Lisa Broad developed a love andpassion for the Jersey breed fromquite a young age.

Growing up on the family farm instilledin her a love that has only gotten strongeras the years have progressed in fact, whenLisa was a teenager, she even gave up aspot in a representative netball team soshe could continue to show cows on theweekend.

‘I just love cows and it has always beenabout them,’ Lisa said.

Lisa worked in the embryo collectionfield and was the first ever female Jerseyclassifier in Australia.
She is one of the few women to spendtime on the Jersey Australia board in anofficial capacity and currently holds theposition of vice president and chairpersonof the breed development committee.

Farming with her husband Lynton andson Gavin, the family runs Broadlin Jerseyson 220 ha at Lockington.
The Broadlin name is synonymous withchampion cows.

And there certainly have been a few overthe years.

Echo Downs Silver Bubbles, a cow Lisabred before marrying Lynton, caused a stirback in the mid 1990s when the Americanand Canadian judges of the JerseyShowcase crowned her back-to-back Grand
Champion, gaining admirers worldwide.Silver Bubbles went on to become anextremely successful foundation cow in theBroadlin herd, producing 14 daughters. Shedied at 22 years of age, after spending herretirement years happily roaming the farm.

In recent times, Broadlin Illusion 2817has been another great cow for the family. She was named Supreme ChampionJersey exhibit in 2015 and returned in 2018to be named Reserve Senior Champion andBest Udder.

Illusion 2817 might now be retired fromthe show ring but her progeny is starting toshine and make its mark in the ring.
‘The highlight for us this year wasto have three of her daughters, BroadlinIllusion 3341-ET (now owned by the
Easterbrook family,) Broadlin Illusion 3354-ET and Broadlin Illusion 3355-ET standfirst, second and fourth respectively in theirclass and that just gave me goose bumps,’Lisa said.

‘To think not only did we breed themother, but successful generations onfrom her — she has been the cow that
we”ve had most public comment on – herudder is just phenomenal.’

The Constance family has also donevery well for the Broads. But not only does the family excel inshowing cows, they have also had quite abit of success in breeding bulls to enter AItoo.

They currently have five bulls in thesystem with strong daughter proofs,including Aussiegold, who is one of the
first polled Australian bred bulls be usedin Australia and worldwide. He has milkingdaughters in the US, South Africa, NewZealand and South America.
‘To think we have daughters all over theworld out of something we have producedhere in Lockington is pretty awesome and abit surreal actually,’ Lisa said.

Flowerpower was used in the herd 30years ago and created a sound foundation,while recent bulls like Astound, Vanahelmand Raceway have offered the completepackage of type, production and strength.
And that”s where attention to breedinghas paid off over the years.

Broadlin were recently honoured with aplace on the Genetics Australia Honour Rollfor their contribution to Jersey genetics.
‘Breeding has always been aboutproduction, but keeping type in mind aswell, and we would never keep a bull to
sell to other dairy farmers that we weren”tprepared to use on our own cows,’ Lisa said.

A dozen bulls are reared each year andeach one is genomically tested.

‘The criteria changes and the barkeeps rising every year for bulls to enterAI. Sometimes our animals might drop offand we have nothing and then we can belucky enough to hit a green patch and thatseems to be where we are at the moment,’Lisa said.

‘It is an equally great feeling to breed asuccessful bull, but it is a different feelingto see something you own looking greatand parading around the show ring — bothare very proud moments for us.’

Despite Broadlins considerable success,the Broads and in particular Lisa, remainmodest about their achievements.
‘I guess when you sit back and lookat it, I have done a bit over the years,’ shesmiled.
Lisa was awarded the inaugural Powerof Women in Dairy Bette Hall award for2019.

An emotional and ever-modest Lisa wassurprised to receive the award. ‘You don”t do these things expecting
to be recognised; cows have just been mylife and my passion and I have been luckyenough to share that all with my familyalong the way,’ she said.

Article courtsey of Crazycow. To find the full article, clickhere