1. Dairy Breeds and Selection

2. Objectives: Major Breeds of Dairy Cattle Dairy Terms and Definitions
Parts of a Dairy Cow
Dairy Traits and Selection

3. Holstein Black and White or Red and White color pattern Large sized
Heavy milk producers
Not registered if all white or black

4. Jersey
Color varies (light gray to dark fawn being darker around head and hips)
Has a dished face
Produces more pounds of milk per body weight than any other dairy breed.

5. Gurnsey Red (Fawn) and White in color Medium sized
High milk production to feed intake ratio
Milk is high in betacarotene and has a rich yellow color

6. Brown Swiss Solid brown, varying from very light to dark Large sized
Light colored band around the muzzle
One of the oldest Dairy breeds

7. Ayrshire Red and white in color (amount varies) Medium sized
Purebred Ayrshires only produce red offspring
Average milk production

8. Milking Shorthorn Red and white or any combination of red and white
Dual purpose breed – used for meat after used for milk
Calves are excellent vealers

9. Milking Devon Red in color Triple purpose (Draft, beef, milk)
Medium sized

10. Review
Jersey

11. Review
Milking Shorthorn

12. Review
Brown Swiss

13. Review
Guernsey

14. Review
Milking Devon

15. Review
Ayrshire

16. Review
Holstein

17. Terms bull - Mature male dairy animal
cow - Mature female dairy; shows evidence of having produced one or more calves
heifer - female dairy animal that has not borne a calf

18. Terms calf - male of female dairy animal under one year of age
springer - cow showing signs of pregnancy
breed characteristics - physical traits that differentiate on breed from another

19. Dairy Breeds and Selection Terms
dairy character - characteristics indicating the animal will be useful in the dairy industry (sharpness and flatness of bones, length of neck, openness and slant of ribs)
butterfat - percent of fat in the milk
milk production - amount in pounds of milk that a cow produces during a lactation period

20. Terms lactation - span of time that a cow is giving milk
dairy herd improvement records (DHI) production records kept on producing dairy cattle
mammary system - parts of the cow directly responsible for producing and storing milk
pedigree - register of lines of ancestry

21. Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection (Dairy Evaluation System)
1. Stature (height): measured from the top of withers to the ground
-tall is good
2. Depth of body: from the top of the back to the bottom of the heart girth and belly area
- Deeper is better

22. Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection (Dairy Evaluation System)
3. Dairy character (independent of performance): Sharpness and flatness of bones, length of neck, openness and slant of ribs
-we want them to look feminine and like a dairy cow (extremely sharp)
4. Foot Angle: determines whether the cow walks well or is on its tip-toes or too sloping and almost on its dewclaws
-Intermediate Angle is the best

23. Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection (Dairy Evaluation System)
5. Rear legs (side view): How straight or sloping the hock joint is
- We want slight set in the hock
6. Rump Angle: levelness from hooks to pins
-we want nearly angle

24. 7. Thurl (Rump) width: Measure the pelvic area form side to side
Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection (Dairy Evaluation System)
7. Thurl (Rump) width: Measure the pelvic area form side to side
-extremely wide is best
8. Fore udder attachment: Strength of udder attachment to the body wall
-extremely tight attachment is what we want – no cartoon cows!

25. 9. Rear udder width: How wide the udder is at attachment site
Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection (Dairy Evaluation System)
9. Rear udder width: How wide the udder is at attachment site
-wider the better
10. Rear udder height: How high the udder extends in relation to the vulva
-Higher the better

26. -extremely cleft is best
Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection (Dairy Evaluation System)
11. Teat placement (rear view) :Are the teats centrally placed in each quarter
- Central is best
12. Cleft: How defined the udder crease is (measured when viewed from behind.
-extremely cleft is best

27. Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection (Dairy Evaluation System)
13. Udder depth (relative to point of hock) : We want the udder floor to set above the hock
- udder floor at hock is best

28. Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection
Milk Production Facts
Breed Percent Butterfat Pounds Butterfat Pounds Milk Prod
Holstein ,185
Ayrshire ,398
Jersey ,020
Brown Swiss ,062
Guernsey ,363
Think about this?
1. Which breed produced the most total pounds of milk? Why do think this is so?
2. Why would butterfat be important to milk?
3. What breed produced the lowest total pounds of butterfat?
4. What would you think the most popular breed of Dairy cattle would be judging from this data? Why?
5. What is the definition of milk production? Why would a cow be lactating?

29. Dairy Breeds and Selection “Use What you have learned”
Which animal would be considered desirable?
What terms would you use to describe the differences?
Which animal shows the best general appearance?
Are these cows or heifers? Why?

30. Dairy Breeds and Selection “Use What you have learned”
Which animal would be considered desirable?
What terms would you use to describe the differences?
Which shows more dairy character? What are the indicators?
What about the udder?