SA Holstein breeders have marked 100 years of their breed association, as well as some achievements of the past year.
Five SA breeders have gained Master Breeder status in the past 12 months, with this recognised at a dinner hosted at The Bend complex at Tailem Bend recently.
Master Breeder awards go to breeders who have held continuous membership of Holstein Australia for at least 20 years, and registered at least 10 females each year, or 300 across the 20 years, as well as meeting standards for the classifications of excellent, very good and good cows.
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Andrew and Angela Koch, Glenunga Holsteins, Moculta, picked up the stud's second Master Breeder award, as did the Donava stud of Gary and Ros Zweck, Blyth.
Rodney and Kathy Herrmann, Clarodale, Mount Torrens, and Lawrie and Michele Golder, Golderama, Jervois, were also recognised, as were David and Trudy Fiebig, Warramont, Mount Gambier, with this coming after their first-stage complete dispersal held earlier this year.
These were not the only awards of the night, with the announcement of the SA Centenary Challenge - an on-farm competition held during the week, judged by Colin Daley, Ourway Holsteins, Millaa Millaa, Qld.
With 116 entries, across six age groups, the winner went to a four-year-old in-milk entry - Eclipse Avalanche Delight, from the Robsvue stud of Rob and Bec Walmsley, Myponga.
The Red Holstein cow had been picked out as a calf by Mrs Walmsley while she was milking that herd, and was given as a thanks for staying on to milk for a little longer.
"I really liked her from the get-go, and she just keeps getting better," she said.
Delight had previously picked up a class win and a reserve junior champion ribbon at International Dairy Week in 2019, as well as being an All-Australian photography competition winner last year.
There was also the presentation of the state awards from the national Semex-Holstein Australia Virtual Holstein Spectacular, which replaced the more traditional on-farm competition this year.
Brett Fiebig, Strathalbyn, claimed a win in the six-year-old in-milk class as well as a second prize in the two-year-old heifer class, out of about 330 entries nationally.
The SA Holstein branch also marked the occasion with the announcement of its two new joint patrons - Bob Afford, Jervois, and Jack Bramley, Victor Harbor.
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Elizabeth Anderson
Editor of Stock Journal.
Editor of Stock Journal.
