Australian Ayrshires

Ayrshires United - The promotional page for the Ayrshire Dairy Cattle Breed in Australia

Ayrshire average tops record

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By LAURA GRIFFIN, The Australian Dairy Farmer, 21/01/2015

Top Price 2015 IDW Elite Ayrshire SaleThe International Dairy Week elite Ayrshire sale set a new Australian record for the highest average achieved, according to Dairy Livestock Services auctioneer Brian Leslie.

Breeders from across Victoria, interstate and even overseas (New Zealand) provided spirited competition for the 16 female animals (heifers and cows). The international judge Duncan Hunter, England, demonstrated his high opinion of the Australian Ayrshires shown by securing the only embryo package offered – paying $760 each for four embryos by sire De La Plaine Prime and dam Boldview Parndara.

The sale topped at $9000 for Lot 2, Paschendale Cinder Blossom-ET (pictured above) that was knocked down to Araluen Park, Shady Creek and the average over the 16 live lots was $3530.

Ayrshires end four-decade divide

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by ELIZABETH ANDERSON, The Stock Journal  –  01/01/2015

 

Ayrshires end four-decade divideTHE Ayrshire breed will be moving forward this year as a united organisation.

From January 1 (today), the two existing national organisations have merged into one; Australian Ayrshires.

This follows almost 40 years of division after a split in 1977 led to the formation of a second representative group.

 

Australian Ayshire Breeders Association president Scott Braendler, Jervois, and Ayrshire Australia Limited president Michael Hentshcke, Glencoe, are both optimistic about what the move will mean for the future of the breed.

“This is something really positive for all Ayrshire breeders in Australia,” Mr Hentschke said.

“Time has healed any conflict and the administration and members could see the benefit of one organisation.

“It’s good to be back together.”

Mr Braendler said that in the past, there could be a slight “us and them” feeling at shows between the two groups, but as new generations have come up in the breed, that has disappeared.

“All that has been and gone now,” he said.

He said the process of working towards a single national body took between 18 months and two years.

“The two federal committees have worked together to come up with a solution that was equitable and positive for the breed,” he said.

“Being a minor breed in the industry we know it’s silly to have two organisations. There was doubling up on everything.

“It’s not feasible or financially viable in the long term.”

A new constitution was developed and voted in, with the initial committee to include five members from each existing group.

The new committee plans to meet later this month and vote in a new president for the combined body.

Membership of the federal organisation also includes membership of each of the state groups.

Mr Hentschke said once the two had come together and decided to make the change, it was simply a matter of “ticking the boxes and making sure all processes are covered”.

He said there were many benefits to the newly merged body, including reducing job replication.