myponga)

State Over-Judging: South Australia
Judge: Bill Leggat, (Former Holstein Australia head classifier)
Two Year Old
1st: Belmont Primus Pamela, N & G & G Kroehn (Belmont Proprietors, Springton)
2nd: Belmont Lucky Paula, N & G & G Kroehn (Belmont Proprietors, Springton)
Three Year Old
1st: Wirrabank Morty Regina, B & B & G Wilson (Wirrabank Holsteins, Mallala)
2nd: Paravale Ladino Belle F (J Bramley, Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla)
Four Year Old
1st: Jervois Mendel Pride 2nd, F & C Mason (Jervois Holsteins, Tailem Bend)
2nd: Rockridge Ladino Sharp, J Bramley (Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla)
Five Year Old
1st: Rockridge Ladino Shantell, J Bramley (Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla)
2nd: Balara Durham Ros, L Thorpe Pty Ltd (Balara Holsteins, Meningie)
Mature
1st: Sleepy Hollow Boss Magic, J Bramley (Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla)
2nd: Eclipse Zircon Lucky 2nd-ET, A & A Koch (Glenunga Proprietors, Moculta)