DAIRY CATTLE

DAIRY FACTS 4 Milk--nature’s most perfect food 4 87% water 4 13% solids proteins carbohydrates water soluble vitamins – (A D E K ) minerals

Americans Consume gallons milk pounds of cheese 4 16 pounds of ice cream pounds of butter pounds of yogart

LEADING MILK STATES 4 Wisconsin 4 California 4 New York 4 Minnesota 4 Pennsylvania

DAIRY FEED 4 Modern trend to keep cows in lots. 4 Feed balanced ration 4 Main feed--silage 4 Silage-- corn, grain sorghum that is chopped stalk and all while growing and green. 4 Stored in a silo or ground bunker 4 Undergoes a fermenting process

Gestation Period 4 Cow must have calf to produce milk 4 Gestation period--- 9 months 4 Artificial Insemination ( A. I. ) is used to breed the cattle –superior sires can be selected

BABY CALVES 4 Calves allowed to stay with mother one to two days 4 Taken away raised separately 4 Females used as replacements 4 Males--sold for slaughter 4 Veal ---meat of a baby calf 2 to 4 months

4 Mothers first milk 4 Antibodies need first 24 hours 4 Stimulating affect on the alimentary canal lips to anus not fit for human consumption COLOSTRUM

AYSHIRE 4 Red with white markings 4 Most attractive dairy breed. 4 Good rustlers 4 4% butterfat 4 Good vealers 4 70 to 80 lbs. birth

BROWN SWISS 4 Oldest and purest 4 Switzerland 4 “American Exotic” 4 Largest rugged, meatiest breed 4 docile, heat tolerant 4 dual purpose 4 4% butterfat lbs. birth

GUERNSEY 4 Light fawn to red body markings 4 White markings - face, legs, flanks, switch 4 Nose buff or cream color 4 Skin yellow 4 “Golden Guernsey” 4 5% Butterfat

HOLSTEIN 4 Holland 4 Black and white markings, switch must be white 4 large-framed, large quantities of milk 4 Quiet-docile 4 Bulls -vicious 4 low butterfat 3.5% 4 90 lb. Birth wt.

JERSEY 4 English Channel 4 Light fawn/ black 4 Switch black or white 4 Muzzle-black 4 Smallest breed 4 Bulls vicious 4 Low maintenance 50 to 60 lbs birth 4 5.3% butterfat