mmg.com.au

The Simpson family’s Brown Swiss dairy cow, named Benleigh Jetway Donna IV, has just smashed an Australian milk production record.

The 7 year-old broke the Australian milk production record for Brown Swiss cows with a whopping 15,190 litres in one normal lactation period — 305 days.

Most cows are milked for 305 days per year, before being ‘‘dried off’’ for 60 days prior to calving.

The former record in that time period was 13,070L.

Ian and Cath Simpson, together with son Richard, milk the Brown Swiss as part of their 230 cow herd at their Carrigan Rd property ‘Yelta’, between Deniliquin and Blighty.

Richard said the cow was bred in the Hunter Valley, and born on July 12, 2005.

The Simpsons purchased her at a Toowoomba sale in 2009.

The cow averaged nearly 50L a day during the lactation period.

Mr Simpson said the rest of his herd averages 9500L per lactation period, or 31L/day.

‘‘We’re pretty happy with how she’s going,’’ Mr Simpson said.

‘‘It’s a pleasure to get out of bed of a morning milking when you get that much milk.

‘‘Last lactation she gave just under 12,000L. She’s just got better with age.’’

Mr Simpson said they keep track of their cattle’s production levels through regular herd recording.

‘‘She just kept going from strength to strength,’’ he said.

‘‘We knew she was getting close in September.’’

Mr Simpson said they got the confirmation in December’s recording, when she ticked over 15,000L.

‘‘We’re friends with the people who previously held the record, so we knew it was 13,070L,’’ he said.

‘‘So really, she cracked that back in October.’’

During the lactation period, Mr Simpson said they also harvested 16 embryos from the cow.

‘‘We were pretty happy with that too,’’ he said.

Mr Simpson said the special cow was not being treated differently to the rest of the herd.

‘‘She’s still giving 33L/day,’’ he added proudly.