"We all have goals in our life and one of mine is to support the New Zealand Milking Shorthorn."
The reaction to her being elected president had been humbling, Ms Brown said.
"I’ve had support from all over the world, which is amazing."
She was one of three women to be in the vice-president role but was the first to be elected president in its 113-year history.
The presidency election was held at the association’s annual meeting, which was held in conjunction with the International Red Breed Conference in Palmerston North earlier this month.
The board would work to promote the genetics of the breed and increase cow numbers in the national milking herd.
"It’s a breed that’s underestimated."
A focus would be to support young people interested in the breed.
The breed had the fourth largest population in New Zealand and its popularity was rising with dairy cattle breeders in Southland, she said.
She had been the association’s Otago-Southland branch president for six years.
An appeal of the breed was their production.
"They can milk."
A 9-year-old Milking Shorthorn in her herd produced about 560kg of milksolids a season.
Another positive of the breed was its ability to produce milksolids with a desirable fat-to-protein ratio.
She is working on a dairy farm in Tuatapere and her herd of shorthorn cows are being milked by her uncle in Seaward Downs.
The three traditional shorthorn colours were red, white and roan — a speckle mix of red and white.
"I really love a deep red one."
As part of the conference, a Red Dairy Breeds Elite Genetics Sale offered cattle including 13 milking shorthorns.
Deep red Milking Shorthorn heifer, Kowhai Chief Melly, of Kowhai Acres, fetched the top price of $6400.
"It was a fantastic sale."
Her family had an Ayrshire stud, which celebrated its 80th anniversary last year.
She shows Ayrshires with her family but she knew Milking Shorthorns were her preferred breed, after seeing them for the first time in Southland.
"There was a wee herd at Kennington and I drove past and fell in love."
