Being named one of Jersey Australia’s inaugural Master Breeders is a career pinnacle for long-time breeder Keith Kuhne.
For Keith, 78 the Master Breeder title is something special. “It’s about the pinnacle” he said. “I have enjoyed breeding Jerseys over my lifetime, and this is the icing on the cake.”
Keiths’ son Wayne and his wife Lisa now run Bushlea Jerseys which was founded by Keith’s father Norman in 1945. They milk 400 cows on 486 acres at Koonwarra, while the 144-acre home farm purchased by Norman in 1938 is used to run young stock.
“Fernleaf” is the outstanding name in the Bushlea profile. “They just keep breeding on,” says Keith. The first Fernleaf was born in 1948, the only daughter from the foundation cow Ecker Fernleaf who was purchased from a Gippsland Stud. All Fernleafs trace back to this cow.
Bushlea Fernleaf bred well herself but her grand-daughters and great granddaughters really started to impress. This was influenced by semen imported from a USA bull named A Nine Top Brass. “He was one of the first USA bulls we used and he really set us up,” Keith said. “We bought 10 straws for a start and flushed our six best cows, all Fernleafs, to him which set that family up even further. He was a total outcross to bulls we had used and had a tremendous influence on our herd.”
His best daughter was Bushlea Brass Fernleaf 10 Ex91 7000 litre cow and Champion Melbourne, Sydney, and Reserve Champion International Dairy Week (IDW).
Fernleafs remain the most prominent family in the Bushlea herd today.
Over the decades Bushlea has bred for correct confirmation. “I believe if you have the correct rump structure you will get a good vessel underneath it,” Keith said.
Bushlea has bred more than 500 Excellent 90+ cows, including three 94-point cows. Bushlea Brook Maybell was twice Champion Cow at IDW. The stud bred 10 Royal Melbourne Show champions when it was a strong competition in the 1990s and early 2000s.
From 2000 at IDW, Bushlea won Pen of Cows five times, Intermediate Champion three times, Reserve Champion once, two Junior Champions three Reserve Senior Champions, Senior and Grand Champion four times.
The last IDW Champion in 2017, Bushlea Van Fernleaf 10, went on to win Supreme Dairy Cow. On Wayne
’s recommendation she was offered for sale and set a new Australasian record of $50,000 which still stands today, eclipsing the previous $34.000. She won the same award in 2018 for her new owners.
In 10 years from 1985, Bushlea exhibited at 72 shows, winning 88 Championships, 56 Reserve Championships, 45 Production Rosettes, 368 Firsts, 164 Seconds, and 17 Thirds.
Norman was one of the first breeders to submit a bull, Bushlea Starbrights Prestige, into artificial breeding. The stud has had more than 30 bulls go through the system, including Bushlea BigTop, who is currently performing well.
To establish new cow families, 75 embryos were imported from Canada and the USA. More than 200 embryos have been exported to USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Germany.
Commencing in 1979 Bushlea held 21 annual sales, with cattle sold to every state. Since purchasing the new property in 2000 they have held four special sales; the highlight being the 25th sale which averaged $5768 with a top price of $20,000.
Keith has been involved with South Gippsland Jersey Breeders Club for more than 60 years and the Victorian Branch Committee for 15 years. “Judging, classifying, and showing has resulted in many strong and lasting friendships all due to the shared passion for the Jersey cow,” he said.
Wayne and Lisa became partners in 2000 and took over management of Bushlea Jerseys in 2016 and have since maintained the focus on a highly fertile and productive herd.
About four years ago they successfully moved to a seasonal calving, starting on May 1 and calving for 10 weeks. Historically the farm calved three times a year but changed to match the strong winter feed growth and to coincide with lower cost production.
“Fertility is a strong focus,” Wayne said. “We’re trying to use outcross bulls and bring in different genetics to widen the genetic pool without compromising the end result. I’m happy with how the herd is tracking. They are producing well and we’re breeding excellent type cows.”
Wayne welcomed the Master Breeder honour. “We’ve been fortunate to do it in partnership and it’s nice to have recognition for our life’s work,” he said.
