Breeds%20of%20Dairy%20Cattle

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Breeds of Dairy Cattle
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Focus

• What details can you tell me about a dairy cow?
• How is milk produced?

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Lifecycle of a Dairy Cow
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A Calf Is Born

• The calf weighs 90-100 lbs at birth.
• The calf is immediately fed colostrum, which is
  the nutrient-rich first milk produced by a cow.
• At 3 days the calf is fed milk replacer
• At 4-8 weeks the calf is weaned from milk

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Calf Hutches

• Wooden

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Six-Month-Old Heifer

• The heifer is fed silage, hay, and grain.
• The heifer weights around 400 lbs.
• The dairy farmer wants the heifer to gain 1.6 to
  1.8 pounds per day.

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Yearling Heifer

• This heifer is called a yearling because she is
  over a year old.
• She still has a lot of growing to do before she
  enters the milking herd.

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Two-Year-Old

• This is what dairy farmers call a first-year
  heifer.
• This means that she has just had her first calf.
• She is producing milk.
• She weights 1,200 lbs.

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Mature Cow

• The mature cow weighs approximately 1,500 lbs.
• She has just had her 4th calf.
• She can eat over 100 lbs a day and produces 12
  gallons of milk each milking in early lactation

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Cow Facilities

• Tie stall

• Free stall

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Life of a Dairy Cow
Gestation 9 months
Lactation Calving Cycle
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Dairy Cattle Characteristics

• Video

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Holstein History

• The Holstein cow originated in Europe
• The major historical development of this breed
  occurred in what is now the Netherlands
• Winthrop Chenery brought the first Holstein over
  so the sailors could have milk
• He noticed her high production and started to
  bring over more

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Holstein Characteristics

• Holsteins are large, stylish animals with color
  patterns of black and white or red and white
• Average production for all Holsteins enrolled in
  official U.S. production-testing programs in 1987
  was 17,408 pounds of milk, 632 pounds of
  butterfat and 550 pounds of protein per year
• 90 of all dairy cattle in the U.S. are Holstein
• Largest of all dairy cattle - 1500 lb. cows
• First in milk production

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Brown Swiss History

• Brown Swiss breed originated in the mountain
  pastures of the Swiss Alps
• The Brown Swiss breed in the United States was
  declared a dairy breed in 1906

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Brown Swiss Characteristics

• light silver to dark brown with dark points
• 15,883 lbs of milk per lactation 3.97 fat
• a mature female weighs 1400 lbs
• particularly strong feet and legs because of the
  mountains
• docile, people-friendly demeanor
• One of the oldest dairy breeds
• 2nd in average milk production

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Guernsey History

• The Isle of Guernsey, a tiny island in the
  English Channel off the coast of France, is the
  birthplace of the Guernsey cow
• The Monks from France brought Frances best
  bloodlines and came up with the Guernsey
• Introduction of the Guernsey to America occurred
  around September 1840, when Captain Belair of the
  Schooner Pilot brought three Alderney cows to the
  port of New York

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Guernseys Characteristics

• The Guernsey cow is known for producing
  high-butterfat and high-protein milk
• Guernseys produce their high quality milk while
  consuming 20 to 30 percent less feed per pound of
  milk
• The Guernsey is also an excellent grazer
• Produces 14,667 pounds of milk, 659 pounds of
  butterfat and 510 pounds of protein

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Jersey History

• The Jersey breed originated on the Island of
  Jersey, a small British island in the English
  Channel
• The island of Jersey was very protective of this
  breed. Because of this the breed stayed
  distinctive for many years

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Jersey Characteristics

• Jerseys are adapted to a wide range of climatic
  and geographical conditions
• Jerseys vary greatly in color, but the
  characteristic color is golden fawn, with or
  without white markings
• smallest of the dairy breeds
• its nutritive content is 28.46 greater than
  ordinary milk
• Came from island of Jersey off cost of France
• Smallest dairy breed
• Cows weigh around1000 lbs

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Ayrshire History

• The Ayrshire breed originated in the County of
  Ayrshire in Scotland, prior to 1800
• Prior to 1800 many of the cattle of Ayrshire were
  black, although by 1775 browns and mottled colors
  started to appear.
• early breeders carefully crossed and selected the
  various strains of cattle
• Cows weigh 1200 lbs.
• Ranks 3rd in milk production

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Ayrshire Characteristics

• red and white
• medium-sized cattle and should weigh over 1200
  pounds at maturity
• strong, rugged cattle that adapt to all
  management systems including group handling on
  dairy farms with free stalls and milking parlors
• 12,000 pounds of milk with a 3.9 Butterfat
• Calves are strong and easy to raise

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Milking Shorthorn

• One of the oldest recognized breeds in the world,
  a segment of the Shorthorn breed
• Provided milk, meat, and transportation to
  pioneers
• Red, red white, white, or roan in color
• In the feedlot, these cattle attain 1,000 to
  1,200 pound weights at an early age
• ease of calving
• docile
• healthy calves

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Quiz Time!!!!!!!!!!
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What is this breed?
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What is this breed?
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What is this breed?
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What is this breed?
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What is this breed?
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What is this breed?
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Answers

• 1.Holstein
• 2.Brown Swiss
• 3.Guernsey
• 4.Jersey
• 5. Ayrshire
• 6.Milking Shorthorn