Retirement predicated the dispersal sale of Lerida Park Jersey cows and in-calf heifers on August 15.
Rhys and Lauren Smethurst sold their dairy farm at Princetown, in south-west Victoria. Then their renowned registered milking herd were sold in the on-property sale.
“The neighbour was looking for another farm to buy, and none of our children wanted to succeed to the farm,” Rhys told Dairy News Australia.
“Lauren and I want to spend more time with our children and grandchildren, who all live some distance away.”
Those considerations correlated with the couple’s decision to sell and finish their long association with the dairy industry and breeding Jersey cattle.
Rhys and Lauren will continue to live in the local district, on a smallholding at Camperdown.
While the milking herd was sold in August, Rhys and Lauren are raising the yearlings and calves on their new property and an outblock, and expect to sell them in-calf in two sales in 2025.
“The yearlings will be available as autumn calvers, and we’ll join the heifer calves for spring-calving next year,” Rhys said.
“It means we’ll have two more sales, unless these young cattle are sold privately.”
The Lerida Park prefix will continue, with purchases by some significant studs and a Smethurst family member, as well as a new buyer.
“My cousin, Troy, bought 23 cattle and they’ll go to Smethurst Park at Athlone,” Rhys said.
Rhys’ father, Bruce, established Lerida Park stud in 1966, with a nucleus of cows from the herd of his brother, Jim.
“It’s great that someone in the family will continue on with these cows,” Rhys said.
Troy Smethurst is adding the Lerida Park Jerseys to his registered Holstein and Brown Swiss herds on his farm at Athlone, Victoria.
He paid the sale top of $11,500 for lot 39, the recently calved Lerida Park Raceway Sabina 78, born 2021, A2A2, and classified VG86 as a two-year-old.
Troy competed for this young cow against a lot of bids from the floor of the sale, while he bid online through the Stocklive platform.
“This wonderfully uddered young cow completes five generations of EX,” said Brian Leslie, auctioneer with Dairy Livestock Services.
“Troy decided to take the opportunity of this dispersal to buy the very best of many decades of selective breeding, and keep the bloodlines in the Smethurst family.”
Troy also purchased lot 54, the five-year-old and recently calved cow Lerida Park Pilgrim Rose 419, EX93 and milking 8000 litres, for $10,000.
Both cows are fresh in milk, which gives them added value.
Troy purchased lot 34, Lerida Park Aramac Sabina 71, EX91, for $7000. She was born 2019, calved in September 2023 and was AI’d to Sturgis in June this year.
“This cow’s dam’s sister was bought by Brookbora at their anniversary sale this year,” Brian said. Brookbora Jersey stud paid $14,000 for this cow. [https://www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au/news/jersey-sale-tops-at-30000-2/]
Troy also purchased lot 176 Lerida Park Algernon Rosebud 504, EX91 (max), at $8000; Lerida Park Malachi Rose 406, EX92, with 421kg fat, at $7500; and Lerida Park Valentino Countess 418, EX, 91, Lerida Park Aramac Sabina 71, EX, 91, and Lerida Park Chromes Sandy, EX90, all at $7000 each.
Troy paid $6500 for lot 21, Lerida Park Aramac Lucy 198, recently reclassified from VG88 to EX91.
“Indeed, these selections will form a wonderful foundation for the Jersey section of what is already a tremendous herd of cows at Smethurst Park,” Brian said.
“I think the Lerida Park dispersal sale is one of the great Jersey herds that’s ever been sold, and I know these cows will go away and do a tremendous job for their new owners.
“We advertised it as the ‘Jersey Dispersal Sale of the Year’. These cows are big production, high genomics, great type and the cows are in great form.”
Some of the bidders have been long-term clients of Lerida Park, buying young cows and joined heifers over many years to add their genetics to their own herds.
These bidders included Graeme and Lisa Cochrane, Kangaroo Valley, NSW, who bought a swathe of cows, and among them they favoured the Lucy cow family.
They paid up to $6750 for lot 159, Lerida Park Craze Rosebud 512, classified 85 as a two-year-old, A2A2, born 2021 and in-calf, due in early September to Woodside.
They also purchased lot 24, Lerida Park Casino Lucy 215, A2A2, born 2021 and calved April this year, $5500; lot 22, the four-year-old Lerida Park Matt Lucy 223, classified VG85 as a two-year-old, and A2A2, rejoined in June to Ventura-P, $5000; and lot 41, Lerida Park David Sabina 55-ET, VG88, born 2018, due in September to Bigtop, $3500.
Among their purchases, Sandra and Daniel Bacon, Brookbora Jerseys, Tennyson, Victoria, paid $6000 for lot 20, Lerida Park Woodside Lucy 235, a four-year-old due to calve in September, joined to sexed semen from Roulette.
They also paid $6000 for lot 55, Lerida Park Borung Rose 502, A2A2, born 2022, due early September to Ripple and took home lot 7, Lerida Park Valentino Lucy 145-ET, EX90, born 2016, and in-calf by AI to Sturgis, for $3250.
Corey Couch, Ocean Acres Jerseys, Laang, Victoria, purchased lot 9, Lerida Park Tahbilk Lucy 182, EX92, born 2019 and due in September to Broadway, for $9250. He also bought lot 133, Lerida Park Valentino Prim 146, VG88, born 2020 and calved in June, for $4500.
Sarah Bell and Corey Ferrari, Ridgeview Jerseys, Princetown, Victoria, purchased lot 161, Lerida Park Valentino Rosebud 357, EX92, born 2017, calved in April and rejoined by AI to Woodside, for $4000.
Sarah and Corey also bought lot 117, Lerida Park Craze Countess 440, classified 84 as a two-year-old, A2A2, born 2021, due to Goldbank-P in late September, for $3000; and lot 28, Lerida Park Evesearl Lucy 169, VG89, born 2018, due in late September to Big Red, for $2500.
The Couch, Bell and Ferrari syndicate paid $9000 for lot 145, Lerida Park Eclipse Selley 2-ET, EX92. She is a daughter of Royal Show Champion Fleurieu Astound Selley, EX93.
Robbie Salter and Danny Griffiths, Kerang, Victoria, paid $9000 for lot 116, Lerida Park Malachi Countess 409, EX92, born 2018, calved March this year and rejoined by AI to Big Red.
Among their other purchases was lot 59, Lerida Park Raceway Rose 328, EX91, born 2017 and calved in June this year, for $5000.
James Clyne, Newry, Victoria, collected several new cows for his herd. He paid $3500 each for lot 29, Lerida Park Valentino Lucy 232, A2A2, born 2022, due early September to Casino, sexed semen; and lot 98, Lerida Park Casino Rosemaree 216, A2A2, classified 85 as a two-year-old, born 2021, calved April this year and rejoined by AI to Starlord.
James also purchased lot 64, Lerida Park Evesearl Rose 397, EX90, born 2018, due in September to Bigtop, for $3000.
Helena Brown, HD Farming, Jindivick, added to her nucleus herd. Dairy News Australia has previously published a story about her growing investment in dairy [https://www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au/news/starting-to-build-her-dream/].
Helena bought the 2022 Junior Champion Southwest Challenge when she paid $3000 for lot 16, Lerida Park ASKN Lucy 214, VG86, A2A2. Born in 2021, this young cow calved in March and was AI’d in July to Starlord.
“I bought 12 cattle, a mix of cows and heifers in this consignment, including several in-calf with sexed semen,” Helena told Dairy News Australia.
“I now have 31 head, all in-calf, and 25 of those are registered.
“Given we have so many registered cows in our herd now, we think we’ll change our focus and source more, with the idea of registering our own stud prefix.”
Helena’s new purchases included the cow families Sabina, Rose, Lucy and Prim.
She bought lot 51, Lerida Park Graduate Sabina 90, born 2022, due in September to Casino, sexed semen, for $3700; and lot 132, Lerida Park Viral Prim 131, classified 81 as a two-year-old, A2A2, born 2021, calved in April this year and rejoined by AI to Starlord, for $3700.
Helena also bought lot 47, Lerida Park Matt Sabina 89, A2A2, born 2022, due in September to Broadway, with sexed semen, for $3500; and lot 27, Lerida Park Borung Lucy 225, A2A2, born 2022, calved in April and AI’d in June to Ventura-P, for $3000.
Murray Brook Farming, Crossley, Victoria, paid $4000 for lot 179, Lerida Park Casino Rosebud 505, VG87, A2A2, born 2021, calved in March and rejoined by AI to Big Red.
This stud also purchased lot 52, Lerida Park Casino Sabina 85, classified 84 as a two-year-old, A2A2, born 2022, calved April and rejoined by AI to Sturgis, for $3750; lot 198, Lerida Park Valentino Hope 28, EX90, born 2018, calved April and rejoined to Goldband-P by AI, for $3200; and lot 95, Lerida Park Pilgrim Rosemaree 182, VG88, born 2018, calved in April and rejoined to Sturgis, for $2500.
Robbie Wilson, Jamber Farms, Jamberoo, NSW, was a keen bidder at the sale, and also purchased a truckload, including cow families Lucy, Rosemaree, Countess and Rosebud.
Robbie purchased lot 25, Lerida Park Valergo Lucy 194, recently reclassified from VG88 to EX91, A2A2, born 2019, calved in May and rejoined in July to Woodside by AI, for $6750; and lot 94, Lerida Park Casino Rosemaree 209, classified 85 as a two-year-old, born 2021, calved in June this year, for $6500.
Robbie bought a number of cows from the Rosebud cow family, including lot 149, Lerida Park ASKN Rosebud 386, VG86, A2A2, born 2020, calved in April, AI in June to Goldband-P, for $3900; lot 177, Lerida Park Algernon Rosebud 529, A2A2, born 2022 and calved June, for $4000; and lot 180, Lerida Park Valentino Rosebud 430, EX92, born 2018, calved in July, for $3250.
Brother and sister, Cameron Thompson and Lisa McKay of Linsand Farms, Irrewillipe, Victoria, bought cows fresh in milk. They paid $9000 for lot 60, Lerida Park Stux Rose 424, classified 85 as a two-year-old and reclassified recently as EX90, born 2019, calved in June this year.
Cameron and Lisa also purchased lot 89, Lerida Park Casino Rosemaree 211, classified 85 as a two-year-old, A2A2, born 2021, calved June, for $6500; and lot 63, Lerida Park Algernon Rose 513, A2A2, born 2022, calved June this year, for $5000.
Mark and Philippa Flemming, Philmar Dairy Company and Miami Jerseys, at Cobrico, Victoria, added to their herd with lot 86, Lerida Park Oscar Rosemaree 208, classified 85 as a two-year-old, A2A2, born 2021, due in October to Woodside, for $5100; lot 85, Lerida Park Mega Power Rosemaree 222, A2A2, born 2022, calved July this year, for $4250; and lot 156, Lerida Park Craze Rosebud 526, A2A2, born 2022, due in October to Crown, for $3600.
G. and L. Bryce of Green Pines Jerseys, Nullawarre, bought Lerida Park Chrome Sabina 74, EX, for $8250; and Lerida Park Woodside Rosemaree 226 at $7000. She was the top selling joined heifer.
The selling agents were Dairy Livestock Services, and the on-farm sale was integrated online with Stocklive.
The sale of 191 Jerseys grossed $722,600, for an average of $3785. The 24 spring-calving heifers averaged $3645, and the 167 cows averaged $3805.