Grand old dames still going strong
The most anticipated calving of the season happened this month on the farm we run in central Taranaki. The oldest cow we milk, #210, gave birth.
The grand old Friesian was born in 2004, making her 13 years’ old.
Improving the longevity, fertility and health of New Zealand’s dairy herd is currently the focus of a sevenyear research project being led by Dairynz.
Number 210 is one of the lead cows. She knows the location of every gateway and walks at pace and with purpose. Without fail, she is usually one of the first cows to enter the rotary platform each milking.
As I was milking her the other day I had an idea. Could I find the oldest dairy cow?
In the days before #210 calved, Micha Johansen was managing the @Fonterrafarmers Twitter account.
Micha tweeted a photo of their oldest cow Spot, who’s 16.
I put the call out on social media to see if anyone could top a 16-year-old cow.
Greg and Hannah Topless told me they have a 17-year-old cow who’s affectionately named Mrs Brown.
Greg sings a modified version of Ed Sheeran’s sentimental ballad ‘Thinking Out Loud’ to Mrs Brown during milking.
Reporoa dairy farmer Tim Karl has two cows that are both 17.
Sarah Mvimbi’s 17-yearold cow is called Tootsy and was the South Auckland 50:50 sharemilker’s last calf club calf.
South Waikato 50:50 sharemilker Josh Sneddon told me he has five 16-yearold Jersey cows calving in his 270-cow herd at Otorohanga this season. He said his Dad, who’s a dairy farmer in Tokoroa, had a cow who lived until she was 24 and was still milking.
Josh said they have ‘‘always had old cows’’.
Longevity is a trait many farmers look for in a dairy cow.
Imagine what the industry will look like in the future for heifer calves born this spring.