IDW Judge, Michael Heath of the USA, took on the challenge of judging the Agri-Gene Real Australian Photo Comp for photos taken in 2016. Congratulations to all who made the final cut. Don't forget photos from 2017 need to be in the hands of the Photo Committee by the 2017 IDW. More info to come.
DRY HEIFER:
Champion: B – Eagle Park Manu Linda 4293 - Eagle Park Farming, Terara, NSW
Reserve: A – Eagle Park Anticipation Pamela 4228 - Eagle Park Farming, Terara, NSW
Hon Mention: F – White Park Roseleaf 142 – M & G Henry, Hodgsonvale, QLD
C: Glenbrook Milly – I & J Mueller, Murray Bridge, SA
D: Llandovery LB Betty – Hayes Family, Girgarre, Vic
E: Tara Cherry 12 – M & G Henry, Hodgsonvale, QLD
Judge's comments: “I’ve placed B over A for her dairyness, silkier hide, longer neck and because she has more style. A goes over F on her depth of rib, power and straighter set to her rear leg. F beats C with her longer, squarer frame, more openness, and because she has more depth and angle to her rib. C trumps D because she is a longer-bodied heifer with more power and nicer legs. D goes over E on her neater tail-head and because she is more feminine about her head, she has a squarer frame and more overall dairyness. I admire the power of E but she lacks the style and balance of heifers above her.”
2 YEARS IN MILK:
Champion: A - Braelee Honeycombe 15 – D & M Kuhl, Mt Gambier, SA
Reserve: C – Silverleigh Cindy 106 – R & J Lindsay, Warwick, Qld
Hon Mention: B – Glenhaven Little Princess 12 – N & M Mueller, Murray Bridge, SA
Judge's comments: “A beats C with her length of body and her dairyness. A also has more bloom and capacity in her rear udder, more eye appeal and she has a silkier hide. C gets over B with her depth of body, her power, strength and her longer and squarer fore udder. B does have great length, but she lacks the depth of body, strength, power and shape of fore udder.”
3-4 YEARS IN MILK:
Champion: D – Riversleigh Zeus Stella 20 – Tuhan Family, Tatura, Vic
Reserve: E – Llandovery Blush’s Queenette – Hayes Family, Girgarre, Vic
Hon. Ment: F – Tara Daffodil 48 – M & G Henry, Hodgsonvale, Qld
C: Glenbrook Nancy 53 – I & J Mueller, Murray Bridge SA
B: Myrtleholme Empress 60 – JP Bourke & Co, Gladfield via Warwick, Qld
A: Eachamvale CV Princess 11 – G & B English, Malanda, Qld
Judge's comments: “D goes over E because she is silkier, she has a more open rib, more style, more balance and more quality and bloom to her udder. E beats F to Reserve Champion because of the deeper and nicer slant to her rib, her square frame, cleaner bone and because she has more volume to her rear udder. F wins over C because she is more youthful in her udder and her frame – and she is also longer in her frame and she has a wider rump. C gets over B with her higher and wider rear udder, deeper body and fore rib, and because she has more quality and dairyness. B goes over A because of her longer and smoother fore udder, in addition to her being longer framed, stronger made and straighter in her rear legs. A is a good young cow, however, she lacks the strength, power, length and frame to challenge the others in this tremendous class. I would also like to see A’s fore udder longer and smoother for her to place any higher.”
5-6 YEARS IN MILK:
Champion: B – Llandovery Ja-Bob Stella 691 – Hayes family, Girgarre Vic
Reserve: D – Llandovery JR Joan 982 – Gordon (Cohuna, Vic) and Rapley (NZ)
Hon Mention: A – Bluechip Absolute Duchess – Eagle Park Farming, Terara, NSW
F: Myrtleholme Blossom 52 – JP Bourke & Co, Gladfield via Warwick, Qld
C: Braelee BP Dairymade 2 – I & J Mueller, Murray Bridge SA
E: Glenhaven Little Princess 10 – N & M Mueller, Murray Bridge, SA
Judge's comments: “This was an amazing class of cows. I’ve started with B over D because of her deeper rib, squarer frame, silkier hide and nicer slant to her rib. She also has more width and ‘pop’ to her rear udder. D goes over A because she has more width, power, and depth to her frame. She also has more height and width to her rear udder. A gets over F because she fits the pattern of the first two cows quite a bit better than the rest of the class. She is a deeper-bodied and stronger-made cow, who is a little straighter in her hock, and she has more general eye appeal. F has an advantage over C in the height, width and capacity of her rear udder. She is also silkier and more dairy. C beats E because she has a more youthful udder, including a longer and smoother fore udder. She also has more overall balance for me. E lacks the shape of udder that the rest of the finalists exhibit, and she is also not quite as stylish.”
AGED COW:
Champion: F – White Park Minnie 29 – M & G Henry, Hodgsonvale Qld
Reserve: E – Glenbrook Scarlet 9 – I & J Mueller, Murray Bridge, SA
Hon Mention: A – Allen Vale Blossom 16 – A & D Whatman, Oakey, Qld
C: Lynonga Butter Lilly – I & J Mueller, Murray Bridge, SA
B: Myrtleholme W Ladybird 2 – JP Bourke & Co, Gladfield via Warwick, Qld
D: Springvale Molly 20 – W & C Doecke, Murray Bridge, SA
Judge's comments: “F places over E because she possesses more quality and style. She is longer framed, silkier uddered and with a longer and smoother-attached fore udder. E slides into Reserve Champion over A because she has more height and width to her rear udder and she follows the pattern of the first cow better in terms of her quality and dairyness. A places over C because of the nicer shape to her udder, more balance about her frame, and she is more feminine. C beats B because she is more youthful in her udder and she has a bit more power throughout. B goes over D because she has a straighter leg, and she is squarer and more impressively framed. B also has more fore rib and chest. D finishes last because she lacks the depth, width and power of the rest of the class, but I acknowledge her awesome rear udder.