Breeds of Breeds of Dairy Cattle

FocusFocus

What details can you tell me What details can you tell me about a dairy cow?about a dairy cow?

How is milk produced?How is milk produced?

Lifecycle of a Dairy Cow

A Calf Is BornA Calf Is Born

The calf weighs The calf weighs 90-100 90-100 lbs at birth.lbs at birth.

The calf is immediately The calf is immediately fed fed colostrumcolostrum, which is , which is the nutrient-rich first the nutrient-rich first milk produced by a cow.milk produced by a cow.

At 3 days the calf is fed At 3 days the calf is fed milk replacermilk replacer

At 4-8 weeks the calf is At 4-8 weeks the calf is weanedweaned from milk from milk

Jersey CalfJersey Calf

Calf HutchesCalf Hutches

WoodenWooden

Six-Month-Old HeiferSix-Month-Old Heifer

The heifer is fed The heifer is fed silage, hay, and silage, hay, and grain.grain.

The heifer weights The heifer weights around 400 lbs.around 400 lbs.

The dairy farmer The dairy farmer wants the heifer to wants the heifer to gain gain 1.6 to 1.8 1.6 to 1.8 pounds per day.pounds per day.

Yearling HeiferYearling Heifer

This heifer is called This heifer is called a yearling because a yearling because she is over a year she is over a year old.old.

She still has a lot of She still has a lot of growing to do growing to do before she enters before she enters the milking herd. the milking herd.

Two-Year-OldTwo-Year-Old

This is what dairy This is what dairy farmers call a farmers call a first-first-year heifer.year heifer.

This means that she has This means that she has just had her first calf.just had her first calf.

She is producing milk.She is producing milk. She weights 1,200 lbs.She weights 1,200 lbs.

Mature CowMature Cow

The mature cow weighs The mature cow weighs approximately 1,500 lbs.approximately 1,500 lbs.

She has just had her 4She has just had her 4thth calf.calf.

She can eat over 100 lbs a She can eat over 100 lbs a day and produces 12 day and produces 12 gallons of milk each milking gallons of milk each milking in early lactation in early lactation

ADV: Cleaner, less bedding expenses, ease of parlor use, few space requirement, fewer teat and udder injuries and ease of use

Cow FacilitiesCow Facilities

Tie stallTie stall Free stallFree stall

Milking ParlorsMilking Parlors

Herringbone, Polygon, Side opening, Rotary/ Carousel

Milking unitMilking unit

Milking unit: teat Milking unit: teat cup (steel shell) cup (steel shell) assembly, the claw assembly, the claw or suspension cup, or suspension cup, connecting air and connecting air and milk tubesmilk tubes

Life of a Dairy CowLife of a Dairy Cow

365 Days

Calving Calving 0-100 Days

Breeding

100-200 Days Mid-

Lactation

200-Dry Late

Lactation

Lactation & Calving CycleLactation & Calving Cycle

Gestation: 9 months

Dairy Cattle Characteristics

Video

Holstein - Friesian HistoryHolstein - Friesian History Originated in NetherlandsOriginated in Netherlands Winthrop Chenery brought Winthrop Chenery brought

the first Holstein over so the first Holstein over so the sailors could have milk the sailors could have milk

• He noticed her high He noticed her high production and started production and started to bring over more to bring over more

Largest of all dairy cattle - Largest of all dairy cattle - 1500 lb. cows and bulls: 1500 lb. cows and bulls: 2200 lbs2200 lbs

Holstein CharacteristicsHolstein Characteristics Holsteins are large, stylish animals with color patterns of Holsteins are large, stylish animals with color patterns of

black and white or red and white (recessive gene); switch: black and white or red and white (recessive gene); switch: whitewhite

Average milk production per cow: 14,500 lb, 3.5% milk fat Average milk production per cow: 14,500 lb, 3.5% milk fat (5(5thth))

90% of all dairy cattle in the U.S. are Holstein90% of all dairy cattle in the U.S. are Holstein First in milk productionFirst in milk production

Ayrshire HistoryAyrshire History The Ayrshire breed The Ayrshire breed

originated in the County of originated in the County of Ayrshire in Scotland, prior Ayrshire in Scotland, prior to 1800to 1800

Prior to 1800 many of the Prior to 1800 many of the cattle of Ayrshire were cattle of Ayrshire were black, although by 1775 black, although by 1775 browns and mottled colors browns and mottled colors started to appear.started to appear.

Early breeders carefully Early breeders carefully crossed and selected the crossed and selected the various strains of cattlevarious strains of cattle

Cows weigh 1200 lbs.Cows weigh 1200 lbs. Ranks third Ranks third in milk in milk

production (4production (4thth in milk fat) in milk fat) Vigorous, strong and Vigorous, strong and

excellent grazing abilityexcellent grazing ability

Ayrshire CharacteristicsAyrshire Characteristics Red and white: cherry red, mahogany, brown or white and Red and white: cherry red, mahogany, brown or white and

mixed with red, mahogany or brown, have hornsmixed with red, mahogany or brown, have horns medium-sized cattle and should weigh over 1200 pounds at medium-sized cattle and should weigh over 1200 pounds at

maturitymaturity strong, rugged cattle that adapt to all management strong, rugged cattle that adapt to all management

systems including group handling on dairy farms with free systems including group handling on dairy farms with free stalls and milking parlorsstalls and milking parlors

15,000 pounds of milk with a 3.9% Butterfat15,000 pounds of milk with a 3.9% Butterfat Calves are strong and easy to raiseCalves are strong and easy to raise

Brown Swiss HistoryBrown Swiss History

Brown Swiss breed Brown Swiss breed originated in the originated in the mountain pastures mountain pastures of the Swiss Alpsof the Swiss Alps

The Brown Swiss The Brown Swiss breed in the United breed in the United States was declared a States was declared a dairy breed in 1906dairy breed in 1906

Brown Swiss CharacteristicsBrown Swiss Characteristics

Light silver to dark brown with dark points. Nose and Light silver to dark brown with dark points. Nose and tongue black.tongue black.

15,883 lbs of milk per lactation; 3.97% fat (3 rd)15,883 lbs of milk per lactation; 3.97% fat (3 rd) A mature female weighs 1400 lbs (heifer matures more A mature female weighs 1400 lbs (heifer matures more

slowly than other breeds)slowly than other breeds) particularly strong feet and legs because of the mountainsparticularly strong feet and legs because of the mountains Quiet, docile, people-friendly demeanorQuiet, docile, people-friendly demeanor

One of the oldest dairy breedsOne of the oldest dairy breeds

22ndnd milk production milk production

Guernsey HistoryGuernsey History The Isle of Guernsey, a tiny The Isle of Guernsey, a tiny

island in the English Channel island in the English Channel off the coast of France, is the off the coast of France, is the birthplace of the Guernsey birthplace of the Guernsey cowcow

The Monks from France The Monks from France brought Frances best brought Frances best bloodlines and came up with bloodlines and came up with the Guernseythe Guernsey

Introduction of the Guernsey Introduction of the Guernsey to America occurred around to America occurred around September 1840, when September 1840, when Captain Belair of the Captain Belair of the Schooner Pilot brought three Schooner Pilot brought three Alderney cows to the port of Alderney cows to the port of New YorkNew York

Guernsey’s CharacteristicsGuernsey’s Characteristics The Guernsey cow is known The Guernsey cow is known

for producing high-butterfat for producing high-butterfat and high-protein milk and high-protein milk

Guernseys produce their Guernseys produce their high quality milk while high quality milk while consuming 20 to 30 percent consuming 20 to 30 percent less feed per pound of milk less feed per pound of milk

The Guernsey is also an The Guernsey is also an excellent grazer, great excellent grazer, great temperamenttemperament

Produces 14,667 pounds of Produces 14,667 pounds of milk (4milk (4thth), 659 pounds of ), 659 pounds of butterfat and 510 pounds butterfat and 510 pounds (2(2ndnd)of protein )of protein

Fawn with white markings, Fawn with white markings, skin is yellowskin is yellow

Milk is golden

Jersey HistoryJersey History The Jersey breed originated The Jersey breed originated

on the Island of Jersey, a on the Island of Jersey, a small British island in the small British island in the English Channel English Channel

The island of Jersey was The island of Jersey was very protective of this very protective of this breed. Because of this the breed. Because of this the breed stayed distinctive for breed stayed distinctive for many yearsmany years

Cream, light fawn or almost Cream, light fawn or almost blackblack

Switch/ tongue; black or Switch/ tongue; black or whitewhite

Jersey CharacteristicsJersey Characteristics Jerseys are adapted to a wide Jerseys are adapted to a wide

range of climatic and range of climatic and geographical conditionsgeographical conditions

Jerseys vary greatly in color, Jerseys vary greatly in color, but the characteristic color is but the characteristic color is golden fawn, with or without golden fawn, with or without white markingswhite markings

Smallest of the dairy breedsSmallest of the dairy breeds Its nutritive content is 28.46% Its nutritive content is 28.46%

greater than ordinary milkgreater than ordinary milk Came from island of Jersey off Came from island of Jersey off

cost of Francecost of France Smallest dairy breedSmallest dairy breed Cows weigh around1000 lbsCows weigh around1000 lbs Great uddersGreat udders 55thth in milk and 1 in milk and 1stst in in milk fat in in milk fat

Milking ShorthornMilking Shorthorn One of the oldest One of the oldest

recognized breeds in the recognized breeds in the world, a segment of the world, a segment of the Shorthorn breedShorthorn breed

Provided milk, meat, and Provided milk, meat, and transportation to pioneerstransportation to pioneers

Red, red & white, white, or Red, red & white, white, or roan in colorroan in color

In the feedlot, these cattle In the feedlot, these cattle attain 1,000 to 1,200 attain 1,000 to 1,200 pound weights at an early pound weights at an early ageage

ease of calvingease of calving docile docile healthy calveshealthy calves

Quiz Time!!!!!!!!!!Quiz Time!!!!!!!!!!

What is this breed?What is this breed?

What is this breed?What is this breed?

What is this breed?What is this breed?

What is this breed?What is this breed?

What is this breed?What is this breed?

What is this breed?What is this breed?

AnswersAnswers

1.Holstein1.Holstein 2.Brown Swiss2.Brown Swiss 3.Guernsey3.Guernsey 4.Jersey4.Jersey 5. Ayrshire5. Ayrshire 6.Milking Shorthorn6.Milking Shorthorn