Alan Carson reckons he’s been to every Jersey dairy farm in Australia over the past 38 years, but when he had to say goodbye to his own cows, he admits there was a tear in his eye.
Alan and his wife Janine have ended a family farming tradition that dates back to 1887, when Alan’s grandfather George McNabb bought a 60-acre farm at Irrewillipe for 10 pounds an acre.
They have sold their farm just outside Colac and their award-winning Cairnbrae Jersey herd — achieving a record dispersal sale average in the second sale — and are moving to Torquay where they will raise beef to keep active in retirement.
Alan is leaving with a lot of memories, including a Jersey Australia life membership to recognise his 38-year commitment as a classifier, three terms on the Jersey Australia board and his role in mentoring young breeders.
He’s philosophical about the farm being converted to a sheep operation, saying that’s what generated the best price in the expression of interest process. In years gone by there were four dairy farms on the site; now there are none.
In 1947, the land — on McNabbs Rd — was split between George’s two children. Alan’s mother Marabel established Cairnbrae, buying the foundation Daisy cow the following year.
In 1974, the herd was split between Alan and his brother Jim, who retired four years ago.
Alan and Janine took over the farm in 1976, milking about 140 Jerseys in an old walk-through dairy before building a new herringbone in 1979 and later extending it to a 15-a-side double-up. In 1976, the farm was about 85 hectares — today they depart with nearly 183 ha, plus an out-paddock.
Their success has been built around their cows.
Alan is not ashamed to say he’s shed tears when some of his best cows have died or had to be sold. “That’s how much I think of my cows.”
They briefly milked Holsteins, but Jerseys remained at the core, leading to great showing success and on-farm performance.
The herd consists of roughly equal portions of the Daisy family, Estelle family and a mix of others, with the Daisy cows succeeding at shows and the Estelle family targeted at AI.
Cairnbrae Montana Daisy was Reserve Champion Cow at International Dairy Week in 2004, Champion Cow at Royal Melbourne the same year and Reserve Champion at Melbourne in 2005.
“She was a magnificent cow; I don’t know that I can remember a better cow than her,” Alan said.
In 2015, they had a three-year-old class winner and Honourable Mention Intermediate Champion, Cairnbrae Valentino Estelle 2, who died about two months later and was buried on the farm with a tree planted in her honour.
In 2018, they won three-year-old class and Intermediate Champion and in 2019, were third in the four-year-old, won five- and six-year-old sections and had Champion Cow, Honourable Mention Champion Cow and Reserve Champion Interbreed with Cairnbrae Valentino Daisy 11.
Cairnbrae Valentino Daisy 11, classified 94, was also the number one BPI cow in Australia at the time — a unique feat topping both breeding section and show sections.
The Carsons leave the industry with Cairnbrae as the number 12 BPI herd in Australia, and more than half the herd — 145 cows — ranked as excellent.
Alan and Janine have seen the evolution and improvement of cows.
“The dairy bone of the Jersey is so much better than it was 20 years ago,” Alan said.
“American cows totally changed the dairy bone of the breed. The Jersey cow is definitely better today than when we started.”
In breeding, Alan and Janine believe that a cow has to have a lot of width at her front end and a tremendous spring of rib, with udders taking lesser significance.
“A pretty udder is good but secondary to having the basics of the cow built right,” Alan said.
“If you don’t like the front end, don’t bother looking at the back end; you want a functional udder but if a cow is built right, she will milk.”
Cairnbrae had a policy of breeding from their best cows and looking for the best American bulls to suit their requirements for type and milk, stature, chest width and body depth — and then a good udder.
They believe the efficiency of Jerseys will see the breed expand in Australia.
“We had Holsteins for a while and still have seven to eight but I never liked milking them,” Alan said.
“They’re too big and you can never get the same friendship with a Holstein cow compared to a Jersey,” Janine added.
“You give the same attention to both but you go into a paddock and the Jerseys will come to you and the Holsteins will stand back.”
Alan’s Jersey Australia life membership particularly recognises his role as a classifier since 1983, which he is continuing for the time being.
“I don’t know how much longer I will do it. I’ve always been a firm believer that when you’re not milking cows you shouldn’t still be classifying, but I’m still going at this stage.
“I’ve probably been to every Jersey farm in Australia as a classifier and it’s a great way to see other herds.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it but not everyone can do it. The classifying role is for people who have the ability to judge cows — you have to have people skills and have an eye for a cow.”
While Alan visited most states in his classifying role, Janine kept the farm running.
“I’ve spent many days classifying cows but I’ve had someone at home milking the cows for me; without Janine I couldn’t have done it,” he said.
As they depart the industry, Alan and Janine have no regrets but a few thoughts for the future.
“We’ll miss the cows but we’re doing it on our terms. Our bodies are telling us it’s time and we can get to spend more time with the kids,” Janine said.
“Factories have to pay more for milk or dairy is going to shrink,” Alan said.
“Dairy farmers must get a better return for their investment.”
Janine adds the industry needs a body to stand up for the rights of farmers to make sure they are properly paid for their hard work.