Who dairies wins: Another successful Dairy Week in Tatura

Jan 23, 2022

Jersey gem: Windy Ways’ Frank Walsh (formerly from Tongala), interbreed reserve grand champion Windy Ways Galaxies Dawn 7 and Cherrylock's Brad and Jess Gavenlock from Tallygaroopna. Dawn also took out senior and grand champion Jersey. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

How now brown Swiss cow: Tandara Glenwood Heidi 303, owned by the Govett family of Dingee, sold for $27,000 at the International Dairy Week auction last week — the highest price paid for a brown Swiss in Australia. Photo: Daneka Hill

International Dairy Week at Tatura is done and dusted with all involved pleased the premier interbreed dairy event went ahead after it was cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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For Declan Patten and Bradley Cullen, who took over from Brian Leslie in organising the event, it was a relief to see IDW, which ran from January 16 to 20, come together.

“We are just so grateful and thankful to have IDW back and people could attend,” Mr Patten said.

“Despite a drop in numbers our feedback has been extremely positive, not just from exhibitors but from the sponsors as well who all had some great conversations.”

He said changes to the format, including the Around the Barn chats and podcasts and scheduling with an increased focus on cow comfort, were well received.

In another change, the Create the Future auction on Wednesday night, featuring 39 lots was largely virtual with only 12 animals at the site and the rest filmed on farms.

The lots averaged $7131 with Tandara Glenwood Heidi 303, owned by the Govett family of Dingee, selling for $27,000 — the highest price paid for a brown Swiss in Australia.

For more photos and stories, see Tuesday’s edition of Country News.