When the Smith family from Hightop Holsteins in Zeerust first laid eyes on Murribrook Goldwyn Verbena it was love at first sight.
“I saw her at the Winter Fair where she was awarded reserve champion and I fell in love with her straight away,” Duncan Smith said.
“Verbena is an awesome cow — I just can’t put it any better than that.
“She is the perfect cow for us and she comes from a family I have always admired.”
In October Verbena was crowned Holstein Australia’s Cow of the Year, and her stats say it all.
Classified EX92-3E, her lifetime production over six lactations currently totals 112,608 litres. Her best lactation was as a three- to five-year-old where she produced 13,801 litres.
She has 202 progeny with 55 classified — 3EX, 27 VG, 23GP and 2G.
Bred by Master Breeder Murray Sowter of Moss Vale, NSW, Verbena made her way to the Smith family after she was purchased by son Nathan in 2020, topping the Murribrook sale at $23,000.
Duncan said she was always going to come home with the family no matter what, and it was the best decision they had ever made.
“Verbena is just a lovely cow and I look for her in the paddock every single day — she is placid, a gentle giant and a pleasure to work with,” Duncan said.
Holstein Australia stated rarely does a cow come along that can tick every box in Holstein breeding — Murribrook Goldwyn Verbena is one of those cows.
“A show champion, a profitable production cow, a superior type cow, a highly ranked ABV cow and a prolific brood cow — Verbena has achieved it all,” it said.
Verbena is the daughter of the two-time Sydney Royal Champion Strongbark Linjet Victory, and her pedigree is steeped in rich Holstein history, right back to the incomparable matriarch, Carmar Linmack Dixie.
Still active as a 15-year-old in the Hightop milking herd, Verbena has surpassed 112,000 litres with a lifetime average PI of 115.
As a 17 Star Brood Cow, she is among the highest living Star Brood Cows in Australia.
On the ABV charts, Verbena remains one of the leading ABV cows of her generation, with a BPI 290, including 108 Overall Type and 104 Mammary.
Her prolific show career spans more than a decade, including Intermediate Champion at Sydney Royal in 2013 to Champion cow in 2024 as a 14-year-old at the Shepparton National Show.
In between there were a swag of On Farm Challenge titles, two more champion titles at the NSW State Show and reserve champion at the Victorian Winter Fair.
As a brood cow, Verbena’s direct daughters include four Excellent and 17 VG daughters, with 14 of them boasting an ABV greater than +200 BPI.
Sales of her progeny have grossed more than $180,000, with daughters and granddaughters in constant demand from other breeders.
Granddaughter Gorbro Lambda Violet was named Supreme All Breeds Junior Champion at IDW 2025.
At 15, Verbena’s milking career might be coming to an end but you can rest assured she will get to live the rest of her days out on the farm, most likely with the family checking in on her every day.
Duncan, Helen and Nathan milk 250 cows — 80 per cent are registered Holsteins while the remaining commercial cows are used for embryo work.
The herd is milked off 125ha and the family lease an additional 125ha, mainly used for cropping.