Leading Edge Genetics 2020 awards: Newry farm takes out top gene honours at Warragul event
Gippsland’s top dairy farmers recently congregated in Warragul for Leading Edge Genetics 2020 awards — and there were quite a few first-time winners.
SEVERAL first-time winners have taken out top honours at one of Australia’s largest dairy genetics competitions.
Taking out overall champion at Leading Edge Genetics On-Farm Competition was Newry-based Wilara Holsteins — operated by Trevor Henry, who was at last week’s Warragul event to accept the award.
The Wilara Holsteins’ entry — 6240 sired by Buddha — also won the mature cow class.
Competition judge Peter Dickson said the well-balanced dairy cow, on her fifth lactation, was a standout.
Mr Dickson visited 57 farms and judged 413 animals from all breeds in a four-day trek across Gippsland.
“It was certainly a competition of great depth,” the Bacchus Marsh-based judge said.
“Each farm had animals of tremendous quality. There could only be one winner in each class unfortuntely. But for me I was looking for the most correct well balanced cow.”
The two-year-old class was won by Peter, Helen and Michael Thomson with their Holstein animal 190 sired by Samite.
The three-year-old class was won by entry 92 (sired by Doorman) and owned by the Templeton family at Tarwin.
Leading Edge Genetics owner-manager Brad Aitken said 120 farmers and 15 agribusiness representatives attended the Warragul function last week to witness the conferring of honours.
“Each year I marvel at the quality of cows presented in this competition,” Mr Aitken said.
“It truly has become one of the leading on-farm competitions here in Australia.”
Mr Aitken said a competition first was notched up by Fish Creek-based Foote Dairies with Pepper — daughter 4280 — which followed up first place in the three-year-old class the 2019 awards by winning the newly created four-to-five-year-old class this year.
He said one of the most coveted prizes is the group class — three animals sired by the one bull — which was owned by David, Kerry, Michael and Jacqui Williams with their daughters of Guthrie.
Other awards presented on the day included the most successful exhibitor. This year it was won by Warren Lace and Carrie Ralston of Devon North.
The highest placed non-registered Holstein breeder was awarded to Fish Creek-based Peter, Helen and Michael Thomson.
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