Semagen Holsteins

Stars of the Future Sale - 2025

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 10:06:00 +0000

It’s amazing to read that this sale began in 1982 with the North West Sub Branch of HFAA and in both that sale and this year’s there are animals from the herds of Elmar, Clydebank, Louden Hill and Beltana. How good is that?

This year there are 33 lots with the sale commencing 7.00pm, 8 October, Echuca Showgrounds. Thanks to Bill Morgan for putting together the lineup!

Lot 26 is our own - Semagen Legendairy Topsonia. She’s the fourth and last daughter out of Ryanna Dempsey Topsy. Here’s her photo from July this year.

Download the sale catalog.

Some are born great …

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 22:10:00 +0000

Victorian Winter Fair 2025

Thanks to organisers, Stu and Clare Modra for another great show, and congratulations to the winning exhibitors.

Supreme Intermediate Champion: View Fort Hano Pure

Supreme Senior Champion: Byrne Lea Octane Buttersnap

But doth not the appetite alter?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 01:17:00 +0000

It's been a good time to buy animals and invest in new families, local and imported. Three noteworthy purchases are:

Gorbro Parfectar Tiffany

Orchard Vale Informer Tiffany Ex91

The season opened with Gorbro's Valentines Day Sale. She was Lot 73, out of an 87 ARROW x 88 ARCHRIVAL x 90 DOORMAN x 91 INFORMER and five more 87+ cows. I always wanted one of David Orchard's Tiffanys, it's been a long wait.

Bundalong Donor Perfector Ex92

Clydevale Parbo Potent

The Dees' 50th anniversary sale was a great event and I really wanted to show my appreciation for their breeding program. Buying into this famous Bundalong line with Lot 57 was very satisfying and with eight generations of 87 or better it should present some exciting opportunities.

Lightning Ridge CMD Hecker Hanker

I missed an interesting heifer in an earlier sale, so when this one appeared in Lightning Ridge's Cow-Pay promotion I jumped. She's a Dellia out of the more modern line that features Cookiecutter MOG Hanker and a swathe of AI bulls like HANO, HASTORIC and HOA.

Cookiecutter MOG Hanker Ex94

Looking forward to bringing more news in the near future ... Take care!

Now, good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both!

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Tue, 05 May 2020 08:23:00 +0000

It's been awhile. Something's prodded me into action. It's the first time we've genotyped a bull, and that's because we have to now. A LANDSLIDE grandson to Castel James Jolie, out of her imported SUPERSIRE daughter that I was told would put egg on my face. Oh, well, I like eggs and I like my Supersire. Thanks to a very nice sire selection, her son has come up with respectable genomic results. BPI 221, overall type 102, mammary 104, udder depth 106, fertility 108, milk 385 and positive %s for components.

The grand-dam - Castel James Jolie Ex95, HI World Champion Holstein 2011.

Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 00:28:00 +0000

New photos of Semagen NM Chelios Jacinta certainly give me modest hope, however, that 2018 might well deliver us a new star. Daughter of Castel James Jolie Ex95, Jacinta scored VG88 as a two year old, maximum score for a heifer in Germany where she resides. She should be seen in shows later this year.

Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:27:00 +0000

It's been too long, I know, since I last wrote something here on Semagen's website. I can only say that it's been an equally long time since something of any real note happened at Semagen. The tide has turned, however, and it's apt to report a calving season of particular good fortune. I've just spent a solid hour documenting calf registrations for spring 2017, fourteen in all and 12 of them ETs.

First ET to land was Semagen Jodha out of Semagen Supersire Jodie. She's either a McCUTCHEN or a MOGUL; we'll have to wait and see the DNA results to know that one.

There were five ET donors among the dams, three of them daughters of our own paragon, JAMES JOLIE. The JOLIE daughters are by ATWOOD (USA), CHELIOS (Germany) and SUPERSIRE (Australia). In turn, the ET-calves are by McCUTCHEN, MOGUL, SOLOMON, BRADNICK and BEEMER, but we'll need to do some DNA tests before we know exactly what we've got.

The other two donors were Canadians: Velthuis Mogul Lady from the Lila-Z lineage and Garay Windbrook Delice from the Dellias. The calves are by McCUTCHEN and BRADNICK, respectively.

To complete 2017's team of spring calves, we received a lovely BRADNICK heifer from the Camelias and an interesting ARCHRIVAL from the Pollys.

My salad days, when I was green in judgment

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 02:13:00 +0000

I remember making the trip to the Dees at Macorna to inspect CLYDEVALE INFORMER PANDA as my first investment in 'serious' livestock. I was green then and only a little less now, but there are four generations of Pennys at Semagen now and they have lived up to our expectations in terms of their consistent combination of production and type.

The investment is yet to generate a financial return, but the decision has been taken to enter a yearling 'Penny' heifer in the 2016 Australian Holstein-Zoetis Showcase Sale. She's by TOC-FARM DUPLEX GLAUCO out of Panda's third daughter, SEMAGEN BEAU PANDOLFINA, by our own BAXTER son out of the GYPSY GRANDS. Here's a recent photo:

S. Glauco Paolo (left) and S. DVD Susanna

I could be bounded in a nutshell

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 23:08:00 +0000

The first Australian daughter of JAMES JOLIE calved 27 October and she has settled nicely into this first lactation. The view, at this stage, is of a beautifully framed young cow, but lacking a little bit in stature and ligament. Like her dam, Semagen Jasper Jolie may well benefit from a couple more calves, and a similar pattern has emerged with the SID and ATWOOD daughters elsewhere in the world.

Semagen Jasper Jolie just before afternoon milking

The second of the Australian JOLIES is Semagen Supersire Jodie and she is just on 15 months old and should be mated by the close of 2015. She offers a very different style of pedigree via her paternal line, while maintaining the virtues of her dam's conformation.

Semagen Supersire Jodie

Each of the daughters has met expectations so far and the work continues building a good foundation of stock on the JOLIE legacy.

The inaudible and noiseless foot of Time

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 00:39:00 +0000

Amazingly, we now have four generations of Pennys at Semagen. Clydevale Informer Panda VG89 was bought from the Dees back in September 2007. She calved in with a bull last week after a long period dry and she has settled nicely.

On the same day, her grand-daughter, Semagen Goldfish Portia GP81, produced her second calf, Semagen Planet Peta. A fertility weakness has made the process of building the family feel like a very arduous one, but four generations in seven years now feels pretty good. The Goldfish daughter calved one year to the day after her first calf, so I'm just a little bit hopeful that she might have dodged the low-fertility bullet.

Her dam, Semagen Shottle Paloma VG88, continues to give us problems getting in calf. We will keep working on it with appropriate corrective matings over coming generations and, hopefully, fix the problem.

A little bit of flag still, but Panda is holding up nicely.

Peta has big ears, but the rest of her supports PLANET's calving ease reputation.

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 23:08:00 +0000

I am very pleased to present these photos of our two JOLIE x CHELIOS daughters living in Germany. Thanks to Christof Kästner, who was featured in this year’s June edition of Holstein International, the heifers were recently shown by his daughters in their district 4H show in the state of Thüringia. The two heifers and their handlers did very well at the show, and the Kästner team took out several awards including overall champion of the show with a beautifully prepared white heifer, Hodglynn Windbrook Lucky Girl.

The Kästner team

Semagen NM Chelios Jacinta

Semagen NM Chelios Jana

And, a video of Semagen NM Jacinta:

Posted by Christof Kästner on Friday, September 25, 2015

Take the current when it serves

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 03:22:00 +0000

Last year, I sent Clydevale Informer Panda VG89 off to the vet for in vitro embryo work. Sixteen embryos were produced from a handful of sires and 10 went in late 2014. The pregnancy rate was very good with six calves being produced since 29 August. Despite using sexed semen, two calves were bulls, and one heifer didn't make it. In the seven years since buying Panda there hadn't been much growth in the family and these three heifers by GUTHRIE and GOLD CHIP have doubled my population of daughters. Panda is due to calve soon and I'm very keen to see that this fourth lactation consolidates her impressive production record, as well as adding a point to her classification.

Semagen DVD Susanna

More embryo work is in the pipeline for one of my earliest investments as well as one of the recent additions. Elm Banks Shottle Plum VG87 has impressed in production over the years, but a loose fore-attachment and only one daughter out of six calves meant that something needed to be done quickly to give me some chance of realising her breeding potential. She will be flushed to sexed GLAUCO and JEANLU FIX in the coming week. Her flush buddy is Ingoldale Bonair Susie VG86 using sexed GUTHRIE and LEMUST. I'm banking on the two bulls introducing a good deal of milk to Susie's line without removing any of its conformation traits.

Semagen DVD Susanna, whose photo you can see above, is the third calf out of Susie and the first since we bought her from the Gilmores. Susanna is a very fancy heifer, which surprises me a little bit seeing as her sire is only rated 8 for conformation; a little high in her pins, but a lovely straight top-line, pretty good strength and stature are eye-catching at this early stage.

You might remember the trio of FEVER daughters imported from Italy out of a grand-daughter to the amazing Go-Farm Juror Painky, one of which I sold at the 2014 IDW Semex Sale. Semagen Fever Gala calved a couple of days ago with one of Panda's embryos. Her sister, Gabriella, also calved with a heifer by Semagen Jasper Jorj, a local son of Castel James Jolie.

Semagen Fever Gala just calved

Semagen Fever Gabriella (full sister to Gala) springing

Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sat, 16 May 2015 06:33:00 +0000

Semagen Supersire Jodie

I'm still awaiting confirmation of parentage on this one, but whether she's a BROKAW or a SUPERSIRE, she's coming along nicely. She could do with some extra length, but Jodie's strong and deep.

On the other side of the planet, there are two CHELIOS heifers sharing a pen with their brothers by CHELIOS, DOORMAN and BAXTINO. It hasn't been a resounding success with the IVF embryos, but we'll make do with what we've got so far.

Semagen Chelios Jana

Semagen Chelios Jacinta

Men are but gilded loam.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 05:45:00 +0000

SEMAGEN JASPER FANTASIA GP82

She's a standout for her pedigree, her beauty and her sheer utility: SEMAGEN JASPER FANTASIA. Imported as an embryo from the USA out of the remarkable RAVENS, FANTASIA is GP82 and at 190 days into her second lactation her test stands at 6,054L, 242KgF and 204KgP.

Recently calved is SEMAGEN TRUMP COLETTA, from the FELICITYS. She's a little older than her peers for a first calver, but I thought on first inspection that she displays particularly good height and width in her rear udder.

SEMAGEN TRUMP COLETTA

Our most recently calved heifer is SEMAGEN GOLDSUN MARISKA who delivered a healthy female by ZANI B MASCALESE. MARISKA's fourth dam is WHITTIER-FARMS LEAD-MAE.

SEMAGEN GOLDSUN MARISKA

Listen to many, speak to a few

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 08:35:00 +0000

The less fortunate events of this year and the vagaries of the season remind me that it's never a good idea to be counting heifer calves too soon. It's a good lesson in life to experience some of the disappointments that befall us all and hope that I will only have to endure a few along the road.

We lost JOLIE mid-year and the current spring season has provided us with very slim pickings as far as heifer calvings. Anecdotally, high rates of bull calves seems to be widespread. We had an unfortunate case of a gorgeous LET IT SNOW heifer from the Lila-Zs being unable to stand, probably due to a brain lesion. Then, there was a couple of still-borns, and again, all those bulls. C'est la vie.

On the bright side, another flush heifer from JOLIE, 12 sexed IVF embryos (by four sires) from Clydevale Informer Panda in the care of Dr Mike Bourema, and five SAVIOR embryos from Semagen Jasper Jolie. There have been some pleasing classifications, including a BONAIR daughter, well-bought from Ingoldale, who went VG86 on her second showing. And, a nice selection of freshly calved heifers are shaping up very well in conformation and production. I also understand that there are 11 JOLIE pregnancies (muliple sires) in Germany, due early 2015.

Finally, a very nice addition is Semagen Goldsun Camelia from the BLITZ heifer out of the Ingoldale Camelias that came to us as an embryo.

Happy prologues to the swelling act

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 08:09:00 +0000

Since 15 March, Semagen Jasper Jolie has been housed at the BLUECHIP farm of Dean and Dianna Malcolm. She was recently photographed and the latest reports indicate that, while a shade immature, she has the goods and we expect her to develop into a cow with show ring credentials. There's a strong chance that she will show at the National Herd Development Winter Fair in July.

Semagen Jasper Jolie as a 13 month heifer.

Castel James Jolie is very close to calving and Martin Rubesam of Wiesenfeld Holsteins reports that she is in a wonderful state of readiness for the calf and for a new round of exhibitions. It was great to see one of Jolie's strongest rivals in Decrausaz Iron O'Kalibra winning the HI World Championship for 2013, so the chance of Jolie meeting up with O'Kalibra once again is an exciting prospect.

James Jolie photographed at Wiesenfelds late 2013.

Another of our older girls is set to enter an IVF program very soon. Clydevale Informer Panda VG89 has been getting outrageously fat in her Cohuna paddock and it's now crunch time as far as producing a few more girls to carry on the Penny line at Semagen. Paloma, Pandolfina and Portia are our only other members at this stage, so we're fingers-crossed for a bag of embryos to go in this spring. The second priority is to get Panda pregnant and calved in next year with the hope that she'll classify well after a fourth calf.

Care keeps his watch in every old man’s eye

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 23:38:00 +0000

It's kind of the off season if it weren't for the IDW. There just doesn't seem to be much happening with the cows at this time of the year and there's not a lot to report - a good time to cast a reflective eye over things. Jolie is fit and well in Germany, pregnant to BRADNICK and due to calve in May. Embryos have been implanted here in Australia and more are set for German recipients over the coming weeks. News from Europe and the USA says that a number of Jolie's daughters are very impressive and that her ATWOOD sons have achieved high genomic scores that confound the naysayers who have taken the view that Jolie's pedigree would bar any good genomics in her progeny. Baahhh.

Back to the IDW and it's the Semex Spectacular Sale which sees us selling a FEVER daughter from the famous Italian Painky family of SCOOBY-DUU. Semagen Fever Godiva-IMP-ET will sell as Lot 24. Godiva's dam is the EX92 full sister to SCOOBY-DUU, then an 88 point FORMATION daughter, and her third dam is Go Farm Juror Painky EX92. We selected the best looking of three flush sisters for the sale, although there really wasn't much between them. Needless to say that I'm very pleased to be offering this heifer in amongst so many amazing animals going under the hammer on 22 January.

Go Farm Merry Christmas EX92, dam of Semagen Fever Godiva.

By the glorious worth of my descent

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 20:33:00 +0000

In the focus: Dashawn

At 2065 TPI he ranks more than 150 points ahead of his famous half-brother Domain. Not only because of that is Dashawn among the most valuable sons of talented bull dam Ronelee Outside Dabble. Since August, this Boliver son has a proof based on 153 daughters. He even could be able to increase his initial genomic proof. Dashawn is a true all-rounder with strong fitness figures, solid milk production and positive components. His PTAT of 2.81 is based on a good transmitting pattern for frame and legs, lots of dairyness, and strong udder attachments. Attention has to be paid to the somewhat plain rumps.

[Holstein International Weekly Newsletter 30/10/2013]

Of course, I've re-posted this little ditty from HI because of the DOMAIN reference. The maternal family is breeding well in the genomic race and my DOMAIN heifer out of the LEAD-MAE line has matching potential with a DGV of +2408. Not everyone likes the TOYSTORY in the mix, but I was always a bit suss on BOLIVER. It's good to remember Dave Bachmann saying that animals "breed to the average of their inheritance" over generations and that any given generation is the intersection of two lines, not one crossing out another. There's more than a good chance that Ronelee have the benefit of good judgement in selecting the matings on DABBLE and that we can expect more downstream talent from this maternal line.

When daffodils begin to peer

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 10:37:00 +0000

What they say about Crackholm Fever throwing more heifers than bulls seems to have worked in our favour as the season opened very nicely with three girls out of four embryos from the Italian Painky family. The donor is a full sister to Scooby-Duu. Young Canadian Planet son from the Lila-Z family, Gen-I-Beq Halak, has provided us with daughters in our Polly and Elegance families. Here's the spring 2013 list:

Semagen Fever Godiva (from Allen x Formation x Go-Farm Juror Painky Ex92)
Semagen Halak Elva (Mac x Durham x Lee x Linjet x Krull Broker Elegance Ex96)
Semagen Fever Gabriella (from Allen x Formation x Go-Farm Juror Painky Ex92)
Semagen Fever Gala (from Allen x Formation x Go-Farm Juror Painky Ex92)
Semagen Halak Pollyanna (Laurin x Icefyre x Orchard Vale Talent Polly VG89)

Crackholm Fever

You make fat rascals, mistress doll!

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 07:34:00 +0000

Gluttons for punishment we may be, but another round of it is the tall order we shall make for ourselves. Team Jolie proceedeth!

As good luck would have it

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 09:21:00 +0000

Even good luck finds itself on a two-way street. On the other side of the street were four imported embryos that yielded nought. This side of the street provided generous compensation with three sisters from four embryos. Can't complain, can I, when they're by Crackholm Fever from Italy's famous Painky family. The dam is Scooby Duu's full sister and one of Go-Farm's favourite daughters. Three more heifers complete this year's spring crop, including two by Gen-I-Beq Halak. Of greater interest might be this season's first calvers: Shottle and Mac sisters from the Elegance family and a Jasper from the Ravens.

Maybe she was. Halak's one of many sons from the family.

The readiness is all

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 10:20:00 +0000

There's a lot of people who'll denounce genomics in the first sentence they throw at you, but secretly they've probably been tempted by a sale lot boasting some magical genomic score. We all like the idea that a bunch of numbers hold some special significance based on 50 odd tail hairs. Sure there's more to it than that, I know, but how much more?

Semagen Domain Medusa-ET

So, I've got this yearling heifer that's sired by one of the genomic celebs, DOMAIN, and her fourth dam is none other than the 95 point mega-brooder Whittier Farms Lead-Mae, and I succumb to the noise and send in her hairs for a genomic test. A little while later and I get the results from the HFAA and now I'm going to look like one of those weekend sport parents as I do victory laps holding up a sign with +2408 written big on it. Yeah, that's pretty good, and her scorecard reads nicely with positives on every trait but teat length, a little bit low on loin strength, and posty legs. Have a look at the test reports for all the numbers.

Just as interesting as Medusa's genomic test is that she has a flush brother, Semagen Domain Matthew-ET, and he might be brimming with genomic value. Then again, he might not, and that possibility is the thing that amuses me about all this science. It's a bit like betting on race favourites ... they don't always win, but you just feel so confident about it all. Collect Matthew on the basis that his sister has got the goods and get a thousand units out there and I'd bet that half his daughters line up with his sister. Or you get him tested and he's not so hot, or maybe he is. His real-time daughters have got to line up just the same. Yeah?

Anyway, back in the real world, she's coming up for her first mating and I'm wondering where to go. Do we add more genomics into the mix and chase the fairytale?

Once more unto the breach

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:26:00 +0000

This is a magical arrival. One more heifer from Madonna brings our Lead-Mae contingent to four ladies. The latest is Mariska, a handsome GOLDSUN daughter already showing plenty of Italian style and strength. Just look at that muzzle and crown.

Madonna has begun her second lactation very well, the only problem at this stage being that she seems to have outgrown the stalls in the milking shed.

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 07:13:00 +0000

Don't miss this one! Premier lot at the Swiss European Sale on Friday 1 March, Fribourg, Switzerland.

A dish fit for the gods

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 22:53:00 +0000

Christmas presents don't come much better: eleven embryos from JOLIE, delivered Christmas Eve. On this occasion, we double-mated her to MR ATWOOD BROKAW and SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE. Three embryos were implanted fresh and the other eight frozen for export to Australia as early as can be arranged. All credit to Dr. Pokorny and Mr. Castella for their awesome preparation of JOLIE.

Of course, she's not looking her best, having been dried off for a month or so and just after the flush, but JOLIE remains in great shape.

What light through yonder window breaks?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Leslie) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 23:40:00 +0000

Another generation always manages to provide new excitement for where an investment in genetics will go. The PENNYS have produced some of Australia's leading Holstein sires and one can only hope that there are more to come. Semagen Shottle Paloma is now into her second lactation and her first heifer, Goldfish Portia, has what it takes to turn heads. I recently photographed the dam and daughter. You will see that Paloma has grown out to be a powerfully built cow and her udder, while lacking some width, is exceedingly well attached and capacious. Her photo was taken shortly after her evening milking. Paloma will be flushed this spring.