Emma Germany

We took over the Ayshire/Holstein Dairy at Hurlstone Agricultural High School where 85% of first calf heifers were needing assistance to calve when put in calf via AI to their respective breeds.

We leased a Lowline Bull from Allambie stud to use over the heifers and over the course of 4 years only two calves needed to be pulled, due to malpresentation.

The conception rate rose significantly also and most batches of heifers went in calf on their first cycle.

Ease of calving with heifers means that the heifers recover quicker and can be put straight into the dairy. It created less cases of metritis and mastitis which meant much better milk production from our first calvers.

Our 1st lactation cows were easier to get back in calf also because of the reduced stress from calving.

Where we had previously got $5 a calf for dairy bull calves, we were selling black lowline cross calves and making $100 a calf.