Jersey breeders got to see the work of successful breeder Frank Walsh at grassroots level as part of the annual Jersey Australia tour on Thursday, May 30.
About 90 people on the tour visiting the Goulburn Valley called at the Walsh Windy Ways farm at Tongala.
Although Frank has formally retired and the stud has been taken over by son Tim, Tim’s wife Jodie and their son Tom, the evidence of decades of good breeding was evident in the 300-head herd inspected by the visiting farmers.
The Walsh family has shown a number of International Dairy Week champions.
Tim told the visiting breeders the farm milks between 300 and 320 head, calving down in a split pattern between spring and autumn and milked in a 32-stand rotary.
“We didn’t want to go completely seasonal, but we want to spread the operation over the seasons,” Tim said.
“We can grow some good grass over winter, so its well worth keeping the milk in the vat. And we spread the workload over the year.”
The operation is over 110ha and milks off 45ha.
The farm sits next to the township of Tongala, but that hasn’t been a problem as the community accepts the dairy operation.
The business engages Tim and Tom, with help from other members of the family and a permanent part-time worker.
The Jersey genetics include the families of Duchess, Primrose, Dawn, Babes and Belles.
The Brookbora Invitational Sale held at Tennyson on Tuesday, May 28 saw 71 lots sell for an average of $7670.
The top-selling lot was a five-year-old, Brookbora Casino Sandy EX92, which sold for $30,000.
More about the sale in next week’s Country News.