Gidget the last cow standing as Clifton stud celebrates its centenary

Geoffrey Loane, 72, took over the family business, Clifton Jerseys, from his father Ronald after returning from Lincoln College in New Zealand with a Bachelor of Agriculture.

"It's good to hit the 100-year mark," he said.

"That was always going to be a milestone.

"The stud is still going on other farms.

"We sold our cows down to Smithton and received a letter from Jersey Australia recently that said the cows were elite, which shows how well they are going down there.

"To see your cows doing well in non-stud conditions is very satisfying for us."

Mr Loane said he was never into showing cows but without the passion of his wife Donna, the couple would not have any dairy cows left.

"Donna and the Clifton cows had great success in the show rings and she went on to be state president of the Jersey Herd Society for a period of five years," Mr Loane said.

"One day Donna fell in love with a Jersey calf suffering badly from scours and she named it Pooh-Bum.

"This calf went on to win numerous championship ribbons but later she changed its name to P.B. so not to horrify her father-in-law Ron.

"Donna had a later success with cow named Gidget.

"She is the last registered female on the property and is 15-years-old.

"She has always been a pet.

"She is here until her death - there's no way my wife would sell her."

When asked whether the decision to sell the herd, which topped Tasmania for milk production 16 out of 20 years between the 1940s and 1960s, was difficult, Mr Loane said it was time.

"It wasn't difficult at all as my son wasn't interested in milking cows and I'd had enough," he said.

"Now we buy and fatten beef cattle."