To the city folk, the exhibiting of livestock at any agricultural show may be a quaint nod to yesteryear.
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The word ‘show’ is now commandeered by showbags, sideshows and entertainment shows.
Yet the value of showing cattle and other livestock – and more importantly, winning ribbons – can be the bread and butter for breeding studs.
At this year’s International Dairy Week, the Interbreed Junior Champion Gorbro Hano O Princess sold on the day of her winning for a sizeable $18,000 and is just one of many examples of how ribbon-wearing livestock or their offspring can attract a high price.
The Coombes family from Ellenborough began the sale with the event’s top price of $36,000 for their three-year-old Holstein Avonlea Master Vee-twin.
Prices can be much higher.
Alpine Angus at their 2022 Spring sale, broke all records for selling a prize bull for $120,000.
Such prices reflect the attention to detail given by breeders and the sharp observations from potential buyers, whether they seek a sire, dam or calf from a winner.
Long before artificial insemination, transgenics and even our knowledge of DNA, breeders have fine-tuned cattle over generations to maximise traits that increase production.
At agricultural shows, such tweaking can be displayed in comparison with other cattle in their class.
Three dairy cow handlers spoke with Country News at International Dairy Week on January 16 and each had a different and more in-depth take on winning in the arena than simply glorying in the kudos.
Merrigum’s Samuel Macadam led Sammac Lochies Bessie to win the Four Years in Milk class first and the Reserve Senior Champion, for Arlia Ayrshires.
Mr Macadam said the comments given by judges were crucial for breeding management.
“We listen to the judge to see if we are breeding to correct some of the issues in our cows and what we try to do is then fix up those issues,” Mr Macadam said.
“Sometimes you can’t fix it and sometimes you can.
“It’s very important to the industry.”
Of equal importance is the qualification of an event’s stable of judges, and a cursory glance at this year’s program shows the overwhelming expertise in breeding behind each adjudicator.
Their feedback could not be more highly valued.
Team leader at the Joyce family’s Guernsey show team Kaitlyn Joyce said she was pleased with three wins at this year’s event.
Ms Joyce said the Tongala family’s goal was to emulate the success of Florando SD Koala 7 who won Grand Champion at IDW from 2012 to 2015.
The family chose to not sell ‘Koala’ but breed her for saleable offspring, which was emulated last week with several wins from competitors who bought into the bloodline a decade ago.
“Why bother with showing? It means everything to our brand, and it promotes the stud’s name,” Ms Joyce said.
“Koala has done a lot for that name.”
Tallygaroopna-based Cherrylock Cattle Co. manager Brad Gavenlock had a few busy days at IDW and seemed to spend most of his time in the arena with multiple ribbons.
An honourable mention for leading a junior Swiss Brown drew from Mr Gavenlock praise for the winning competitor.
“I am very happy with the result in a very strong field and (the winner) is the best Swiss Brown heifer I have ever seen in this country,” Mr Gavenlock said.
“I was so glad to just stand next to her.”
Mr Gavenlock said Cherrylock does its own milking and breeding, but that their core business was management for other people, with their biggest client being SG Genetics in Texas.
He said the importance of showing cows was critical for business.
“I think this side of it is probably more relevant to the industry than people would understand,” he said.
“We hold an annual sale, and we sold a junior champion privately off our farm.
“And that only happens through this.
“If we are not at the pointy end of winning, then we are not relevant and if we are not relevant, then they’ll go buy them off someone else who is.”