Farmer Case studies

Tim Humphris 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.

A shorter gestation means cows calve earlier and are in-milk for more days before re-joining and this gives them more time to recover after calving.

For Tom Kent, 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.

The Mepunga dairy farmer started using the new dairy industry herd improvement and breeding website, DataVat, earlier this year.

According to North East Tasmanian dairy farmer James Greenacre, breeding a dairy cow for the future should take economic and environmental changes into consideration.

When it comes to making breeding decisions, Margaret and John Cockerell have the best toolkit any farmer could ask for.

When it comes to fertility or joining, you’d be hard-pressed to find a record Janet Auchterlonie hasn’t kept.

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.

Accurate record keeping and data collection has always been at the heart of Mark Kerr’s operation.

Wes Hurrell can pinpoint the exact turning point in his dairy breeding philosophy.

Stephen Gleeson knows all too well the value of a good temperament when it comes to breeding dairy cows.

Paul Moloney doesn’t believe dairy farming needs to be complicated.

At his Terang farm, simplicity is the key, and this approach underpins his breeding decisions. He wants cows with good fertility, longevity and he needs them to thrive on pasture.

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.

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.

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’.

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.

IT’S not uncommon to see Paul Cocksedge staring at his phone screen in the yard surrounded by cows. 

Cliff family, East Gippsland March 2019

DATA has helped the Cliff family from East Gippsland better negotiate drought.

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. 

Since 2014 the herd has recorded a 425% rise in Balanced Performance Index (BPI), a measure of the traits that contribute to profitable dairy businesses. It now sits at about $105.

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.  

Allen Hooke, October 2018 

Accurate and up-to-date paper work is crucial for all dairy farmers.

But as a farm manager, Allen Hook says the ability to keep precise records is what keeps him in a job. 

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.