Luke (left) and Mark McCarthy have used Fleckvieh genetics in their Coragulac dairy herd to successfully address fertility and health issues. Photo: McCarthy family.
Cow longevity coupled with increased fertility and repeat demand for the calves have proven what the Fleckvieh breed is capable of under an Australian management system for a Victorian family.
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The McCarthy family joins 100 per cent of their milking herd to Fleckvieh bulls and has been impressed with the increases in fertility and herd health, while male and excess heifer calves demand double the value of straight-bred Friesian calves.
Based at Coragulac, in western Victoria, the herd is one of a handful of dairy herds in the state using Fleckvieh genetics.
The enterprise is managed by Luke and his brother Mark, working with their parents Shane and Anne.
The family milks 650 cows off 365ha in a 600mm rainfall zone, with the property comprising volcanic and black clay soils.
An additional 80ha of leasehold caters for young stock and silage production.
The milking herd is fed daily a total mixed ration of corn silage, grass silage, lucerne, vetch hay and straw for five to six months of the year on a concrete feedpad. The ration is decreased as pasture becomes available.
The Bulla suppliers milk twice a day in a 50-stand rotary, with the cows fed 2.1 tonne per head of grain in the bail across the lactation and strip grazed on annual ryegrass pastures.
The McCarthy milking herd is 50 per cent or greater Fleckvieh genetics, with the bull and excess heifer calves in demand from grass finishers and beef producers.
Luke said the herd began the transition from Holstein to Fleckvieh in 2016 off the back of fertility and health issues.
“The existing herd were great cows to milk and production was awesome but as soon a as a health issue arose, or trying to rebreed them quickly, things deteriorated so we needed to make a change,” he said.
“I had not heard of Fleckvieh at the time but after research and family discussion we made the decision to make an all-out swap to the breed.
“Fleckvieh are the second largest dairy breed in the world but there are few in Australia. We reasoned if they are performing around the world, they could work for us.
“We inseminated our first Friesian cows to Fleckvieh in 2016 with calves on the ground in 2017, and we have never looked back since.
“Today the cows are 50 per cent or greater Fleckvieh genetics and the plan is to grade up to a pure Fleckvieh herd.”
The family quickly found strong demand with premium prices of up to $720 for their week-old male and excess heifer Fleckvieh-cross calves.
The calves were snapped up at five days of age by local grass finishers for the bullock market, resulting in a handy cash flow at the beginning of lactation.
This Seewalchen daughter produced 13,370 litres with 555kg of butterfat and 461kg of protein on a 328-day lactation.
Luke said a 10 per cent decrease in milk production had been anticipated from the transition to Fleckvieh but the family were surprised to find there was no change in the milk production or components.
“Our cell counts have always averaged under 100,000 a year and remained unchanged. We have less mastitis in our herd than previously resulting in less antibiotic use.”
Ten years ago, calving was spread across six times a year and it is now compressed to February-April with this year’s conception rate at 87 per cent, up from 70 to 75 per cent in 2014.
With 200 replacement calves reared each year, Luke has found the Fleckvieh calves are robust and vigorous, with birthweights averaging 32 to 41kg.
The mature cow weight of the Fleckvieh averages 600kg in the herd. Angus bulls are used naturally over the heifers with the F1 females in demand from local beef breeders.
With straw costs of $28 to $40, Fleckvieh sires are selected on udder shape, suspensory ligament and fertility.
This Wartburg daughter produced 13,261 litres with 554kg of butterfat and 461kg of protein in a 341-day lactation.
The McCarthys have calves on the ground this year sired by Etoscha, Evolution, Egelsee and Erbhof.
A Seewalchen daughter showed what Fleckvieh are capable of under Australian conditions by producing 13,370 litres, 555kg of butterfat and 461kg of protein across a 328-day lactation.
A Wartburg daughter produced 13,261 litres, 554kg of butterfat, 461kg of protein across a 341-day lactation.
The 2024 herd average was 9292 litres, 396kg fat and 316kg protein across 325 days.
The family has carried out comparative trials of the Holstein and Fleckvieh cows through herd testing and lifetime production.
Luke said production was up 10 per cent on a 10-year average.
“We are now seeing the benefits of the breed’s longevity as the older cows in their seventh lactation coming through are staying in the herd for longer.
“The Fleckvieh heifers only produce 65 to 70 per cent of a mature cow in their first lactation but once they get in calf and start their second lactation then they don’t look back.
“It’s important not to compare them with a Friesian, Jersey or Aussie Red as they look so different to those breeds and be patient with them on the first lactation.
“But if they are still in the herd doing seven, eight or nine lactations, that’s where you really see the benefits of the breed.”
