The sale of a $112,000 calf to the US will help lift the profile of Australia cattle, according to the buyer.
Dusty Schirm, who bought the Holstein Parrabel Rockstar O’Kalibra-Imp-ET at the Global Impact auction at Lardner Park last week on behalf of Californian dairy couple Frank and Diane Borbra, said the sale and purchase would get lots of media attention in the US.
“There’s an advantage for the Australian dairy industry — it’s a huge upsell for everyone here,” he said. “It is also a smart buy for us.”
Mr Schirm said it was the first live lot purchased by the Borbras from Australia, but they had bought cows from across the globe.
They hadn’t physically seen the calf and she would be housed in Australia.
“They have purchased cattle on the higher end level in the US and (this sale) is on the higher end of what they have done,” he said.
In nine months the heifer will be part of a flush program which will begin the process of introducing her genetics to the US. She will be marketed on the basis that her genetics are new to the US industry.
“None of the family members are in the US,” Mr Schirm said. “She is very rare, but she is a tremendous calf in her own right.”
The four-month-old heifer is from the All World winner Decrausaz Iron O’Kalibra EX97 and represented the first time a direct daughter of a dam classified EX97 was sold in Australia. The heifer was sired by Gold Chip.
Rocky Allen, from Cobargo, NSW, and his friends Alex Cochrane and Jared Cochrane from Nowra, NSW, and Craig Cochrane, Geelong, sold the heifer.
“It’s unbelievably exciting,” Mr Allen said. “When the bidding was going on (it felt) amazing and we were shocked with what was happening.
“You think, you wish in the lead up to the sale (you would get the price) but for it to happen, wow.”
He said the journey to get to the sale was a three-year process and included importing the embryo to Australia.
“It was a big investment,” he said. “(The sale price) well covers the cost of the investment but there’s a lot of risk in the investment as well.”
Mr Allen said they intended to reinvest the money from the sale and continue with their work importing embryos to Australia.
“We have bought a lot of embryos over the last two years with the Australian dollar being high,” he said.
Holstein Lightning Ridge CMD Doorman Barbie-Imp-ET sold for $23,000 to the Zanders family from Cairnhill Holsteins Kialla.
She was offered by sale organisers Declan Patten and Callum Moscript.
Top of the Jersey lots was the pick of two January-born heifers from the $US170,000 cow Page-Crest Excitation Karlie EX91.
Daryl and Greg Bryce from Nullawarre picked Lightning Ridge CMD Verbatin Karlie 2-Imp-ET for $22,000. This was a new record for an unjoined Jersey heifer sold in Australia.
Other sales included 11-month-old heifer Avonlea Golden Fige from J & C Gardiner sired by Gold Dreams which sold for $15,000 to M & J Young for Ridgley, Tasmania; daughter of 2010 intermediate champion of World Dairy Expo sold to C & M Gleeson of Elm Banks Holsteins for $14,500.
Sale agents Dairy Livestock Services reported an average of $9240 for 48 Holsteins, $7883 for 12 Jerseys with 60 lots $8968.
Sale managers Declan Patten and Callum Moscript were rapt with the result.
Mr Patten said the sale was to promote the Australian dairy industry, its breeders and genetics to the world. He hoped it would become an annual event following the success.
Source: Weekly Times