Breeds of Dairy Cattle

1. Breeds of Dairy Cattle Chapter 39

2. Objectives • Describe the characteristics of the dairy enterprise • Identify the major breeds of dairy cattle • Describe the breeds of dairy cattle, giving their origin and breed characteristics

3. Characteristics of the Dairy Enterprise • Dairy Cows must be milked regularly • Two times per day, 7 days a week • Some herds milked three times per day • Modern dairyman uses mechanical equipment to milk, feed, care for herd • Most dairy farmers raise crops required to feed the dairy herd

4. Characteristics of the Dairy Enterprise (cont.) • Dairy barn, milking parlor must be clean • Dairy farmer should keep good records to run an efficient operation • Successful dairy farmers must be patient, willing to work long hours • Return on investment typically 6 to 9 percent

5. Trends in Dairy Production • The number of dairies has declined • The herd sizes are increasing • Total production of milk has increased, due to increase in milk production per cow • Better feeding, breeding, and management of dairy herds have lead to increases

6. Trends in Dairy Production (cont.) • Grade A milk • Must meet minimum standard for fluid consumption • More expensive • About 98 percent of milk produced qualifies for fluid consumption

7. Trends in Dairy Production (cont.) • Grade B milk • Held to a lower standard than Grade A milk • Can be mixed with Grade A milk to produce manufactured dairy products • Percentage of Grade B milk has dropped due to producers switching to other types of farming • Upgrading to Grade A milk production is costly

8. Trends in Dairy Production (cont.) • Dairy cows found in every state • Leading states • California • Wisconsin • New York • Idaho • Pennsylvania • Texas

9. Trends in Dairy Production (cont.) • Milk production has shifted from primarily Midwestern states to western and southwestern states since 1960s • Northeast has shown a smaller decline • Changes due to population shifts, favorable climates, economies of scale, higher milk production per cow

10. Government Influence in Dairying • Government at national, state, and local levels influences dairy enterprise • Examples include • Dairy Herd Improvement Program • Milk marketing orders • Support prices • Import quotas • Taxes, zoning ordinances

11. The Purebred Dairy Cattle Association • The PDCA was organized in 1940 • The PDCA works to improve the dairy industry • Areas of leadership include • Developing uniform testing rules for national production testing programs • Developing a unified score card for dairy cattle • Developing uniform rules for artificial insemination of purebred dairy cattle

12. The Purebred Dairy Cattle Association (cont.) • The PDCA recognizes six dairy breeds • Ayrshire • Brown Swiss • Guernsey • Holstein • Jersey • Milking Shorthorn

13. Breed Selection • Dairy cows selected on ability to produce large quantities of milk for long time • Some general guidelines for the selection of a breed include • Selecting a breed that is common in the area • Personal preference • Market requirements for the product

14. Characteristics of the Breeds of Dairy Cattle • Ayrshire

15. Characteristics of the Breeds of Dairy Cattle • Brown Swiss

16. Characteristics of the Breeds of Dairy Cattle • Guernsey

17. Characteristics of the Breeds of Dairy Cattle • Holstein-Friesian

18. Characteristics of the Breeds of Dairy Cattle • Jersey

19. Characteristics of the Breeds of Dairy Cattle • The Milking Shorthorn

20. Characteristics of the Breeds of Dairy Cattle • Red and White