The winner of the 2023 Holstein Australia cow of the year is Clydevale MrSam Pisa EX91-3E bred and owned by Clydevale Holsteins.Progeny: 346 – Classified 128 – Excellent 3 – VG 68 – GP 53
Production: 5 Lactations – 81,904 litres 2,863KGP 3.5%P 3,257KG F 3.98%F
Former On-Farm Challenge Winner (2-Year-Old), Reserve Champion Cow – Kerang Feature Show. 2014/15 Honourable Mention All Australian 5-Year-Old. 2nd Mature Cow at the Victorian Winter Fair. 3rd Mature Cow at Victorian Winter Fair 2018.
Owner Comment:
Pisa is a 4-time Holstein Australia Cow of the Year Finalist (2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022).
Pisa has been a herd favourite for many years. She has had show, on-Farm Challenge, Production and breeding success for many generations and is now retired. The Penny family is our largest and Pisa is the most significant cow from the P family.
Pisa’s progeny have been sold throughout Victoria and have been successful show cows with high production for their new owners. Pisa has always been a hardworking, aggressive feeder with a large frame and great udder.
Pisa represents the kind of cow we are trying to breed and has been a pleasure to work with.
Judges’ Comments:
This award recognises Pisa’s lifetime production performance, her idyllic conformation and her overall contribution to the Holstein breed.
The 15-year-old, bred by two-time Master Breeders, The Dee family, was selected from a stellar line-up of nominees, representing all aspects of Holstein breeding.
This year’s panel featured two guest judges – South Australia’s Angela Tweddle of Benlargo Holsteins and St Genetics representative Simon Tognola. The pair agreed that Pisa was the cows that ticked all the boxes.
Judges panel member Simon said it was a privilege to judge such a prestigious competition.
“We weren’t just looking for a ‘pretty cow’. We were selecting on things that are commercially relevant – a cow with longevity, a cow with production and a cow that will generate the most income for the farmer.”
He described Pisa as a very profitable cow that demonstrated a balanced performance across all aspects of breeding.
“Pisa is the whole package. She has been a successful show cow and a highly classified cow…But most importantly, she’s not just a ‘once off’. She is a cow that has given a lot back to the industry and is passing her traits to the next generation.”
Like Simon, Angela appreciated Pisa for her true-type conformation, but said it was her performance as a brood cow, her longevity and her lifetime production total that gave her the advantage over the rest competition.
“Pisa had the longevity and production on her side, and she has a lot of daughters that have classified well and are producing really well,” she said.
-Holstein Australia