Win a Luxury Mystery Break
Luxury Mystery Break for Two from Air New Zealand valued at $3,258.
Samen Cow Of The Year Is Back
Cow of the Year Competition is back for 2023 and better than ever!
Tell us about your number-one cow and be in to win:
+ Air New Zealand Mystery Breaks™ for two
+ To be filmed in a Farmer’s Story
+ Be a judge for Cow for the Year 2024!
What makes your cow stand out? Is it their consistency? Or perhaps you have a special cow that you love to milk every day. Does your top cow perform exceptionally well? Or does it simply check all the boxes for you? We want to hear your cow’s story and why they deserve the title of Samen Cow of the Year!
Samen Cow Of The Year Is Back
Cow of the Year Competition is back. Tell us about your number one cow and be in to win
+ Air New Zealand Mystery Breaks™ for two
+ To be filmed in a Farmer’s Story
+ Be a judge for Cow for the Year 2024!
What makes your cow stand out? Is it their consistency? Or perhaps you have a special cow that you love to milk every day. Does your top cow perform exceptionally well? Or does it simply check all the boxes for you? We want to hear your cow’s story and why they deserve the title of Samen Cow of the Year!
One Lucky Winner Will Win
Air New Zealand Mystery Breaks™
+ Return flights + bags for two to a mystery destination
+ Luxury 5-star accommodation
+ Daily breakfast and dinner
+ An Avis rental car for the duration of your stay
This prize will be in the form of a voucher, so you can go whenever works best for you.
One Lucky Winner Will Win Air New Zealand Mystery Breaks™
+ Return flights + bags for two to a mystery destination
+ Luxury 5-star accommodation
+ Daily breakfast and dinner
+ An Avis rental car for the duration of your stay
This prize will be in the form of a voucher, so you can go whenever works best for you.
“
Remember, our Cow of the Year competition isn’t about pedigree, high BW or production. We want to know what you think makes a number-one cow.
Is it that you barely notice them because of how consistent they are? Is it that you have one cow in particular that you just love to milk every day? Does your number one cow perform incredibly?
Tell us about your number one cow and you could be in the draw to win a luxury mystery break.
Pete and Celese Smit
Waikato
Winner 2023
“
Remember, our Cow of the Year competition isn’t about pedigree, high BW or production. We want to know what you think makes a number-one cow.
Is it that you barely notice them because of how consistent they are? Is it that you have one cow in particular that you just love to milk every day? Does your number one cow perform incredibly?
Tell us about your number one cow and you could be in the draw to win a luxury mystery break.
Pete and Celese Smit
Waikato
Winner 2023
Panel of Judges
Craig McKimmie
Samen NZ Genetic Program Manager
Victor Kooter
Samen NZ Waikato Breeding Consulant
Pete Smit
Winner of Cow of the Year 2023 and Holstein Breeder
Frequently Asked Questions
What cow can I enter?
- You can enter any cow in the herd
- The cow must be in milk R3 or more
- The cow must be from a sire marketed by Samen NZ
- The cow does not have to be pedigree or purebred
- Competition is open to all dairy or dual-purpose breeds
What do I need to include with my entry?
- Photos (paddock picture is sufficient)
- Age
- Lactation
- Animal record
- Explanation of why you believe your cow is number one (not necessarily the highest BW, production or classification)
What are my entry requirements?
- Only one entry per participant
- The participant must own the cow submitted in the entry, or the submission must include a nomination from the owner in writing
- Submissions must be entered by someone over 18 years old. Entries from participants under the age of 18 will not be accepted
- The winner of the Samen NZ Cow of the Year competition will allow Samen NZ to use their entry details in further promotions, which may require a professional photo
- Your Consent to participate in a Farmers Story and willing to be a Judge for Cow of the Year 2024.
How will judging work?
- The judges will collectively select one cow from all submissions made before the closing deadline, and the final decision will be based on their choice.
Who is not allowed to enter?
- Samen employees, contractors, nominees, or judges are not entitled to participate
When do entries close?
- Entries will close on the 1st of February 2024
What are the dates for judging?
- Judging will open on 10th February 2024 and closes on 20th February 2024 at 5pm
For full Terms and Conditions click here
Highlights from the Previous Year
She is sired by the great bull MVP, this cow is young and in her first lactation she is really working. Coming in at 2.48 milksolids at her October herd test. She very opened in ribs also very capacious. Her udder is spectacular. She’s a nice quiet cow also. She’s either in the first row or in the 3rd row so nice and early in the shed. You don’t even know she’s there, doesn’t lift her leg while cupping. She stands, eats her meal. She has been mated to sexed semen as I would love my whole herd like her.
Ryan Sutherland, Otago
115 represents what we believe the ideal NZ dairy cow should look like. As well as being polled, she is of moderate stature has plenty of capacity, excellent production, good fertility and is a pleasure to work with.
Pete & Celese Smit, Waikato (Last year's winner)
Awesome looking heifer that is cranking the production yet holding condition well. If I could have a whole herd like her ….
Cam Edgecombe, Otago
My very 1st VR heifer calf. She was born in the sack and it took me a good 10 minutes to revive her heart was beating but I couldn’t get her to breathe. I was nearly ready to call defeat when she finally took her first breath. She hasn’t missed a beat since and is in her first season in the herd doing well above the heifer average. Bw 178 Pw 413. By VR Ballet.I’m that impressed with her I brought more Ballet straws for this mating.
Anieka Templer, 9779
In our first year of sharemilking in 2006, we bought some Montebeliarde straws from Samen. 16 Years later we are still reaping the rewards of this purchase with this awesome cow. She was given the name Hassan by our nephew. Over the years Hassan has proven herself as a cow that gets in calf from the first insemination. This season she's due to calf on the 7th of March 2023 sired by 521533 - VR FANOF FUZZY. Over the years she has produced 13 calves of which were 6 replacements, and seems to have a pattern going on. (bull/heiffer/bull/heiffer etc.) A robust and very healthy cow with only one case of mastitis in her milkingcareer and no feet problems. Always enters the cowshed in the beginning of milking, except when she senses that there is something going on. (If the vet is there or too many people at the shed she will wait until the end of milking and you have to tell her to get in) She might not be the highest producer but with a steady production between the 600 and 650 kg a year for the last 8 seasons, we would wish we had a whole herd like this.
Yvonne van Vliet, Waikato
Wyona is the perfect example of what can be achieved using an outcross overseas sire over nz bred cows. She is no bigger than our nz bred cows but has an amazing udder, wonderful temperament and great scc while making plenty of milk with good components. She comes in early and doesn't move a ml while cupping up and her awesome udder makes her easy to milk and makes you feel good. Wyona has given me the confidence in using alot more os sired bulls in our breeding programme.
Mark Riddington, North island
Agent (aka #99) is a cow that consistently ticks all the boxes. Not only is she quiet and loves a pat/scratch but she also likes to be lead cow in the shed. Easy to get incalf and calves first round. Great production year after year with a low scc. Last lactation was 872ms in 287 days. A well attached udder with great support and udder texture alongside having fast milk out speed. Basically, what else could you ask for in a cow?
Heather Storey, Waikato
This cow is a moderate size cow that calved every single year in august/september including a twin in 2017. In her 10th lactation produced 78145 Litres to date 30/12/22 and 5930 milk solids. You never notice her in the herd and only had mastitis once when 10 years old in October 2021 during wet spring. She got 3 daughters and 3 granddaughters in the herd so far with few classified VG (that’s what breeding is about improving next generation) She got a superior production award herself in 2022. One daughter got a Star brood cow award and she will get a Star brood cow award herself in 2023.
Niels Modde, Southland
For me Platinum Blade Rose (LTTX-15-15) is the ultimate commercial cow. She has incredible fertility getting incalf with one dose of semen every season since entering the herd as a two year old. She has never been treated with antibiotics (other than dry cow) or been lame. She does her production with ease in a high commercial environment (3.4cow/ ha) doing 518kgMS in 250 days as a six year old and 255kgMS in 112 days for the current season to date. Type wise she has a lovely dairy frame with solid feet & legs. Udderwise she has a sound commercial udder with good udder health. Blade Rose is the type of cow you wish you could have an entire herd of. Easy care, solid production, & a pleasure to look at.
Piet Wisse, Waikato
This cow is an all round cow. Ticking the boxes for any dairy quality you wish. Starting with production of 731kgms as a heifer and 377 in 150 days so far this season. Extremely low scc. Calving July last year and this and expected to calve July next year. She is handy type with a classification of 84 points. Her Lennon yearling daughter is contract mated for LIC and her Nippon P bull calf was under consideration with CRV. She holds her condition well through early lactation and is a no trouble cow to milk.
John Allen, Palmerston North
This is our mate 8, she’s big, she’s gentle and she’s always in the first row, generally the first cow in first in the first row too. 8 wouldn’t harm a fly. She’s never kicked, jiggled or been stroppy. She’s very calm, and always quite polite. She is very business bent when it comes to anything other than a quick pat and cuddle. She’s never ever had any health issues in her life, never been sick, sore, down or had any calving issues. She has a somatic cell count of 10… She’s one of our best producers making her even more amazing to us.
Petri Bellamy, Taranaki
