The winner of the four-year-old class in Jersey Australia's on-farm challenge, announced earlier this month, is setting a new benchmark in production for a Dorrigo dairy farmer who has risen from the depths of despair.
Fourth generation Fernbrook dairy farmer Andrew Marks, 32, was still an apprentice diesel mechanic and home for holidays when a bolt of lightening killed half the family's herd in 2005.
The 68 Jersey cows were under a tree atop a small rise within a deep gully when they were struck.
Some bloated so quickly they rolled downhill before stopping and had to be towed back uphill to be buried in two 50-metre trenches.
"We lost a dozen of our best cow families," he said. "It took us eight to 10 years to get over it."
After the strike, Jersey breeders from as far away as Victoria rallied to the family's aid, donating 40 cows, including the Wilson family's Shirlinn Jersey stud, at Tamworth.
Investment by the Marks followed with the introduction of good, strong cow families such as Maybell, Edwards and Mickandan making up the numbers.
"As a dairy farmer you've got to look at the bigger picture," he said.
"You've got to look beyond the poor season and the poor prices.
"You've got to remain positive."
These days Mr Marks, and his family, which includes Andrew's wife, Natalie, and son, Bailey, milks 220 Jersey cows on 260ha with an average lactation of 6000 litres and the herd pasture based and supplemented on corn silage, grown on-farm at 45t/ha.
A separate Angus beef enterprise adds diversity but dairy appears to be on the mend with prices paid by his processor Norco up 6.5 cents a litre for the next financial year.
Meanwhile there is continued growth in the Queensland market while Victorian demand outstrips supply.
Life is good again, and now there is a champion cow in the Marks herd.
The four-year-old champion Winvarl Plus Diamond, was out of a Macleigh cow, which was bred from Matt McCarthy, Budgee, Qld, and recently classified 92 points.
Mr Marks is hopeful that there will be more points available as she matures over the coming years.
The highest scored Jersey cow in Australia is currently EX95.
Now on her third lactation, Diamond was producing 18 litres of milk a day at 5.6 per cent fat and 4.2pc protein.
The figures don't take into consideration the fact she calved a year ago in April.
Mr Marks held her back from AI with sexed semen by River Valley Cece Chrome to calf in October so she will be her best during Australian International Dairy Week in January.
"She has good bone and milks right through," Mr Marks said, who is studying to become a dairy classer.
The Semex Jersey Australia Great Australian Challenge is the largest judging competition for Jersey cattle in the southern hemisphere, attracting more than 1,600 entries from 750 breeders throughout Australia each year.
The Marks family, Winvarl Jersey stud, Dorrigo, had three winners at club level. They then went on to be Great Northern Challenge champions for their age with one taking out supreme champion. The Great Australian Champions were announced at the Jersey Australia AGM in Warrnambool, Vic, in late May.
Winvarl Plus Diamond was crowned champion four-year-old. While dam and daughter, Mikandan Surefire Mabel and Mikandan Barnabas Mabel, were reserve champion mature cow and three-year-old.
- This story first appeared on The Land
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