2009 Competition

News Release

Approximately 2500 dairy cows from 500 Australian farmers will be judged throughout the country next week in the country’s biggest livestock competition – the Semex/Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition.

The spectacle, in its ninth year, has a number of unique points of difference. All the cows are judged on-farm for their conformation in their working cobber by judges, who move between individual farms in a collective logistical marathon involving thousands of kilometres and an army of people.

It also means cows that may not have enjoyed a profile (because of the work, time and knowledge needed to show cattle) now have the chance to shine or be discovered, not unlike Network Ten’s Australian Idol mantra.

“This is the second most recognised award dairy cows can win outside a first place at International Dairy Week,” Semex’s general manager Jim Conroy said. “But for many it is the No.1 event.”

“Early numbers suggest we have equal entries to last year in the south and we may be even stronger in the north.”

Each of Holstein Australia’s 29 sub-branches involved are currently running their own in-house competitions. Entries peak at close to 300-head in some of the strongholds of the breed.

The first and second placegetters in each class at the sub-branch level then move forward to the state finals where they will be re-assessed by a fresh over-judge in early November to find the state champions.

The state lines are divided into Northern Queensland, Southern Queensland, New South Wales, South-Eastern Australia (incorporating Victoria, New South Wales Riverina and South East South Australia), Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.

“There are many hundreds of cows and people involved now and it is also now an international concept with New Zealand functioning very well. We also continue to have contact from other countries enquiring after the concept,” Jim said.

Semex initiated the concept to promote quality, functional dairy cows, who were previously often the unsung heroes of Australia’s dairy industry.

“And it gives our non-showing customers the opportunity to compete and be recognised,” Jim said.

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

For more information on any of the results or press opportunities, please contact

Dianna Malcolm on 0419 483 763