Nearly 60 years of history came to an end on Friday when the last collection was processed at Genetics Australia”s Parwan Park bull farm at Bacchus Marsh.
Holstein bull TIRANO P will go into the record books as the last bull to have his semen processed at the facility.
The milestone came just short of 60 years after the first collection was conducted on July 12, 1961.
The property at 144 Woolpack Road, Parwan Park is now on the market after Genetics Australia”s purchase of Total livestock Genetics (TLG) and its decision to relocate its bull management, semen management and semen collection and production services from Bacchus Marsh to south-west Victoria.
All semen has been relocated and most bulls have now moved to the TLG collection facilities at Camperdown and Glenormiston, with the final 20 expected to move by the end of April. All collections and semen processing will now be performed at these facilities.
Genetics Australia CEO Anthony Shelly said the relocation was an exciting time for the co-operative but also an emotional one after such a long association with the Bacchus Marsh site.
‘We acknowledge the dedication of all the current farm and production staff, particularly in the past four months since the announcement of the purchase of TLG and the closure of Pawan Park,’ he said. ‘They have ensured the bulls were moved with care and continued to meet the day-to-day demands of collections and processing to meet current orders.
‘We also thank the staff at the TLG site for making sure the bulls have settled in well at Camperdown and Glenormiston.’
New holding yards and infrastructure have been built and the laboratory updated at the Camperdown site.
Mr Shelly said Genetics Australia was leaving a lot of history at Bacchus Marsh. ‘We acknowledge the past production staff who have worked at the facility during the past 60 years,’ he said. ‘Their work in many ways pioneered the development and progress of herd improvement in Australia and they have made a significant contribution to the industry as we know it today.’
Set on about 50 acres, Parwan Park is now on the market through selling agents Stockdale and Leggo Bacchus Marsh.
