Fourth-generation dairy farmer enjoys the variety of the job

After a stint as a hairdresser, 24-year-old Jayne Walters has returned to the family farm to continue a dairy breeding tradition.

Quality: Holstein stud breeder Jayne Walters at Kindred with Cradleview Lheros Topsy, one of her favourite cows.

A PASSION for breeding top-quality dairy cows has seen Jayne Walters carry on a family tradition that spans four generations.

After a short time working as a hairdresser, the 24-year-old is back full time on her family’s dairy farm at Kindred, where they milk 180 cows.

“I like the fact that you’re doing something different everyday,” she said. “I love working with the cows … we see them from when they’re born all the way through.”

The family milk year round and supply Saputo. Their operation
includes Cradleview Holstein stud, which was started by Miss Walters’s grandparents Bill and Betty Walters at Erriba 44 years ago.

Miss Walters now continues the family’s stud-breeding program and recently bought two heifers from the Best of The West sale in Victoria.

The heifers, Westmuir LR Emilio Princess and Westmuir LR Royal Crush Betty, have exceptional pedigrees.

“I’ve always been interested in the breeding side and I like to know which cow is out of which cow,” she said.

Showing is an important part of the stud and over the years it has won a fair share of broad ribbons.

One of its most successful show cows recently has been Lightning Ridge Archrival GJane VG 88, which was crowned champion Holstein and champion dairy cow at Circular Head Show in 2018 and won the champion Holstein and champion dairy cow awards at this year’s Wynyard Show.

The cow is no slouch in the dairy, producing 11,514 litres of milk and 824kg of milk solids during her first lactation as a three- year-old.

Miss Walters’s enthusiasm and the family’s dedication to the Holsteins has caught the attention of retired Jersey breeder Lionel Bonde, who bred the highest-producing
Jersey in Australia as well as seven champion of champions Jersey cows.

After inspecting the Cradleview herd, Mr Bonde described the cows as a “good herd of high production, well-fed Holstein with muzzles and udders that are outstanding along with all necessary good production traits, such as good body depth and square hindquarters.”

One standout cow and one of Miss Walters’s favourites is eight- year-old Cradleview Lheros Topsy EX 91-4E. The cow last year produced 15,227 litres of milk and 1048 kilograms of milk solids. Mr Bonde said he had never seen production over 1000kg of milk solids before and this demonstrated good husbandry.

Miss Walters said she hoped to take some cows to the Burnie Show if this year’s event goes ahead.

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