Our Team
Karen Moroney / Director, Ausred Genetics.
Growing up on a dairyfarm, I understand the ever changing environment and challenges that farmers are faced with on a daily basis. After working for 10 years in the media industry, my husband Wayne and I were given the opportunity to come home to the family farm in the late 80's , we both loved the lifestyle that farming life provides, and the draw to raise a family on the land was a huge plus.We eventually purchased the family farm in 2002. Since 1989, I had also been running our families other business interest, known today as Ausred Genetics Pty Ltd. We are in the process of raising 3 teenage sons, milking 200 head of Aussie Red cows, running Ausred Genetics and its publishing interests and in recent years have developed the highly successful tourism venture of opening our own farmstay ,known as Red Oak Farmstay. Life is never boring! 2008 is a particular milestone for Ausred Genetics as we moved from agency status to distributor of the products we represent. As the dairy industry continually evolves to meet challenges of both an economic and environmental nature, so has Ausred Genetics, by developing some new and innovative ways of assisting dairyfarmers with the breeding choices that they are faced with each season.
Anna Norgren / Viking Genetics Breeding Advisor
I look forward to being a part of the Ausred Genetics team and working as a breeding advisor for the Viking Gentics products. We have the best breeds in the world for crossbreeding and the bulls have been selected in a very complete system. I have had the privelage of working in other international markets and seeing first hand the impact that the Viking Genetics products have, weather it has been here in Australia or Europe.
I grew up on dairy farm in Sweden with 120 Swedish Red cows. I have always been interested in dairying so I went to an agriculture school. After high school I spent one year in Australia and NewZealand to work on dairy farms.
After that I studied at the Swedish University of Agriculture in Uppsala and obtained a Masters degree of Science in Agriculture. I did one year at a University in Guelph, Canada as an exchange student.
After University, I started to work for the AI company in Sweden, Viking Genetics, and have worked there forthe past four years. I started as a sire analyst in the breeding department and then went on to work as an Area Manager in our export department for the last three years.
Last year I decided to move to Australia and work for Ausred Genetics who is the agent for Viking Gentics products here in Australia.
Steve Snowdon /
Crossbreeding Specialist
Steve is Ausred Genetics Crossbreeding Specialist and Farm Advisor on crossbreeding.
With nearly 12 years of personal 3-way crossbreeding experience behind him, Steve has rapidly become a well know face in the dairy industry, and a respected authority on crossbreeding. He has spoken and presented papers on “Crossing to Swedish and Aussie Reds” at the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium in Sydney, “Cows & Systems” at the Victorian Dairy Conference. He was also one of the guest speakers at the recent Australian Dairy Conference in Tasmania and presented his paper on “Going with a 3-way cross”.
Steve has also spoken at many crossbreeding information days with Professor Les Hansen, one of the worlds leading authorities on crossbreeding.
Steve and his wife Eileen own a 450 cow farm at Tyers in Gippsland. They moved from Tragowel (near Kerang) in northern Victoria to their present farm in July 2007. About 60% of their herd is 3-way crossbred using Swedish Red/Aussie Red, Jersey, Holstein and Montbeliarde breeds. 40% of their herd is Purebred Aussie Red.
Erik Thompson / Breeding Advisor
I am looking forward to being a part of the Ausred Genetics team and jumping back “ into the saddle” again.
I grew up on a dairyfarm and shared my father and mothers passion for breeding fine dairy cows.
The most exciting time was watching the transformation of our “patchy” Illawarra herd rise in type, production and consistency when we started using Swedish and Danish genetics on our cows in the late 80’s. Within a short time, we bred the first cows to produce 10,000 ltrs , over 300Kg protein and over 400Kg fat and a highest daily record of 63 ltrs per day for one individual cow in the Mitta Valley.
Figures in those times I never thought possible. We also bred the number one Aussie Red bull for several years, ARBExtra.
I have always kept a keen interest in cows, functional type and watching the progress of all dairy breeds. I have always appreciated a “great cow” regardless of her color or breed.