Breeding for lower emissions at Nirranda South
Tim and Marie Humphris
Tim Humphris was convinced the greenhouse gas emissions from his south-west Victorian dairy farm would be dominated by diesel consumption and power usage. Read more...
Preserving premium data through correct record transfers
McGrath family
Investing in high genetic merit bloodlines has been a way for the McGrath family to fast-track their transition towards a fully registered herd of high-performance Jerseys. Read more...
Genomic tool boosts herd data
Jodi and Brett Loughridge
After decades of careful and considered breeding, the last thing Jodi and Brett Loughridge wanted to do was sell their genetically superior animals to the export market. Read more...
Restoring the missing link in herd improvement
Peter Fullerton
With support from his local herd test centre, Western District dairy farmer Peter Fullerton has recovered decades of performance data and pedigree histories that had been lost due to the incorrect transfer of purchased cows. Read more...
INTERNATIONAL - Data Drives Decisions Around the World
O'Sullivan and Jones Families
Kevin Jones (Canada) was initially sceptical about the cost of genotyping-genomics but soon realised it made economic sense andRead more...
Building a beef market with genomics
Place Family
"We use sexed seme to breed the maiden heifers and the higher value - higher BPI - younger cows," Chris Place said. Read more...
Genomics underpins confident breeding decisions
Roger and Amanda Heath
'Mainly it's to ensure we are achieving genetic gain, making sure we are breeding out of our top-end cows.' Read more...
Rising through the ranks
Lyn & David Parish
Dornoch Jerseys continue their rapid ascension in the national herd rankings as they become the first Jersey her in Australia to reach more than 2,000 genotyped cows. Read more...
Making Decisions with Genomics
Andrew Duynhoven
Seeking more clarity about selection tools Andrew Duynhoven attended the Genomics at a Glance session run by WestVic Dairy and DataGene in December. Read more...
Running on data at Bookaar
Dickson Family
If Ally Dickson is going to collect herd data she wants to be able to use it for as many purposes as possible. Read more...
Genomic Testing Reset Culling Criteria
Shiona & Caleb Berry
'It has been much more helpful for me, as a non-genetic person, to have that (genomics) data to then decide what bull I'm going to use.' - Shiona Berry Read more...
DNA helps identify the next breed sires – no bull
Graham family
Genomic testing is helping one NSW Aussie Red breeder select bulls for sale into the artificial breeding industry. Information from DNA testing is also proving a marketing advantage in sales of herd bulls to fellow farmers. Read more...
Herd data deciphering made easier
Moore family
When it comes to herd data, the Moore family has every base covered.
The NSW dairy farmers have 25-plus years of monthly herd recording information, classification results and breeding information, plus all the notes taken in the farm’s ‘daily diary at the dairy’. Read more...
Illawambra animals in high demand
Parrish family
The Parrish family’s cows and bulls have always been in demand but this year they’ve skyrocketed to a new level. They have four bulls in Genetics Australia`s 2021 progeny test team and have sold 88 cows to other farmers so far this year. Read more...
Herd bulls can be a known quantity
Watts family
The availability of genomically tested herd bulls puts a new perspective on natural breeding programs giving herd managers confidence herd bulls can meet their breeding objectives and provide a verifiable pedigree. Read more...
Data helps breeders pick their best from the rest
Delaney family
Genomic testing has helped one Western Victorian dairy farming family better identify heifer calves with the characteristics they want in their future milking herd. Read more...
Achieving goals in genetic gain
Les and Jenny Stewart
Genomic testing and investing in proven high-performance genetics, has helped Victorian dairy farmers Les and Jenny Stewart (Allanjay Holsteins) achieve their goal of increasing production. Read more...
Data drives breeding direction at Bamawm
Brendan Martin
Genomics has helped one northern Victorian dairy farmer keep track of his breeding progress while making informed culling decisions. Read more...
Genomics help to boost breeding in Western Australia
Haddon family
When it comes to breeding dairy cows, most decisions on the Haddon family’s dairy farm involve genomic data. Read more...
Genomics makes breeding decisions easy
White family
Making accurate breeding decisions doesn’t have to be hard work. Just ask Holstein breeder Les White. Read more...
Genomic ‘believability’ on show in Queensland herd
Daley family
Milking genomically tested heifers has helped debunk any lingering doubts Colin Daley had about the breeding science. Read more...
Selecting the best heifers with certainty in Tasmania
When Isaac Korpershoek selects heifers to keep for his dairy herd, his decisions are backed by science. Read more...
Genomics uncovers surprises in the bull pen
When Lyn and David Parish (Dornoch Jerseys) decided to have their natural service bulls genomically tested, they never imagined unlocking an opportunity for their genetics to be marketed to a worldwide audience. Read more...
Decisions made easier thanks to data
When it comes to selecting bulls for joining to their dairy herd, Tanya and Glen Rand know exactly what they want and, more importantly, what their “girls” need. Read more...
Genomic samples key to increasing herd quality
Within 20 minutes the Parkinson family have collected tissue samples from about 40 calves for genomic testing. And that’s calves in outdoor pens, on a rainy day at
Kirkstall in Western Victoria. Read more...
Genomic testing delivers benefits across the farm business
Genomic testing delivers benefits across the farm business Implementing a sexed semen program using genomic testing not only provides productivity and financial gains, its sets a farm business up for the future, according to a NSW dairy extension officer. Read more...
Data drives efficiencies at Carapook
Lachie Tindall has plenty of heifer calves. He also has a lot of herd data – including milk metre readings, genomic information, health, nutrition and mating records. Read more...
Genomics guide decisions for Gippsland family farm
Four years ago, Huw Evans and his family took samples from 80 heifers for their first try at genomic testing. Read More...
Genomics and breeding underpin dairy business
Sam and her husband, Mark Billing, milk 430 cows (Craiglands Holsteins) at Larpent, near Colac in Victoria. They started genomic testing in 2015. Read More...
Genomic data helps decisions at Kolora
Long before John Pekin from South-west Victoria started managing his family dairy farm, he knew milking “good” cows was a choice. Read More...
Proof of breeding improvements inspire SA farmers
When Gary Zweck from South Australia was told he could increase production, fertility and decrease vet costs by changing the way he chose bulls, he wasn’t entirely convinced. Read More...
Data dive leads to discovery
The Telford family at Mt Schank, south of Mt Gambier, now monitor their 2,750 cows plus their offspring through the report, which is available on DataVat, the dairy industry’s herd improvement web portal that provides herd reports based on a farmer’s own data. Read More...
Data delivers for Brookbora breeding
Information underpins breeding decisions at the Bacon family farm in northern Victoria. Read More...
Simple sire selection helps put ‘fun’ back into breeding
Sitting in the dairy office, Andrew Cavill South Australian farmer took a sip of his coffee and made a decision that changed the course of his business. He called the local meatworks and booked in the 180 empty cows. Read More...
Recording reds keeps business on track
Warren Gallagher values his herd recording information so much, he changed his business to make the most of it. The NSW dairy farmer uses data gathered from his monthly herd tests to not only make breeding and culling decisions, but also Read More...
Genes reveal elite dairy cow in average-looking body
Andrew and Christine Sebire from Northern Victoria were left scratching their heads after hearing they owned the nation’s highest genomically ranked cow. Although she scored a staggering Balanced Performance Index (BPI) of $436, neither of the Echuca West dairy farmers could remember the heifer, aptly named Ivyhurst Mystery OC. (April 2020) Read More...
Breeding for polled position
Kerry McGarvie (Taughboyne Jerseys) from Western Victoria has one regret when it comes to breeding polled Jerseys – that she didn’t go harder at the start. (May 2020) Read more...
Polled goals improve animal welfare
Paul Condon (SeeBreeze Holsteins) NSW has bred a herd that is 90% polled without compromising other breeding priorities. (May 2020) Read more...
Mastitis resistance to underpin breeding program
Trevor Saunders and Anthea Day from Gippsland, Victoria believes Mastitis resistance is a significant thing. They won’t be using a bull under 100 for mastitis resistance going forward. Read more...
Managing mastitis makes sense
Tim Humphris from South-West Victoria, chooses bulls via the Good Bulls Guide App, ranking on Balanced Performance Index (BPI) and then filtering for various traits. The number one trait was fertility, but now mastitis resistance is a high priority. Read more...
New traits help bottom line at Gundowring
The dairy farming profitability equation is simple for Patrick Glass from North-East Victoria. Read more...
Data-driven growth in Gippsland
For Tom Kent from Gippsland Victoria, genomic (DNA) testing would provide a deeper herd dataset and a way to determine an animal’s expected performance before it even enters the milking herd. Read more...
A breeding insight that computes
The Mepunga dairy farmer, Eugene Rea started using the new dairy industry herd improvement and breeding website, DataVat, earlier this year. Read more...
Selecting sires for tomorrow’s dairy industry
According to North East Tasmanian dairy farmer James Greenacre, breeding a dairy cow for the future should take economic and environmental changes into consideration. Read more...
Records bolstered by genomics for passionate breeders
When it comes to making breeding decisions, Margaret and John Cockerell from Northern Victoria have the best toolkit any farmer could ask for. Read more...
Records crucial to fertility gains in Gippsland
When it comes to fertility or joining, you’d be hard-pressed to find a record Janet Auchterlonie from South Gippsland, Victoria hasn’t kept. Read more...
Heat tolerance, part of breeding an efficient animal
Two years ago, Trevor Parrish’s bull-buying clients were asking about the new Heat Tolerance Australian Breeding Value (ABV). Now it doesn’t rate a mention. Read more...
Breeding progress on track in Tasmania
A dairy farmer from Winnaleah in north-east Tasmania, Mark Kerr's accurate record keeping and data collection has always been at the heart the operation. Read more...
Bottom up approach to breeding
Wes Hurrell from South Australia can pinpoint the exact turning point in his dairy breeding philosophy. Read more...
Playing it fair with workability
Stephen Gleeson, Western Victoria knows all too well the value of a good temperament when it comes to breeding dairy cows. Read more...
Simplicity at its finest
Paul Moloney, Western Victoria doesn’t believe dairy farming needs to be complicated. Read more...
Buying the best and breeding them better for Aussie farmers
When Brendon Winter (Winaview Holsteins) uses imported Holstein semen for his herd, his main priority is to check where the bull ranks on the Australian Breeding Value system. Read more...
Recording helps measure performance for Larpent family
Having data at their finger-tips helps Ross and Jacqui Suares make objective farm business decisions. The Larpent dairy farmers operate Calderbrae Holsteins, a Master Breeder herd, which peaks at 180 cows across 100 hectares. Read more...
Making the most of fast data delivery for breeding decisions
Every decision on Bob and Jacqui Biddulph’s dairry farm is data driven.
There’s no stone unturned when it comes to measuring and monitoring performance for the self-confessed ‘number crunchers’. Read more...
Breeding made easier thanks to bull selection app
Developing a herd of equal stature has meant some careful breeding decisions for the Hill family. The dairy farmers from South Riana in Tasmania inherited a crossbred herd when they bought the farm five years ago. Read more...
App makes herd decisions easier
IT’S not uncommon to see Paul Cocksedge staring at his phone screen in the yard surrounded by cows. Read more...
Data helps with the drought
Cliff family, East Gippsland March 2019, DATA has helped the Cliff family from East Gippsland better negotiate drought. Read more...
Breeding focus delivers in spades for Tasmanian family
Stuart and Kylie Nailer, December 2018
A trial of sexed semen three years ago ignited one Tasmanian dairy farming family's passion for breeding and laid a foundation for the business's future. Read more...
Breeding and feeding go hand-in-hand at Loch
Kate and Jason Kirk, Gippsland December 2018
Maintaining a top-quality genetic-base ensures Kate and Jason Kirk get the most out of their stringent feeding regime.
Workability and calving ease data adds value to business decisions
Darren and Sharon Parrish, February 2018
Darren and Sharon Parrish use Australian Breeding Values (ABVs) for workability and calving ease to help run a productive and profitable dairy business and make better
decisions on their farm at Bodalla, on the New South Wales south coast.
Heat Tolerance over the moon at Nanango
Ian and Cathy Scott, December 2017
Ian and Cathy Scott from Nanango, Queensland will be looking for bulls to use over their dairy herd that are above average for the new Heat Tolerance Australian Breeding Value (ABV).
The quest for the ultimate commercial cow
Craig Lister, September 2017 (Dairy News Australia)
In September 2017 Dairy News Australia published an article on how Ginfo farmer Craig Lister uses his genomic results.
Giving cows a helping hand for handling the heat
Ray Kitchen, December 2017
Ray Kitchen from Carenda Holsteins at Boyanup WA will be looking at the new Heat Tolerance ABV when making breeding decisions for his 400-cow herd.
Breeding cows better suited to our farming environment
Shane Gardiner, December 2017
Shane Gardiner from the Lorebeck Partnership in Mt Gambier SA is looking forward to being able to breed cows a little better suited to his farming environment with DataGene’s release of the Heat Tolerance Australian Breeding Value (ABV) in December 2017.
Breeding for heat tolerance
Trevor Parrish, December 2017
When bull buying clients started asking Holstein breeder Trevor Parrish about the new Heat Tolerance ABV, he knew he had to make sure he was breeding what his customers wanted.
Breeding program to help in the heat
Ross Gordon, December 2017
A new Heat Tolerance ABV will be one consideration when choosing bulls to use over the 640 cows in the Gorbro Holstein herd run by the Gordon family at Cohuna in Northern Victoria.
Phone app fills missing link
Ken and Bonnie Ravenhill, December 2017
Mobile technology is making it much easier to keep track of cow records – just ask WA Holstein breeder Ken Ravenhill (Moonaralla Holsteins).
Good Bulls app streamlines choices
Con Glennon, December 2017
DataGene’s Good Bulls app is streamlining bull selection and cutting out the hype when it comes to identifying the best dairy genetics and its proving to be a be valuable tool for herd improvement advisors, resellers and dairy farmers.
Does genetics pay in practice?
Paul and Lisa Mumford, December 2017
The high genetic merit cows in Paul and Lisa Mumford’s herd contribute $282 more profit per cow every year than their lower genetic merit herd-mates.
Informed decisions at Fleyas
Geoff and Jessica Fleming, December 2017
Jessica Fleming loves herd testing – not because of the work involved, but for the information it generates on the cows. So getting extra information in the form of the DataGene Herd Test Dashboard free with the May herd test figures was a huge bonus.
HerdData app simpler than pen and paper
Jolley Family, December 2017
Paper and pen records may soon be replaced by keeping farm records on a mobile phone, according to South Australian dairy farmer Debbie Jolley.
Better use of farm time with phone app
Nick and Simone Renyard, December 2017
Western Victorian dairy farmer Nick Renyard is making better use of his time on the farm thanks to DataGene’s HerdData mobile phone app.
HerdData puts everyone on same page
Heather Campbell, December 2017
The HerdData app is used in both the family’s and the Hentys’ herds as a way of allowing easy access to cow records and to streamline recording information such as animal health treatments and calving records.
Genomics fast tracks herd performance
Shane and Lauren Gardiner, December 2017
In the past two years, Shane and Lauren Gardiner have used genomic testing to confirm parentage details, improve the genetic merit of replacement heifers, make culling decisions earlier and run more milking cows.
Dashboard drives cow decisions
Peta Barlow, December 2017
Gippsland dairy farmer Peta Barlow knows about herd testing – from both sides of the fence. Peta works at Yarram Herd Services and also runs a 130- cow dairy herd at nearby Jack River that is herd tested 12 times a year.
Farm facts at his fingertips
Kevin Lockett, July 2017
Gippsland dairy farmer Kevin Locket has his herd records just where he wants them - at his fingertips. DataGene’s new mobile app, HerdData, gives Mr Lockett access to his herd records anywhere, any time.
Ginfo herd insights: Bonnie View
Ray Howe and Stuart Seabrook, May 2017 (Holstein Journal)
In May 2017 the Holstein Journal published an article on on the Ginfo results for Ray and Sue Howe’s Bonnie View herd.