The 2024 Valden Cow of the Year was awarded to Royson Oman Cybil.
The 2024 Valden Cow of the Year was awarded to Royson Oman Cybil.
Whakatane’s Eddie and Kath Lambert have made history by receiving the 2024 Valden Cow of the Year and the 2024 Mahoe Trophy at the 2024 Holstein Friesian NZ Awards.
The Lamberts, who dispersed their herd in 2021, are the first Holstein Friesian breeders to win both coveted awards in the same year.
“We are very honoured and humbled to win both trophies, especially in the same year,” Eddie said.
“We have always admired the cow families that have won these trophies in previous years and it is something we had never imagined we would do.”
The 2024 Valden Cow of the Year was awarded to Royson Oman Cybil EX2 11* ET.
The award is given to the cow deemed to have contributed the most to the Holstein Friesian breed on a continual basis.
With a breeding worth (BW) of 145 and a production worth (PW) of 588; Cybil was a “neat, no-nonsense cow” who stayed with the Lamberts after they dispersed their herd.
The daughter of O-Bee Manfred Justice-ET (‘Oman’) produced over 800kgMS in her best year and has had two descendants marketed by AB companies: son Royson Beam Cagney ET S3F through CRV and great-grandson Royson MG Currency S3F – the 2024 Mahoe Trophy winner - through LIC.
Currency – who died in June due to injury - won the Mahoe Trophy with 517 points.
The Mahoe Trophy is awarded to the New Zealand-bred bull with the highest aggregate points for breeding worth, protein breeding value (BV), fat BV, fertility BV, functional survival BV and type traits.
A2A2 Currency has a BW 439, with fat 4.2% and protein 3.8%.
He made a contribution of over 140,000 inseminations across the industry to date.
Holstein Friesian New Zealand patron Denis Aitken (left) with Kath and Eddie Lambert.
LIC livestock selection manager Simon Worth said it came as no surprise that Currency had proven to be a “fabulous bull”.
“Take a look into the cow family he comes from - it is truly superb,” he said.
The Lamberts said they felt incredibly honoured to be awarded the two titles.
“To be recognised as being a top Holstein Friesian breeder is truly a dream come true.”
