Sold with love for $30,000

And Gorbro Lambda Justine, the 12-month-old daughter of the IDW 2025 Champion Cow Windy View Chief Justine, sold to K. and H. Jones of Cypress Holstein in Foster, Victoria.

Son Mitchell Jones said he had been following the success of Justine and was delighted to have bought into the cow family.

“We milk 800 registered Holstein cows and have bought plenty of animals from Gorbro over preceding sales — this heifer is magnificent just like her mother,” Mitchell said.

Gunbower dairy farmer Rob Gundry purchased lot 17, Gorbro Honour Alison, a heifer due to calve with an embryo from Gorbro Side Jagg Ruth.

“I bought a heifer with a lot of history and 12 generations of VG or better behind her,” he said.

“She is due to calve in a couple of weeks with an embryo from Avonlea, another great cow family.

“I had my eye on this cow because I am getting two great cow families and it is always good to support Gorbro, they do a lot for genetics and for the dairy industry.”

Steve and Deanne Hore from Elmar Holsteins purchased two lots — lot 38 Gorbro Rubys Cadillac ET, an in-calf heifer that goes back to the James Rose family from Canada, and a yearling Gorbro Dropheaven Shimmer.

“Gorbro have invested a lot of time into their genetics over the years and when a sale opportunity comes up, it enables us to branch out into some new cow families,” the couple said.

“They have also supported us in our sales.”

Gorbro Holsteins principal Glen Gordon said he was pleased with the results.

“We had our best catalogue which included around 30 to 40 more lots than we would normally sell,” he said.

“With the collapse of the export heifer market and milk prices where they are, I think the sale is a reflection of the current climate.

“Every farmer has too many young stock and the opportunity to sell their bottom heifers to export and purchase some better genetics just wasn’t there this year.”

Glen said hosting a sale is now a regular part of Gorbro’s business.

“We spend a lot of time and money on showing and genetics and it makes what we do worthwhile when we sell our best and people are willing to buy,” he said.

Auctioneer Brian Leslie described the catalogue as an incredible presentation of sale animals, which included Gorbro’s complete IDW 2025 heifer team.

The sale grossed $807,600 with an average of $6730 across 120 lots.

Buyers were from Victoria, NSW, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia, along with John Tarpey of Ireland, who purchased the pick of the soon-to-be-born calves from EX 94 Gorbro Goldwyn Ruth.