The latest release of Australian Breeding Values (ABVs) were published by the Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme last month.
Underlining their depth of quality, both Rengaw Holsteins and Cairnbrae Jerseys have also placed the 8th ranked sire in their respective breeds.
For Rengaw principle George Wagner from Winnaleah in north-east Tasmania, dominance in the latest ABVs is the latest accolade in a career spanning 50 years. The production-focused producer is now ranked as having the number-one Holstein herd in Australia and has the Holstein title of Master Breeder.
Wagner has quit active dairying and his breeding herd has gone to the property of his daughter and son-in-law Courtney and Jared Ireland near Lockington in northern Victoria.
"I've got the last of my young bulls here on agistment, but I still take an active interest in breeding -- flushing about 10 cows a year," Wagner says.
"We've always used the best bulls available with production our main aim and it has reflected in our herd performance over many years. Our sires are proven all-rounders with good fertility, components and low cell counts."
The top ABV Holstein bulls are full brothers; Geemcee (Rengaw Manoman Hummer) is ranked number 1 and Wrangler (Rengaw Manoman Wrangler) number 2.
Wagner says the second-placed bull Wrangler was highly ranked on type and was expected to strongly appeal to Holstein producers.
Both bulls are embryo transfer, sired by a deceased Manoman bull in the US out of a top ranking member from the Janea cow family.
"We lost the dam a couple of years ago, but we've still got the bloodlines, flushing a full sister to the top ranked bulls," Wagner says.
The Janea cow family has had a profound influence and is still strongly represented in the Rengaw stud herd.
The stud was registered in 1968, with real genetic advances, including ABV success from the 1990s.
"We've been pleased with the acknowledgement of our breeding success and recognition as the top influencing Holstein herd in Australia," Wagner says.
Cairbrae leads the way
THE top ABV Jersey bull Elton (Cairnbrae Jaces Elton) has had a huge influence on the breed.
Cairnbrae stud master Alan Carson from Irrewillipe East in southwest Victoria says the bull had been in AI since 2009 and had steadily climbed to reach the number 1 ranking as a 12-year-old.
"It's very unusual to have a bull so highly rated for so long. They usually tend to come and go quite quickly," Carson says.
The latest ABV scores were aggregated from 4437 daughters in 464 herds, more than 10 times other top ranked sires.
Cscedison (Cairnbrae Tbone Edison) was ranked the second Jersey bull and Cairnbrae Tbone Ensign at number 8.
Ensign is the highest rated udder bull and expected to be extremely popular with Jersey breeders.
All three bulls are closely related sires from the same cow, Cambrae Alfs Estelle, making the deceased dam one of the most influential Jerseys in Australia.
"She was one of our most successful cows," Carson says. "In addition to all the top ABV bulls, she produced 10 daughters all classified excellent.
"Her influence will continue through her daughters and we also have a full sister to our two Tbone ranked bulls Edison and Ensign."
Cairnbrae Stud, founded in 1946, has enjoyed success with Estelle bloodlines over many years and at least 100 members of the cow family are now in their herd.
Carson and his wife Janine have continued the long family tradition of breeding excellence since they took over in 1976. Top New Zealand bloodlines were an early mainstay and from the 1990s US genetics have been introduced with great success.
Carson has travelled all over Australia for 30 years inspecting the best Jerseys as a breed classifier.
"We've used our knowledge to breed functional dairy cows that suit our environment. We've never tried to breed a show cow, but when a good cow comes along we give her the opportunity to compete in the show ring. We've bred royal show winners in most states."
VFoske (V Foske) and Arbobama (Beaulands Obama) were in the number 1 and number 2 spots for the Red Breeds.
VFoske's BPI was A$287, well ahead of Arbobama at A$202.
