Exotic dairy breeds of cattle - Livestock | Animal Husbandry

 Exotic dairy breeds of cattle

Jersey It is developed in the Jersey Island, U.K. It is the smallest of the dairy types of cattle. In India this breed has acclimatized well and is widely used in cross breeding with indigenous cows. The typical colour of Jersey cattle is reddish fawn. Dished fore head and compact and angular body. These are economical producers of milk with 4.5% fat. Average milk yield is 4500 kg per lactation. Age at first calving is 25 to 30 months and calving interval is 13 to 14 months.
Holstein Friesian This breed was developed in the northern parts of Netherlands, especially in the province of Friesland. They are ruggedly built and they possess large udder. They are the largest dairy breed and mature cows weigh as much as 700kg. They have typical marking of black and white that make them easily distinguishable. The average production of cow is 6000 to 7000 kg per lactation. However, the fat content in their milk is rather low (3.45 per cent). Age at first calving is 29 to 30 months and calving interval is 13 to 14 months.
Brown Swiss The mountainous region of Switzerland is the place of origin of Brown Swiss breed. It is famous in its home tract for its rugged nature and good milk production. Average milk yield is 5000 kg per lactation with 4% fat. The Karan Swiss is the excellent crossbred cattle obtained by crossing this breed with Sahiwal cattle at NDRI, Karnal. Age at first calving is 28 to 30 months and calving interval is 13 to 14 months.
Red Dane Developed in Denmark. The typical body colour of this Danish breed is red, reddish brown or even dark brown. It is also a heavy breed; mature males weighing up to 950 kg and mature female weigh 600 kg. The lactation yield of Red Dane cattle varies from 3000 to 4000 kg with a fat content of 4 per cent and above. Age at first calving is 28 to 30 months and calving interval is 13 to 14 months.
Ayrshire Origin Ayrshire in Scotland is considered as most beautiful dairy breed. These are very active animals but hard to manage. They do not produce as much milk or butter fat (only 4%) as some of the other dairy breeds.  The breed was also known as Dunlop cattle or Cunningham cattle.
Guernsey Originated from Small island of Guernsey in France. Cherry red to brown in colour. Mahagony and white is a variation in colour. The milk has a golden colour due to an exceptionally high content of beta carotene which may help to reduce the risks of certain cancers. The milk also has a high butterfat content of 5% and a high protein content of 3.7%. Guernsey cows produce around 6000 kg per lactation. The Guernsey cow has many notable advantages for the dairy farmer over other breeds includes high efficiency of milk production, low incidence of calving difficulty and longevity.