He milks 500 commercial cows off 170 hectares, with 160ha of support area in Gippsland in southern Victoria.
His milking herd is a mix of Holstein, Jersey and crossbreds.
“They’re all commercial cows,” Callum said.
“I’m in the milk business but I’ve always had a passion for show cattle.
“I don’t have the skills for showing cattle, so I partner with people who do, and that allows me to invest and play in that area.
“For most of the rest of the year, I’m concentrating on our core business on the farm.”
Every January, Callum attends International Dairy Week to show cattle he owns in partnership with several other people.
For that week, IDW is the centre of the universe for him.
“Life is about relationships and IDW is a great place to have conversations to build the blueprint for our business,” Callum said.
“We’ve built relationships with the suppliers we use — feed companies, genetics companies, and when we were planning our new dairy I spoke to a few companies at IDW about sheds and infrastructure.
“I’ve been able to get information about flushing and new technologies.
“Dairy professionals are very time poor, and IDW is a week where we can very quickly see many people with the same interests in the industry.”
In partnership with Mitchell and Lyndsey Flemming, of Impression Jerseys and Holsteins, Callum has purchased five Jersey cattle.
“Partnerships enable you to buy more cows and split the risk and share the reward,” he said.
“We’re able to enjoy showcasing our cattle in front of our peers and the world.
“My partners and I try and invest in great cattle and buy cows we see at shows, or cows we feel have potential to impact the industry.
“We want to create a culture in this country of people not being afraid to ask the value of cattle, and being able to sell them at that price.”
The partnership’s joint ownership includes a share in Valentino Fernleaf, Australia’s first 96 point Jersey cow, and Valentino Benita.
Callum, with Declan Patten and Brad Salmon, purchased View Fort Jagger Satin as a junior two-year-old Holstein in January 2024, after seeing her at IDW.
“She won her class and to me she’s one of the most merchandisable cows in Australia,” Callum said.
“She has it all. We saw her at IDW and fell in love with her before she entered the show ring.
“Nicola and Matt Templeton put in a lot of hard work developing the cow and they were able to realise the value of her.
“That is what the industry is about, isn’t it.”
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