17/12/2023
The last few years have been exciting for the sheep and goat industry in Australia and It’s not often that a photo opportunity like this comes along. This photo represents the culminaton of years of hard work by numerous people.
Each of these three females are the first imported purebred representatives of their breed into Australia. As live animals cannot be imported to Australia, these three were created as embryos and frozen on the other side of the world. They are the first lucky ones that survived to birth and are still going strong. Nigerian Dwarfs arrived with First Fleet Chloe born in September 2014 thanks to the Garwoods from First Fleet Dairy Goats. Lamanchas arrived in 2015 with Roden RTW Shyanns Legacy courtesy of Belinda Cardinal (Caprotek) and Alex Berry of Banfield Park and Down Udder Dairy goats, and the Valais Blacknose arrived in 2021 with Omazel Marawa- thanks to Belinda Cardinal and Tony Urek of Caprotek.
These girls pictured have all contributed significantly to their respective breeds in Australia and we are lucky to have them all living here at our farm.
They also represent three of only 4 new small ruminant breeds to have been introduced as embryos to Australia in the past 10 years - perhaps the past 20 years. Importing into Australia is not an easy process but is especially difficult in the initial stages of a completely new breed, with Valais taking 4 years from concept to first arriving in the country. Hats off to all involved including the collection centres overseas, the importers, the vets involved with implanting embryos, the photographer and all the breeders keen to continue the breeds here in Australia.
of course the importing continues with more of each breed, new bloodines to build the breeds etc!
We wish everyone success in their breeding endeavours in the coming years!
Down udder farms & Banfield park Dairy goats
Moozie Van Niekerk
First Fleet Dairy Goats
Farmgene
Michael Hentschke
