Do you know which is the best cow breed for milk? Which cow breed gives the most milk? We have reviewed all breeds of dairy cows to find out! Popular belief says that Holstein Friesian cows are the highest producers of milk, but that is incorrect. Believe it or not, some cattle breeds produce more than twice as much milk as a Holstein Friesian.
Their actual names are the Holstein-Friesian, Swiss Brown, Swedish Red, and Norwegian Red. The four breeds above are known as the quad gene high milk producers. The genetic potential for milk yield in cattle is controlled by several inherited genes as a single unit. This unit is called the quadrature gene, and it controls milk synthesis by acting on the mammary gland and hormones like insulin. The more genes in the quadrature gene, the higher your potential for milk production is.
Best cow breed for milk:
Butterfat is also essential when choosing a cow breed for milk. To tell how much fat your cow’s milk has, you must know what breed it is. Holstein Friesian cows typically produce around 3.5% butterfat in their milk, but the other high milk-producing cows mentioned earlier can give up to 5 or 6 % butterfat! If you prefer a higher fat content in your cow’s milk, choose one of this crossbreed!
Holstein Friesian is a breed of dairy cattle. It is one of the most common breeds of dairy cattle globally, and until recently, it was described as the most widespread breed globally. Dairy cattle raised in the United States from Friesian stock produce 75 per cent of the country’s milk supply. Holstein cows are a large breed, usually black and white, allowing extra moulding around the hooves and abdomen. They usually have small horns that grow externally.
Here are the top 10 best dairy cow breeds for milk production in descending order:
1. Jersey Cow:
Highest butterfat content among all breeds of cows. Jersey breed produces more than 60% of all farm-produced cream worldwide, making ice cream and other dairy products. Jerseys have more butterfat in their milk, which is excellent for cheese making. A single cow produces around 14000-16000 kg of milk per year. Today there are over 350,000 Jerseys in the United States and 4 million worldwide.
2. Guernsey Cow:
Second best dairy breed. The second highest producer of milk is the Guernsey cow. They produce 60% of the world’s farm-produced cream, and their milk has more than 3% butterfat content. A single cow produces around 9000 kg of milk per year.
3. Brown Swiss Cow:
Third highest producer of milk. Brown Swiss cows are the third-best dairy breed for milk production. They produce more than 50% of the world’s farm-produced cream and 3750 kilos of milk per cow per year.
4. Milking Shorthorn Cow:
Fourth highest producer of milk. Milking shorthorns are also a prevalent dairy breed, and they come 4th on our list with more than 30% of the world’s farm-produced cream and 3300 kilos of milk per cow per year.
5. Ayrshire Cow:
Fifth highest producer of milk. Just behind Shorthorns in milk production is the Ayrshire breed, with an average of 3200 kg of milk per cow per year. They produce 25% of the world’s farm-produced cream.
6. Red & White:
Sixth highest producer of milk. Dutch breed, Red and White, is the only dairy breed that has two breeds within. The Dutch and German Red and White cows are also very high milk producers, with an average of 3000 kg per cow per year. They produce 20% of the world’s farm-produced cream.
7. Holstein Friesian Cow:
Seventh highest producer of milk. The most popular dairy breed, Holstein Friesian cows, is not the highest milk-producing breed globally. They take between 3000-4500 kg per year. However, they are by far the most numerous, with over 90 million worldwide. They also have a high milk yield per year, but unfortunately, only 1% of their body weight is butterfat which is not as good as other breeds.
8. Scandinavian Red & White Cow:
Eighth highest producer of milk. Scandinavian Red and Whites are usually crossed with other breeds to create a high-yield cow. They produce milk around 2700 kg per year.
9. Jersey Red & White cow:
Ninth highest producer of milk. Jersey Red and Whites are another popular dairy breed that produces around 2600 kg of milk per year, but only 1% butterfat. They are the second-largest population in the USA after Holsteins, with about 400,000 cows.
10. Ayrshire Red & White Cow:
Tenth highest producer of milk. Ayrshire Red and Whites produce around 2300 kg per year, and they are the smallest population in the USA with about 90,000 cows. They usually only grow to be about 1.4 meters high, and their color can range from fawn to deep red.
Conclusion:
With this information, you can now find out about the best cow breed you need. If you still have any questions or want clarification on our blog posts, please feel free to contact us anytime! By reading this article, we hope you can find some valuable insights into how strong genetics can affect milk production and quality. Thank you for reading; If you like it, please comment with the necessary thing below that we should talk more about next time!
