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