Members Ideas Sought To Promote The Breed

Member Ideas Sought To Promote The Breed

THE Jersey promotions and marketing committee has expanded but Chair Jane Sykes wants every member to do their bit to advance the breed.

The sub-committee has welcomed new members Hayley Boyd and Daniel Bacon, expanding on the previous Board-based representation, and Jane is encouraging all members to come up with ideas.

Jane said the addition of Hayley and Daniel gave the sub-committee broader representation.

“The expanded sub-committee provides exciting opportunities,” she said.

“We all have ideas and it’s good that we have a broader range of skills and ideas within the sub-committee.

“I’m in Tassie and my farming experience is different to someone in the tropics or northern New South Wales, Gippsland or northern Victoria, so it’s good to have that broader representation to talk to the membership and know what our local industries need to promote the Jersey cow.

“If we can prove the Jersey is the most profitable cow in each of our locations and come up with ideas to promote and market the cow, that will be beneficial for everyone.”

In addition to the sub-committee, Jane wants all members to think of ways to promote the breed.

“The sub-committee is here on behalf of the members and if members have any ideas, pass it on,” she said.

“There are plenty of opportunities we won’t think of; if you’ve got an idea, don’t be afraid to pass it on through the sub-committee. The opportunities are endless for people to put forward suggestions to promote and market the breed.”

The addition of non-board members mirrors the genetics committee which has likewise expanded.

Hayley was previously on the Board and promotions sub-committee while Daniel is a new member.

“It’s really exciting to have new members in the system,” Jane said. “As an organisation, we need to get younger people involved and coming through the ranks. There are only so many positions on the Board but there is a lot of work to go around.

“Everybody has to start somewhere; in time the new committee members might want to go on to the Board.”

The committee’s role is to promote and market the breed. This encompasses organising International Dairy Week, Jersey Australia awards, updating marketing plans, running events and presentations and competitions such as the on-farm challenge, and oversight of the Jersey Journal and social media, including the popular Facebook page.

A priority at the moment is developing an award comparable to the Holstein-Friesian master breeder and continuing to push 5-Star Jersey.

The committee is also doing work on Jersey beef. “It’s an ideal year for it because it’s a lucrative market,” Jane said. “We have set an ambitious target of Jerseys achieving 25 per cent of the Australian dairy herd by 2030 and my opinion is that the only way to do that is to create opportunities to on-sell bobby calves.

From an animal welfare and social licensing point of view, I think we need to look at the next step. At the moment there isn’t a dairy beef market in Australia but if we expect our bred to grow, we have to provide opportunities for people to make money.

“If there is value in extra heifers or bulls, that will encourage more people into the system, but at the moment, there’s not much market for Jersey bull calves.”

Jane believes the sub-committee has a good product to sell. “We believe we have the most profitable type of cow you can get and we have to promote those benefits such as fertility rate,

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hardiness, less lameness, better heat tolerance. There are plenty of benefits to being a Jersey breeder.”

She also says the sub-committee is vital to giving members what they want and need.

“One way we increase Jersey numbers is to convince those who already have Jerseys to become members and we want to provide them with value.

“Jersey milk with its great fat and protein ratios provide plenty of opportunities for promotion of the breed and marketing that alongside the other benefits of jerseys - including possible improved environmental outcomes - should be a strong incentive for people to milk jerseys.”

Meet The New Promotion Committee Members ...

DANIEL BACON

At 29, Daniel Bacon brings a youthful perspective and knowledge from inside and outside the farming system to the committee.

In addition to working on the family farm with his parents Robert and Sandra at Tennyson in northern Victoria, Daniel works part-time with Reid Stockfeeds and is also busy on other committees.

“Because I’m from a different age bracket may be why they asked me to join,” he said.

“It’s good to have a fresh set of eyes and I’m hoping there will be benefits from having someone on the committee who has worked in different parts of the industry.”

Daniel said the committee had a good mix of people. “We come from different stages of life and different areas and we will have different ideas. I think we will work together well as a committee.”

The good news is that Daniel thinks Jerseys are on the right track. “I want to continue the good work Jersey Australia has been doing to bring Jerseys to the forefront and to help people to understand how good the breed is,” he said.

“I want to keep promoting their efficiency, that they’re easy cows to look after, and their commercial viability.”

The Bacons have 280 Jersey milking cows and the family’s Brookbora stud has had significant success over the years, including being named premier breeder and exhibitor at International Dairy Week last year and winning onfarm challenges. It is the number two BPI herd and is one of the highest production herds in the country.

While excited about the opportunity to join the committee, Daniel says he doesn’t harbour ambitions to become a Board member at this stage.

“I’ve got enough on my plate, but I’m excited about the opportunity,” he said. “I think Jersey Australia has made some great inroads in the past few years and I hope to help to continue that.”

HAYLEY BOYD

Promoting Jerseys comes naturally to Hayley Boyd.

Whether it’s answering the age-old question about why she milks Jerseys or designing posters as part of her Signature Graphics and Design business, Hayley loves to spruik the breed so joining the promotions and marketing committee is in many ways an extension of what she already does.

“I’m in the business of marketing all breeds of cattle through my business, even though my heart belongs to Jerseys, and I always like to naturally promote Jerseys anyway,” she said.

In fact, she believes word-of-mouth is critical to the growth of Jerseys. “Farmers talking to farmers is one of the greatest ways of promoting any breed and one of my priorities will be to give Jersey farmers information to be able to promote Jerseys within their own clubs or areas,” she said.

“It comes naturally to me. A lot of people ask me why we milk Jerseys and I’m happy to respond.

I’ll happily sell it to anyone I can; whether I’m on the committee or not, I do it anyway.”

Hayley is part of a family dairy business at Nowra in New South Wales that milks 600 Jerseys and she also raises a few beef cattle and show heifers. Her family is celebrating 40 years of registered Jerseys this year with its Brunchilli stud and Hayley admits she “grew up loving them”.

Hayley has experienced significant success with her Jerseys.

Hayley was previously on the JA Board for a two-year term and she remains active on the NSW state committee and local sub-branch, helping to organise on-farm challenges and the state show.

Hayley says there’s plenty of scope to promote the breed and there’s a good story to tell.

“We’re doing well but we can always strive to improve and do more promotion,” she said.

“There are not that many farmers entering into dairying so to grow the breed we have to convert farmers who are milking other breeds.

“It’s important that we expose Jerseys through the media and at field days and conferences to continue to put Jerseys out there.”

The message that will sell Jerseys is a simple one – they make more money.

“For a lot of people, it comes down to dollars and the Jerseys are the most efficient converters of feed to milk solids,” Hayley said. “For our family, converting from Holsteins to Jerseys meant massive demand for our milk and improvements to our management systems. “We have very minimal cows that need an assisted calving, or suffer from lameness. That’s a big saving on time and vet costs, and there are lots of other reasons people should look at Jerseys.” Hayley is keen to increase promotion within budget restraints, advance the Jersey Journal and use Why Jersey information to encourage young people to start out with Jerseys.

“The committee is a great group of like-minded people and all we want to do is see progression of the breed,” she added.

The other appointees to the committee are Board members Rob Anderson and Janes Sykes, and staff member Lucy Webb-Wilson.

LIFE MEMBERS:

• Colin & Jenny Dowel – Inverell • Keith & Pat Kuhne – Bushlea • Gordon & Marianne Lawson – Kooroo • Don & Evelyn Patterson – Sanray

MEMBERS:

• L & J Anderson – Kings Vista • Winsome Anderson – Kayvee • G, E & B, K Boyd – Ranleigh • T & B Crawford – Billy Creek • R & S Goode – Boronia Ridge • C Harrison – Krishlaye • W & L Kuhne – Bushlea • W Lace – Carla Rose • Launder Family – Glenmaple • D & A Mathews – Langdale • Perrett Family – Rye Valley & Mytee • P Price – Springview • M & N Templeton – View Fort • D & L Hoey – Beulah • Lynton & Lisa Broad – Broadlin • Gavin Broad – Broadside • Sage Deenan – Carisma • Allan Family,-Inverlair Heights • Vagg Family – Bonnay • Richards Family – Somersleigh • Moscript Family – Glenjuristan • A Trotman – Auburn Vale • T Mumford & J Douch – South Coast • C Pulham – Pulham Genetics • P Anderson – Kings Veldt • S & K Whitten - Inspiration Park

New Members Always welcomed!

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Ranleigh Jerseys – The Boyd Family passion

Hot off the back of winning the South optimising feed at different times of the season Gippsland On Farm Challenge, in the spotlight in different locations. The ‘home’ farm on the this edition are the Boyd Family of Ranleigh outskirts of Foster is a predominantly Spring Jerseys. calving herd with an average of 350 cows on A multigenerational farm see’s Estelle and Geoff 100ha, joining for 10 weeks per year, calving in a trust partnership with their son – Brett and from the 10th July onwards. The second farm, wife, Kelly and their three children operating of which Brett and Kelly purchased in 2016 two dairies in two separate is at Yanakie. This farm is locations. Ranleigh Jerseys utilised for their Autumn was first founded in 1940 calving cows, averaging by Gordon and Ethel Boyd 200 cows on 68ha with a and has a strong commercial joining of 8 weeks, calving focus, with many production from the 1st March. The awards being won over the farms are complementary years – including Platinum to each other as ‘any cows production awards for 2019 not in calf we still want to and 2020. join swap farms, so numbers Originally, Ranleigh milked 160 Jersey cows on 60ha. To increase numbers, the neighbouring properties were leased 40ha and 80ha respectively and an additional 350 cow herd were SGOFC Champion cow - Ranleigh Barnabas 5216 (the Boyd Family). stay relatively the same’. Progressive farming with high quality pastures and silage and up to 2.5t grain/ head/year has allowed for a high stocking rates on both farms. purchased. This included This progressive attitude has Grylls Jersey herd along with seen the operation adopt other smaller consignments the use of technologies such of Friesians and X-Breds, as the Herd Insights collars bringing the total number and partake in the GINFO in the herd to 550 cows. program to genomically With the increase in herd test all animals, allowing an size, a split calving pattern understanding of genetic was instigated to 80-90% potential in the herd. A Spring calving and 10-20% strong reliance on data Autumn calving. This then Breeders and owners of from herd testing saw this led to purchasing the 40ha to increase their land holding. When the 80ha lease came to Ranleigh Barnabas 5216, the Boyd Family (Brett, Jace and Estelle representing the family). technology as a natural progression. Genetics Australia and particularly an end, a separate leased farm Alan Blum according to the was acquired at Foster, which lead to increasing Boyds, have been instrumental in developing the Autumn calving and decreasing the Spring their herd. Current sires in use include; calving numbers and the splitting of the two Valenblast, CSC Jamieo, Tripp, TLS Quantas and calving patterns onto separate farms before the TLS Bashful with Valerian being nominated as eventual Yanakie farm purchase. the most consistent sire used in their herd. Different to most operations, the Boyd family The Boyd family are excited for the future of the now operate two separate dairies, moving cows dairy industry, as it incorporates their passion between the farms to suit calving patterns and for farming, technology and their love of family.

South Gippsland Girlpower!

Congratulations…

Matt and Nicola Templeton have welcomed Geri Leigh (left) in September and Darien and Alex Mathews have welcomed Cassidy Rose (right) in February.