Dairy Cattle Breeds and Production Dairy Very high

Dairy Cattle Breeds and Production

Dairy • Very high specialized industry • Confinement, large investments in equipment • Waste management is a big deal due to high levels of phosphates • Most cows average about 70 lbs of milk each day in the U. S. • A cow that is milking eats about 100 lbs. of feed each day which includes hay, grain, silage and proteins

Dairy Fun Facts • The U. S. produces roughly 21 billion gallons of milk annually. • The average American consumes almost 25 gallons of milk a year. • The greatest amount of milk produced in one year was 59, 298 lbs. by a Holstein cow named Robthom Sue Paddy. • A cow produces an average of 6. 3 gallons of milk daily and 350, 000 glasses of milk in a lifetime. • Each cow is milked around twice a day.

Dairy Facts • Are there antibiotics in my milk? • No. When an individual cow is unwell and needs medicine to recover to full health, her milk must be withheld (segregated and disposed of) for a defined period of time. It never enters the food chain. • WHAT IS MASTITIS? • Mastitis is an infection in the udder that can affect cows.

Top Dairy Breeds • • Holstein Jersey Guernsey Brown Swiss

Types of Milking Parlors • Parallel Parlor- where the cows are milked between the legs

Types of Parlors • Herringbone- where the cows are milked from the side

Types of Parlors • Rotary Parlor- are best suited to larger (>1000 cows) • The cows are milked form behind.

Dairy Fun Facts • Cows eat about 100 pounds of food every day and drink 50 gallons of water. • Fresh milk will stay fresher longer if you add a pinch of salt to each quart. • More than 1, 000 new dairy products are introduced each year. • A Dairy cow is more valuable for its milk, cheese, butter and yogurt than for its beef.

Holstein • • Netherlands Black and white paint 1852 cow to U. S. (purchased from a ship captain) 1857, 59, 61 additional imports 1885 American Association formed Highest annual milk production Most lbs of milk Most used breed in U. S. Dairy’s

Holstein

Jersey • • • Jersey Island in the British Isles Brown or tan with black One of the oldest dairy breeds *High butterfat production U. S. in 1850 s

Jersey

Guernsey • • • Guernsey Island off coast of France Red / tan and white Breed and developed in 960 A. D. Dual Purpose (butterfat & lbs. of production) 20 -30% more feed to milk efficient 1840 to U. S.

Guernsey

Brown Swiss • Switzerland (Germany) • U. S. in 1869 as Braunvieh • Selected the heaviest milking Braunvieh and created American Brown Swiss • Heavy Structured dairy breed (heavy bone) • Used in more rugged areas

Brown Swiss Braunvieh

What Improved Dairy Production • • Genetics – AI Feeds Health Management