Brenton Thomas’ dairy dream becomes reality at Simpson

A childhood passion for dairy breeding and bloodlines has paved the way to farm ownership for young Western District farmer Brenton Thomas.

In the small town of Simpson in the state’s southwest, young dairy farmer Brenton Thomas is living out a dream that began in his childhood.

“I’ve always been crazy about breeding and bloodlines,” Brenton said.

As a kid, he would spend hours flipping through cow magazines, fascinated by pedigrees and the promise they held.

Today, that passion has become a thriving dairy and breeding operation that 33-year-old Brenton runs with wife Ellie, their three kids, and his father Rod.

Ellie and Brenton Thomas milk 200 cows on their Simpson dairy farm.

They milk 200 cows and produce about 1.75 million litres of milk a year with a stud herd that is hand-picked for the highest quality thanks to Brenton’s steadfast dedication to breeding excellence.

His commitment to showing their prized Instyle Holsteins has earned accolades, including winning the grand champion title twice at International Dairy Week in 2024 and 2025.

“The first win was the greatest,” Brenton said.

“We bred her, and she was a cow I picked out when she was a heifer – not everyone could see what I could see.”

JUGGLING CHANGE

Originally from a family dairy farm at Dorrigo, NSW, Brenton and Ellie spent 18 months sharefarming in the Gold Coast hinterland before packing up and moving south to the 130ha farm at Simpson they now call home.

Rod helped them secure the farm, having sold his farm at Dorrigo seven years ago.

The seasonal conditions and milk prices have fluctuated widely since their move and the Thomas’ are currently experiencing very dry conditions with limited fodder reserves remaining.

“People are running out of stock water here,” Brenton said, adding they usually had wet winters and storms during summer followed by an autumn break but none had eventuated.

“We are worried about that,” he said.

“We made 1200 rolls of silage last year – I thought I had more than enough but I’ve nearly used it all so we’re just waiting for the rain.”

In their pasture based system, seasonal falls are heavily relied upon.

The Thomas’ run mostly perennials but do oversow wetter paddocks with Italian rye-grass. In summer they crop 10ha of turnip or rape.

They soil test to ensure targeted fertiliser application each year which includes blends as well as urea during winter.

CHASING THE BEST

When the Thomas’ bought the farm it came with a dairy herd that has since been sold and they now focus on their own bloodlines.

They use artificial insemination across the spring calving herd, using one straw of sexed semen in the first round and conventional in the following.

“We use semen from all over the world,” Brenton said.

“We look at pedigrees and sires and overall type and production as well as health traits too.

“I don’t use the crazy expensive bulls…we probably pay around $65 to $70 for sexed semen.”

Brenton looks for a balanced cow with good feet, legs and rump with strength for the conditions in the southwest.

Family bloodlines he has favoured in the past include Perfections, Dahlia, Amy and Kerry.

Brenton won the Victorian State On-farm Challenge with Instyle Doc Amy while Instyle Solomon Dahlia won grand champion at Dairy Week.

Lightning Ridge Cmd Dback Barbara, co-owned by Instyle and Rusty Red, was grand champion at International Dairy Week 2025. Picture: Rachel Simmonds

“They weren’t high profile cows at the time but have really bred on and done a fair bit of work for us,” Brenton said.

“We have chipped away for a lot of years buying different families from here, there and everywhere.”

The co-owned Lightning Ridge Barbara won grand champion at dairy week 2025.

“Juddy Jennings (Rusty Red Holsteins and Jenbro Jerseys) sent her around to get her ready for Dairy Week, and he offered her as a half-share to get her ready and she’s lived at home ever since,” Brenton said, adding he had participated at local shows since he was a kid.

“I like showing but I don’t go to every show.

“When I do, I try my hardest. I also watch what others do and take it in and get better that way.”

He attends International Dairy Week, The Victorian Winter Fair at Bendigo and the local Heytesbury Agricultural Show.

Brenton’s kids have also shown interest in showing and his nine-year-old daughter is now able to lead calves by herself.

PRODUCTION PEAKS

Herd recording and testing is conducted through Easy Dairy and National Herds and the Thomas’ are in the process of installing collars.

“We have a young herd – our oldest cows are only seven years old,” Brenton said, adding that also helped keep mastitis at bay.

Bulk milk cell counts are excellent, averaging 80,000.

In terms of production, cows average 8500 to 9000 litres on a 305 day lactation.

They supply Bulla.

“We had a step up the other day which was nice but it would be good to get another,” Brenton said.

“We took a fair hit last year. We don’t need the extreme highs we were getting but it would be nice to stay in the middle and not have to go up and down all the time – fluctuations make it hard to manage.”

Their cost of production has increased in the last five years and while they can’t control the cost of grain, fertiliser and contracting, they try to focus on growing as much grass as possible.

“Getting a good season is the biggest factor in making money,” Brenton said.

“I’ve also gotten used to farming down here so production has increased a bit – conditions are so different compared to Dorrigo.”

A cow co-owned by Instyle, Lightning Ridge Cmd Dback Barbara, won Dairy Week 2025’s grand champion title. Picture: Rachel Simmonds

LIVING THE DREAM

Despite the challenges, Brenton is optimistic about the future and has plans to build a new calf shed and even expand his breeding program.

“It’s the first year I’ve had a full herd of my own cows and I’m really happy with them,” Brenton said.

“Maybe in another five years time I might have a sale.

“We are in a good location to do that – not far from northern Victoria and Gippsland but good cows sell well anywhere.”

Reflecting on his farming journey so far, Brenton’s advice to aspiring farmers was to “stick at it”.

“It is so hard for young fellas to get into it,” he said.

“If I didn’t have my old man, I don’t think I’d have my own farm but it’s definitely been worth it.

“Just the achievements I’ve had in the cow side of things – I’ve been dreaming about doing that since I was a kid.”