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These are the Six Dairy Breeds....
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Ayrshire
These cows were originally from Scotland. They are red with white markings or white with red markings and the red can be very light or almost black. The size is between the Guernsey and the Holstein and the weight is around 1,250 pounds and the bulls from 1,600 to 2,3000 pounds. This breed is considered to be the most beautiful breed of dairy cows as the animals have level rumps, good udders and straight toplines. They also have long horns which train upward. The Ayshire are sometimes shorter and thicker around the neck than other dairy breeds. They are very nervous, active and hard to manage and are good rustlers. These cattle love to graze because of their ruggedness, stamina, and activity. |
Brown Swiss
Originated in Switzerland. Their color is from a light fawn to almost black with the muzzle and a stripe along the backbone being light. The horn tips, switch, tongue and nose are black. These are the most rugged, meatiest breed and the largest of all dairy cattle, weighing from 1,200 to 1,400 pounds and bulls weight from 1,600 to 2,400 pounds. These cows have large heads, large bones and thick, loose skin and are not as angular as other dairy breeds. They are docile, easily managed and quiet and are also good grazers as they are rugged and active. |
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Guernsey
These originated in France. Their color is from a light fawn to red, with white markings on the legs, switch, flank and the face with some white on the body. The skin is yellow. They average from 1,100 pounds and bulls about 1,700 pounds. The Guernsey is more rugged than the Jersey. They tend to be rough over the rump and weak in the loin and the udders are less symmetrical than the Jersey. Cows of this breed are alert and active, but not nervous and are easily managed. The Guernsey is a good grazer. The milk has a golden color and is popular on the market with nearly 5 percent fat. |
Holstein
These originated in Holland. A Holstein must be black and white, and the switch must be all white. The weight is 1,250 pounds and the bulls weigh at least 1,800 pounds. Holsteins are larger than most of the animals of other breeds. They are very ruggedly built and have large feeding capacity and udders. The head is long, narrow, and straight with straight thighs and slightly rounded withers. These cows are docile and quiet but the bulls may be vicious. They are excellent grazers, especially on good pastures as they have large middles and can consume large amounts of forage. They don't thrive on poor pastures. Their milk is lower in fat than is milk from any of the other dairy breeds.
There is also a red and white Holstein that has it's own association and becoming a very popular breed. Red and white Holsteins have their own national shows and they have the same attributes as the black and white holsteins.
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Jersey
This breed originated from England. The Jerseys vary in color from light fawn to black and from white-spotted to solid in marking. The tongue and switch may be black or white and the muzzle is black with a light encircling ring. These are the smallest of the dairy breeds with the cows from 800 to 1,100 pounds and the bulls to 1,600 pounds. They have straight toplines, level rumps, and sharp withers. Their heads have a double dish. They have excellent udders, both in shape and in fore and rear attachment. |
Milking Shorthorn
Shorthorns are most numerous in the British Isles, America, and Australia.‚ They are either red, red and white, white or roan, the last being a close mixture of red and white, and found in no other breed of cattle. Shorthorns commonly have a deep chest, deep long, well-sprung ribs, strong loin, level rump, capacious udder, and straight legs. The approximate weight of a mature cow in milk should be 1250 pounds. The Milking Shorthorn breed is the most versatile of all breeds and this is one of its greatest attributes. These docile cows efficiently produce large volumes of nutritious milk each lactationand are large enough to have a high salvage value when their long productive lives come to an end. Other attributes of the breed include ease of calving, ease of management and economy of production, especially on home produced roughages and grass.
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