GENETICS ENSURES MARGINS ARE ‘KING’ IN GIPPSLAND

Megan and Barry Coster know what type of cows work in their business. 

That’s because the West Gippsland dairy farmers have spent decades fine-tuning their breeding. 

The couple – who own and operate Bellbrook Holsteins – have worked to achieve a balance of productivity, health and type, ensuring they maximise profit across their pasture-based, seasonal calving dairy farm. 

Now – thanks to new ABS bull Bellbrook Kingtide – the rest of the dairy industry can benefit from the Costers’ focus on genetics that deliver financial returns.  

Megan explained the business doesn’t have production goals for their 700-750 head herd, rather they concentrate on cows making the most milk from available homegrown feed.  

That’s why they believe breeding an all-round cow with a high Balanced Performance Index (BPI) is vital. 

“We are aiming for medium size, profitable but sustainable cows that are nice and healthy and survive in the herd as long as possible,” Megan said. 

“Obviously, we are also aiming to breed for polled too without dropping our BPI too much.” 

The Coster herd is ranked within the top 20 in Australia for BPI, Health Weighted Index (HWI) and Sustainability Index (SI). 

Consistency has been the key for Bellbrook Holsteins with proven, historic bloodlines combining with genomic testing and new genetic traits to deliver animals suited to modern dairy production systems. 

Bellbrook Kingtide is a testament to the Coster’s breeding approach. 

Slated to join the handful of their own bulls – retained each year because of their reliable bloodlines and ease of management – and used to ‘mop-up’ heifers following two rounds of artificial insemination, the selection of Kingtide for AI came about thanks to genomic testing and Megan and Barry’s partnership with ABS. 

His genomic tests disclosed his ideal type, with moderate stature and his ability to deliver strength, capacity and great udders. At 526 BPI, 534 HWI and 1007 SI, he represents the balance that Australian dairy farmers need, according to ABS Sales Representative Alan Blum. 

“We say Kingtide is a unicorn because of his combined production, type and health traits, it’s rare to have them in one package,” he said. 

“But when you consider these benefits with his ability to transmit the ultimate teat placement – 109 at the front and 99 for rear teats – we anticipate he will be very popular throughout Australia.” 

Bellbrook Kingtide’s ancestry has been developed by the Coster family for 16 generations and traces back to Coolabah Holsteins. His grand dam is Powerwave Della and, as a three-year-old, she produced more than 9000 litres a lactation, 630kg of milk solids with a PI of 126. The young bulls’ great grand dam Lavaman Della is on her seventh lactation with lifetime production of more than 45,000 litres of milk and 3500kg of milk solids. 

Bellbrook Kingtides’ dam is Bellbrook Ascari Della who, in this large production commercial herd, has a PI of 112.  

For Megan and Barry, Bellbrook Kingtide is representative of animals that suit their business, stacking-up in a farming system where profit margins drive decisions. 

“We love cows, we love looking at good cows,” Megan said. “Yes, that is part of it for us, but it is not as though you can’t like looking at a commercial cow. We have bred them to look good but also with a focus on health so they are less likely to have mastitis and other health issues. This helps in keeping our costs per animal lower, having healthy cows. It’s the same with having good feet and legs, we don’t treat many with leg or feet issues.” 

Longevity is also crucial in the Coster’s herd as Megan and Barry believe a long-lasting and healthy cow is the best way to ensure a return on the investment of rearing heifers. 

Megan said part of their breeding philosophy now includes feed efficiency and heat tolerance to ensure their herd is sustainable. 

“The more production we get out of animals over their lifetime, the more sustainable the animal is in terms of cost – physical money – as well as the resources we use to rear the animals,” she said.  

All Bellbrook animals are genomically tested, ensuring replacements are bred from those that meet the businesses’ breeding objectives, have the highest BPI and are best placed to enhance the herd’s genetic merit. 

This approach to heifer retention makes it easier for Megan and Barry to breed with a whole-of-herd approach. 

“We used to breed our favourite cows to particular sires, but in recent years we have been busy with the kids and have adopted an overall herd breeding strategy,” Megan said. “We simply use one of two bulls every day, instead of individual matings for the cows. Thanks to genomics we know where the whole herd sits, not just selected animals, so our breeding is about overall herd improvement.”