The love of cattle breeding was there from the beginning

Since a child, Erik has always had a special love for dairy cows. “I was doing something a little different to what the “main pack” was doing,” he recalls. “I certainly share the same passion for dairy cows that my father Bill Thompson was known for in the Australian dairy industry.”

His late father, Bill founded the Australian Red Breed when Erik was still a teenager. And this action just boosted the passion of the father to the son. “I well understood his drive to create a strong breed of red cows made up from the best genetics from around the Globe,” Erik says. Nowadays, the Australian Red Breed is the third largest dairy breed in population behind the Holstein and Jersey breeds.

Nine years ago, Erik Thompson took the opportunity to develop VikingGenetics Australia together with Business Manager, Anna Norgren. VG Australia is the first daughter company outside Scandinavia. “Working with VG AU has been a fantastic and successful journey,” Erik states.

“My job as sales manager for Viking Australia has made me as passionate about the Holstein and Jersey cow as I am with my beloved Reds, as I understand the challenges that also face these breeds leading into the 21st Century. I enjoy working with Viking as I believe the system Viking breeds from gives dairy farmers the best possible chance of attaining the most profitable cow you can milk under most conditions and countries around the world. Breeding for every possible trait that influences profit has to be a winner, and I am not aware of any other system that is so comprehensive”.

Erik's duties are full of challenges, opportunities, and inspiration as he says. “My job at Viking is exciting as so many challenges present themselves in many different areas from the farmer, resellers, breeding great cows, to working on the way we present our breed promotions.”

And he knows he is contributing to change the Australian mind set, when it comes to the understanding of the Nordic Total Merit (NTM) “My dream for Viking in Australia is to be the leading Bull company,” he says. VikingGenetics Australia is mostly known for its high performance on the RDC VikingRed. The best evidence is the long-standing number one bull on the Australian Red Dairy Cattle (RDC) ranking, VR Foske.

Before establishing Viking Australia with Anna Norgren, Erik was a dairy farmer and breeder of Aussie Red cows and bred a bull called ARB Extra who was No.1 sire for some time before leaving the land and industry to pursue other business interests.

Besides his work, Erik enjoys as much time as he can get with his wife Daphne and his four grown-up sons. “I also love adventure motorcycle riding, fishing for trout in mountain streams, Australian Rules football and Cricket. And finally looking for bargains at ALDI supermarkets”, he says.

Want to know more? Contact us