A cow from Wingham has taken top honours in the 2017 Jersey Australia Semex on-farm challenges.
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The winners were announced on Friday, December 4, with Shirlinn Ilb Zara 3 entered by Susan Morrison from Wingham named Supreme Champion Cow in the Great Northern Challenge.
Araluen Park Sega Ebony, bred by Trevor Saunders and Anthea Day at Shady Creek in Gippsland, Victorial was named Supreme Champion Cow in the Great Southern Challenge.
The Jersey Australia Semex Great Australian Challenge is the largest judging competition for Jersey cattle in the southern hemisphere.
Members from the 20 Jersey Australia clubs across Australia held On Farm Challenge competitions during October to find the best cows in five classes; 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6+ year age groups.
Those 100 cows were then judged on 22 individual traits in the Great Northern Challenge which covers Queensland and NSW and the Great Southern Challenge covering Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
More than 150 members were involved in the on-farm challenge part of the competition.
Great Northern Challenge judge Phil Henschke said Shirlinn Ilb Zara 3 was an outstanding entry.
“She was the cow with the most correct dairy conformation, very capacious, a great head, full of breed character, very correct in the rump, had amazing feet and legs and a superb well-attached udder with good teat placement,” Mr Henschke said.
“The winners in each category were quite outstanding,” Mr Henschke said.
The most successful northern Jersey cattle club was the Cumberland and Southern Districts club in NSW.
Great Southern Challenge judge Luke Wallace said the overall quality of finalists was excellent.
Araluen Park Sega Ebony was the most correct cow through all body traits, he said.
“She’s powerful all over and has width and capacity from head to tail,” Mr Wallace said. “She has extreme chest and udder width and strong ligaments through her udder. For all those desirable traits she achieved close to the maximum points.”
The three year old class in the southern competition was won by seven-year-old Cohen Harrison from near Leongatha in Gippsland. He is believed to be the youngest winner in the history of the challenge.
“He’s a mad keen Jersey breeder and knows all the details about his cows,” Mr Wallace said. “It’s nice to see someone so young have success and be so passionate about it.”
The most successful southern Jersey cattle club was Central Gippsland Club.
The Jersey Australia Semex Great Australian Challenge is the largest judging competition for Jersey cattle in the southern hemisphere.