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More than half of South African dairy farmer Rohan Herselman’s 2500 Jersey cows come from Australian semen and the percentage is set to grow. Rohan and a group of South African farmers recently joined semen sales person and Jersey specialist for CRV Xseed Robert Bosch on a tour of Victorian farms hosted by Genetics Australia. He farms on South Africa’s Western Cape, milking 2500 Jersey cows on a 1150-hectare pasture-based system in a share milking arrangement for Lancewood Farm. The total multi-purpose farm covers 2000 hectares and also has avocados, macadamias and a guest house.

Under South Africa’s share milking system, the land and cows are the owner’s property and Rohan runs the business for a percentage of the profits. Despite the big numbers, Rohan says it’s an easy system with all animals on pasture, except calves from birth to two months.For the past 12 years, Rohan sourced a lot of Australian genetics through CRV Xseed, Genetics Australia’s South African distributor. “I started it because Australia has the same way of pasture-based farming. This year I want to use close to 100 per cent Australian genetics. Genetics Australia has quite a few good bulls available and there are good opportunities.”

So far, he has lined up Ventura P, Imperial P, Irymple and wants to use one bull from New Zealand. “We’ve got a lot of good cows and good results from Australian semen with butterfat, protein and litres. I’ve got no complaints.” The trip was a chance to see Australian genetics at work in their home environment. “I wanted to see how it looks there, how the cows are going and how the cow families look,” he said. “There are some brilliant cows and cow families that were nice to see.”

The farms are similar to South Africa, with pasture-based systems, and a mix of breeders, commercial farmers, and young and older farmers at the helm. “The big difference is Australian farmers tend to do the work themselves due to cost and availability of labour, whereas we have quite a few staff to do a lot of the physical work. We could be complicating it too much. You guys keep it simple – eat grass, fed concentrates and do the minimum. “It was good to see the energy of young people coming through. You know the dairy industry has a good future.”

Rohan said some farmers he visited were worried about fertility and hoped to improve it with American semen, but he thinks Australian semen and good management can solve any problem. “More than half our herd is Australian genetics and we’ve got top results in South Africa with fertility, plus high milk, high solids,” he said. “We have some of the best results in the world.”

Rohan takes a holistic approach to breeding. “You can’t just fix it with semen – you have to feed and manage the cow to ensure it is in good condition. You can’t breed a beautiful cow and not feed her well and think she’s going to do it by herself. However, he stressed that he was impressed with Australian farmers.  “I think there are some small things certain farms can do better, but I realise Australia has just been through a drought for two years,” he said. “It’s in everyone’s interest to do it better and we all need to keep learning.”

In the future, Rohan wants to visit New Zealand and would like to send key staff members to Australia. “It was a wonderful trip and I thank Rob Derksen and the whole team for the hospitality and hosting the tour. It was top class.”

• Drive beef sales growth across Queensland & Northern Australia
• Partner with producers to improve herd performance using leading genetics
• Flexible, field-based role with real industry impact

For farmers, AI has traditionally referred to artificial insemination but the new form of AI – artificial intelligence – has the potential to transform agriculture.

Co-founder of Audacious Agriculture Stuart Austin says AI could be a game changer for farmers who will have easier and quicker access to data and new imaging opportunities.

Mr Austin will present `From Vision to Innovation: Harnessing AI to Transform Agriculture’ at the GA 2026 Today, Tomorrow and Beyond conference hosted by Genetics Australia in Geelong on March 17-18.

While the presentation discusses the risks and challenges of using AI, Mr Austin says farmers should bring an “open and curious mind” to the subject.

“It’s the next generation of ag tech – it’s putting ag tech on steroids,” he said.

“There will be some jobs at risk but there are plenty that aren’t, and there is so much opportunity, particularly in the ability to quickly analyse and interpret data. That will be a game changer for farmers. We can capture an enormous amount of data on farm. The bottleneck is analysing that data and turning it into something meaningful and AI will solve that.”

Farmers will also benefit from AI’s ability with taking and processing images, including still photos and videos, to measure different attributes of an animal. “That is quite exciting and will offer benefits, but it might mean that some existing hardware technology gets superseded,” Mr Austin said.

Robotics are likely to be introduced in abattoirs and in feedlots. “There is the issue of job displacement but abattoirs are notoriously looking for workers and so is agriculture. I’m not convinced it will displace many jobs, but it will help us to fill jobs in some instances. Robots can work in any competitive and repetitive environment; we’ve been using robots for decades; these are just smarter robots.”

Mr Austin’s talk at the GA 2026 conference will show how people already use AI in their everyday lives.

“It’s in facial recognition on our phone and using ChatGPT for every day tasks. To me it’s the next iteration of google. You ask Google a question now, and the first response is AI. It’s really helpful and saves a lot of time. That will drive productivity gains and efficiencies in our day-to-day lives.

“Companies that incorporate AI into technology will stay ahead of the curve.”

Mr Austin is the co-founder of Audacious Ag, specialising in asset management, advisory, coaching, and livestock operations.  He has  worked extensively across the northern Australian pastoral industry, spent three years grain farming in Canada, and has spent time in his younger years in a southern QLD feedlot.

International speakers from Europe, USA and South Africa feature on the GA 2026 Today, Tomorrow and Beyond conference program along with farmers from around Australia who will showcase their business innovations, herd improvements and their thoughts on the future of farming

The conference will be at GMHBA Stadium 370 Moorabool Street South Geelong. People can visit Trybooking Link for ticketing information and the full program.

Kate Kirk admits she was a total novice when she was introduced to dairy farming.

At the time, Kate was working in a Leongatha supermarket in South Gippsland. Her then boyfriend, share farmer Jason Kirk whose family had two farms at Loch, needed to find a new worker when his sister moved on to run the second other farm.

“I said I don’t know anything about farming but I’m happy to give it a go,” Kate said. “What’s the worst that could happen – If I suck at it and you fire me; I can go back to the supermarket.”

Turns out Kate was a good learner who quickly adapted to farming life, and at the same time their relationship blossomed and led to marriage and Kate becoming part of the share farming arrangement.

Part of her success came from the mentorship of Jason and his family and the deluge of Dairy Australia courses she undertook to learn about industry standards.

She’s never forgotten the importance of that support and today she continues to pay it forward.

Kate will present `From Frankston to Gippsland: A Journey in Farming and Mentorship’ at the GA 2026 Today, Tomorrow and Beyond conference hosted by Genetics Australia in Geelong on March 17-18.

Kate had been raised in Frankston and no intentions of becoming a farmer but now she wants to help young people find their way in the industry.

She remembers joining the farm as a 19-year-old rookie. “Jason and his father taught me everything about what they wanted on their farm and they supported me to learn the industry standards,” she said. “Because I wasn’t qualified for diddley-squat, I started doing all the Dairy Australia courses like Cups On-Cups Off, calf rearing and Fert Smart. I think I’ve done every single course they’ve had in the past 20 years.

“I’ve always been a go-getter person and if I’m going to do something, I’m going to do the best I can.”

She even became confident and experienced enough to instigate on-farm changes based on data.

While continuing to lease in Loch, in 2016 Kate and Jason bought their own farm at Dumbalk, adding to it over the years to build up to a milking herd of more than 500 on 364 hectares. They have four staff and more than 1100 animals all up including young stock, and also do their own hay and silage conservation.

In recent years Kate completed her Diploma of Agriculture qualification online, along with a training and assessors’ course at TAFE and became qualified in food safety and lead auditing.

Along with working as a verified dairy food safety auditor with Dairy Food Safe Victoria auditing farms for their milk licences, Kate is keen to help young people to navigate their way into the industry, including their own staff.

“We support people to take time off for training because I know how important that was when I was a novice,” Kate said. “There are not a lot of younger people in agriculture and it’s way harder for them to get into it than it used to be, but we need them. Farms are much bigger so the industry needs more employees, from managers to farm hands, and those people need a chance to skill up. They need on-farm training as well as formal training so they know what industry best practice is.

“It is difficult to get in, but it’s possible if you’re patient. Find someone that you admire and ask them questions and use the industry opportunities that we have. If there’s a part of the farming that you don’t enjoy, find a bit that you do enjoy.

“If you’re going to do it, do your best.”

They also host on-farm tour groups, including visitors from Zimbabwe organised by Genetics Australia. Kate will be part of an online seminar for Zimbabwean women in ag in March.

Recently turned 40, Kate says she and Jason continue to work well as a team, but she hopes to phase out of the hands-on heavy-lifting part of farming.

“I want to do the things I enjoy, like supporting staff, teaching skills, explaining the importance of food safety legislation, connecting people to industry resources and just talking to and supporting dairy farmers and their goals.”

The GA 2026 Today, Tomorrow and Beyond conference hosted by Genetics Australia on March 17-18

will be at GMHBA Stadium 370 Moorabool Street South Geelong. You can visit here for ticketing information and the full program.

In taking on national responsibility for the Genex HerdMonitor in Australia, Jon Down knows he’s backing a good thing.

“I want to be part of a product that makes a difference for farmers,” he says. “It’s a struggle to get good staff and technology is filling that gap, and on top of that, staff want to work on farms that have good technology.

“Not only is it helping farmers  to gain better insights into their herds, it’s a real attraction to get good staff.”

Based near Adelaide, Jon will ensure farmers across Australia receive dedicated support and guidance to maximise the value of their systems.

His role as a product specialist for the Genex HerdMonitor collars is a new position within GA, reflecting the growth and popularity of the product.

With both ear tags and collars, Genex HerdMonitor delivers accurate heat detection, health insights, and herd performance tracking, all accessible via an easy-to-use App from anywhere in the world.

“Farmers are relying more and more on new technologies and HerdMonitor can help to improve reproductive performance and identify cows earlier that are getting sick

“Without it, you will normally only pick up that a cow is sick when she starts showing the clinical signs, but HerdMonitor will alert you to any problems earlier . It shows if she is moving less, eating less, ruminating less, or all three, and from that you can treat her earlier so she can return to the milking herd quicker.”

While Jon will be promoting the Genex Herd Monitor system, his focus is equally on ensuring farmers receive the best backup service available. “This isn’t just about selling technology — it’s about making sure farmers get full value from it,” he says. New technology can be daunting, so a high level of support is crucial in order to get the best use out of it.

Jon grew up in North Devon in the south-west of England in a family that was very involved in agriculture. In 2018 he moved to New Zealand and worked in the dairy industry as a genetics product specialist before progressing into a role of product lead for cow wearables.

“I was very interested in cow wearable technology and how it was making a difference on farm, not only filling a gap of a shortage of on-farm skilled labour, but also allowing farmers to make better on-farm decisions based on actual cow and herd data coming from the collars, especially in terms of animal health and repro.”

From there he went into a role of North Island territory manager for Nedap Livestock Management, a company that provides technology solutions for dairy farmers, focused on monitoring and managing individual cows and whole herds. The Genex HerdMonitor is powered by Nedap technology so Jon is well aware of the reliability and accuracy of the technology that monitors over 6 million cows worldwide.

He recently moved to Australia with his wife Ashlee to be closer to her family.

Jon will be working with National Sales Manager Rohan Butler who says he brings a wealth of experience in herd monitoring, genetics, and wearable technology. “Jon’s blend of technical expertise and on-farm experience are a perfect fit for Genetics Australia and Genex Herd Monitor. His appointment is another step in ensuring we back up our products with the right level of service and farmer support.”

Jon can be contacted on [email protected] or 0403 440 217.

Gippsland farmer Daryl Hoey has had numerous bulls into the AI system, but his latest addition is something special.

GT, which is joining the Genetics Australia Jersey portfolio this spring, has been named in honour of Daryl’s great mate, Greg Tiller.

While it’s a bittersweet moment, it also gives Daryl great pride to recognise the contribution Greg made to his Beulah Jerseys herd and to the cattle breeding industry in general.

Greg died suddenly on August 20, 2023 after a 20-year career as a Genetics Australia field sales representative based at Rochester in Northern Victoria.

Daryl now farms at Wonthaggi but met Greg not long after he bought his previous farm at Katunga in 2002.

“Greg started at GA a few months after we bought the farm and he became one of my best friends,” Daryl said. “We spent plenty of hours on the phone or at the kitchen table discussing genetics.

“My enjoyment out of breeding cows and breeding bulls has never been the same since the loss of Greg. I’ve lost someone that I spent so much time discussing and debating genetics with. His death left a massive hole in my life – I just don’t have those same conversations with anyone else.”

The connections Greg made with farmers went well beyond genetics. “Apart from just calling on farms to make sales, Greg would talk about farming and life and making sure people were okay. Greg was always there if you needed those conversations. He was always conscious of other people’s circumstances and always checked in on people and made sure everyone was okay.”

Despite Daryl’s loss, GT the bull is set to do GT the man proud.

While Daryl has had plenty of bulls in AI, GT is special not only for the emotional connection but for his outstanding potential.
“I don’t necessarily strive to put a bull into AI. With over 80% of semen used being sexed, breeding bulls is not a focus. I just strive to breed better genetics in my herd and then sometimes the genetics come together to produce something special”, Daryl said.

“If you have consistent cow families and high-indexing animals then the chances of that happening is greater. The high genomic animals keep coming to the top if you keep breeding your better lines to good bulls.”

GT comes from a long line of cows stemming back to south-west Victorian farmers Rosemary and Pat Roache’s Fairy cow family which produced the bull Outinfront that Genetics Australia bought more than 20 years ago. This led to the Fairy family in Daryl’s Beulah Jerseys, one of his strongest cow families.

GT’s mother Dougg T Fairy was the number one genomics heifer in Australia, and is still ranked ninth, and his grandmother Triple N Fairy was one of the top genomic animals in her year group.

“The cow family for four or five generations has always been high on genomics for the year level and GT seems to have picked up a lot of his sire’s attributes,” Daryl said.
“He’s got strong mammary and fertility, which are some of the key areas that I’m focussing on at the moment. Fertility is something the breed seems to have forgotten about. He’s a really solid bull, not necessarily outstanding in one particular area but solid across the board.”
Dougg T Fairy was sent to Genetics Australia’s TLG centre at Camperdown to be flushed and when they got two heifers and two bulls, Daryl was determined to make sure a bull was named in recognition of Greg.

“This has special meaning,” he said.

GT’s two embryo transfer Starlord sisters are still the number one and two females born in 2024 and will be soon flushed at TLG.
Daryl now milks about 300 cows, 95 per cent Jersey, on 177 hectares near Wonthaggi.

He hopes that by adding GT to the Genetics Australia spring 2025 release he will be able to honour his friend and breeding buddy. “We didn’t always agree but he never told you that you were wrong,” Daryl said. “Greg always let you decide yourself but he challenged you and threw different options on the table. He always kept the communication lines open.”

Camperdown VIC, Australia – On July 1, 2025, Trans Ova Genetics, the global leader in bovine reproductive technologies, will officially launch in Australia in conjunction with Total Livestock Genetics (TLG) in Camperdown, Victoria, Australia, marking a major step in global livestock reproduction innovation. For the first time, Australian cattle producers will benefit from the advanced IVF technologies developed by Trans Ova Genetics.

With Australia ranking third in global beef production and among the top ten in dairy, it’s clear that producers here are leading the way—making it the ideal next step for Trans Ova to support the continued success of producers through advanced reproductive technologies by bringing its toolbox of services closer to home. “Australia presents an exciting opportunity for growth. Producers here already recognize the value of advanced reproductive technologies, and we’re thrilled to deliver our industry-leading IVF solutions to support their success,” says Chief Operating Officer, Katie Jauert Jess.

Since the beginning of the year, Trans Ova has been working closely with the team at TLG to integrate its proven systems and rigorous protocols into the Camperdown facility. Several members of the TLG team have completed extensive hands-on training in the United States, ensuring the seamless delivery of services that meet Trans Ova’s high standards of quality. Upon passing all quality control checks, the new lab has already started creating IVF embryos for clients commercially.

“We are pleased that Genetics Australia will be collaborating to bring the Trans Ova brand and technology to Australia. In our business we strive to do what is best for our clients and the Trans Ova team has similar values. Having access to the technologies of Trans Ova, which is one of the best if not the best company doing IVF in the world, will be very rewarding for our clients,” says Genetics Australia Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Shelly.

Trans Ova is internationally recognized for its superior animal husbandry and reproductive expertise. The company operates through an integrated network of regional centers, satellite locations, and on-farm services. Trans Ova expects to expand further into Australia in the future.

For more information, please contact [email protected] or on mobile +61 0408 529 410.

About Trans Ova Genetics
Headquartered in the USA and founded in 1980, Trans Ova Genetics provides industry-leading reproductive technologies for breeders seeking to advance and amplify superior genetics. The company helps multiply the genetic success of a herd. Reproductive technologies, such as embryo transfer, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), sexed semen, genetic preservation and cloning are considered excellent reproductive tools for breeders seeking to achieve specific breeding and reproduction goals.

PDF Press Release – Click Here

Sales Representative – Gippsland, Genetics Australia 

We are pleased to announce that Cathy Cole has joined the Genetics Australia team in the role of Sales Representative for Gippsland, bringing over three decades of experience across dairy reproduction, animal health, and agribusiness. 

In her role with Genetics Australia, Cathy’s focus is on building strong relationships with farmers and providing tailored support across the entire GA product range — from genetics and reproduction tools through to merchandise and herd monitoring solutions. She’s committed to being on farm, understanding your needs, and delivering practical solutions that add value. 

Cathy has worked in the Herd Improvement industry for the past 2 years, where she specialised in genetic planning, bull team selection, and client development. She’s also worked in retail management at Petstock, run her own livestock transport business, and continues to operate a boutique dairy goat farm offering AI services, breeding support and product development. 

With hands-on experience in both the dairy and equine sectors — locally and internationally — Cathy brings a practical, grounded approach to her work, backed by deep industry knowledge and a passion for helping farmers succeed. 

Whether you’re planning your next joining or just looking to have a conversation about how GA product range can fit into your system — Cathy is ready to help. 

Jasmine Sloan has celebrated her 10-year milestone with the company by being named the first recipient of the Genetics Australia Staff Excellence Award.

Jasmine received multiple nominations from her peers where she was described as always happy to help anyone with a calm, level-headed disposition.

The nominees were high in praise of Jas. “She takes pride and is very professional in her role, while still being a kind and compassionate member of our team. She really adds to the family,” wrote one nominee.

“Jasmine consistently showcases integrity, humility, farmer’s spirit, and teamwork,” said another. “This is displayed through her determination and completion of tasks assigned to her and offering assistance to others when needed.”

“Jasmine has been the backbone of two business integrations with no complaints and she continues to strive for better. She excels at what she does.”

The accounts and payroll administrator marked her decade with the organisation in April.

“I’ve always been in the accounts area, firstly with TLG, then Genetics Australia after the acquisition and now with the expanded organisation under the Joint Venture,” she said.

“It has definitely become bigger and busier over the past two years since we’ve been in the Joint Venture, but that’s good because it’s busy all the time and you never have to look for anything to do.”

Jasmine likes the regimental nature of working in an accounts department. “I like accounts because there’s always a process you need to follow,” she said. “There’s no making it up as you go along.”

But it’s the group of people who make it a happy work environment. “Everyone gets along; it’s a great team,” she said. “The lunchroom is never quiet which is a good measure of a company.”

Jasmine was the driving force behind the introduction of the Employment Hero payroll system. “Now that we have so many staff members and not everyone works within the office, people can clock in and clock out on their phone and it removes a lot of the physical and manual requirements that people had.”

Jasmine describes the award as a great honour. “I’m glad that people within the organisation appreciate each other.”

Born in Warrnambool, she has been living in Camperdown for the past nine years.

Four Staff Excellence Award recipients will be recognised each year.

With the 2025 season well underway, Genetics Australia is excited to share a preview of some of the standout young sires about to enter the market. These bulls represent the strength of our domestic program, now supercharged by our partnership with URUS and the integration of the Peak breeding program — delivering elite global genetics selected and developed for Australian conditions.

Holstein Highlights

ZEPHYR
Decipher x AltaMagnifique

Back in 2023, Genetics Australia joined the URUS family and launched a bold new chapter in bull development — and Summit View Zephyr is an outstanding example of what that collaboration can deliver. Bred from one of Peak’s elite donor dams and born right here in Australia, ZEPHYR is the first genomic sire to emerge from our new co-operator program.

With strong positives for milk, components and functional type — including longer teats — ZEPHYR is a modern, well-balanced bull with broad appeal. He’s expected to be available from June–July, so contact your GA representative to secure early access.

WILARA NOUGAT
Candyman x Bolti
A heterozygous polled bull that ticks many boxes for today’s Holstein breeder. NOUGAT improves both fat and protein yield, adds strength through chest width, and maintains moderate stature. Add excellent health traits — 112 for Survival and 114 for Fertility — and you’ve got a versatile sire that delivers on performance and function.

WILARA LOLLYMAN
Candyman x Varley
Combining two of Australia’s most influential cow families — the Carenda Vs and the Wilara/Gallrae Lola’s — LOLLYMAN brings extreme fat and improved feed efficiency, making him well-suited to the current economic climate.

WILARA CONRAD
Yolo x Bolti
With a diverse pedigree that includes Pepper, Stoljoc and Pierre, CONRAD delivers high fat and protein alongside a +521L milk boost. Strong across the board, he features excellent udder traits (106 Mammary System) and a 106 Survival ABV, meaning he’ll contribute both yield and longevity to any herd.

Jersey Gems

TULLYP
Boyd x Matt
From Rob and Kerrie Anderson in Gippsland, TULLYP is a heterozygous polled Jersey with +562L milk and a 402 BPIg. Strong across type, fertility and survival, this is a bull that Jersey breeders will want in their joining plans for 2025.

VATMAN
Vast x Hatman
A type specialist from the Wallacedale Melanie family, Vatman boasts a 109 ABV for Overall Type and positive components and workabilities. Whether you’re breeding for the ring or for robust replacements, VATMAN is a smart choice.

GT
Starlord x Douglas
Named by breeder Daryl Hoey in honour of long-time friend and GA legend Greg Tiller, this bull lives up to the name. Balanced and modern, GT excels across production, fertility and health traits — a versatile option for progressive herds.

These sires are just a glimpse into the strength of our upcoming lineup. With more bulls on the horizon from the PEAK and GAH programs, Australian dairy farmers will continue to benefit from the best of both worlds — elite global genetics, tailored for local conditions.

For more information, contact your local Genetics Australia representative or visit our website.