Cowabunga ! ( all About Dairy Breeds )
Nessie Will Produce for You !
Nessie is a Holstein cow originating from the Netherlands , a country in northern Europe . Nessie weighs 1,500 pounds and is one of the largest breeds of dairy cattle . She is known around town as a real classy gal , partly because of her simple , black and white wardrobe . She wears all white , with large black spots . Unfortunately , cows don ’ t get to change their clothes ; it ’ s what they ’ re born with . Differences in coloring help us identify breeds . Nessie ’ s greatgreat-great grandmother entered the United States by ship in 1852 , arriving in Boston , Massachusetts . Holsteins make more milk than any other breed . Nessie is no exception and produces about 10 gallons of milk per day .
A Sweet Swiss
If you travel to Switzerland , a mountainous country in Europe popular for skiing and cheese , you are sure to meet Heidi , a Brown Swiss dairy cow . She enjoys grazing on grass , but she sure does have a sweet tooth !! She produces pure white milk high in lactose , also known as milk sugar . Her milk is perfect for making cheese . Heidi weighs 1,500 pounds and is very athletic . Brown Swiss cattle are famous for strong feet and legs , and for
their brown coloring . Heidi ’ s ancestors came to the U . S . in 1869 , arriving in Massachusetts . Heidi , like her Brown Swiss relatives , lives and works well in both hot and cold climates .
Strike it Rich with a Golden Guernsey !
Gertrude is a Guernsey cow from Guernsey , a very small island nation off the northern coast of France . Gertrude ’ s family came to the U . S . by boat in 1840 . They entered through a port in New York . Guernseys like Gertrude are famous for producing milk that is golden in color . Everything about Gertrude is golden , including her gold coat with white patches . Gertrude is a medium-sized dairy cow , weighing 1,150 pounds . She will be making milk for you for many years , as her breed is well known for living longer than any other breed .
An Unbelievable Udder
Red and white speckled
Adie the Ayrshire is a dairy cow from Scotland , but she can ’ t play the bagpipes . She can , however , produce milk used for high quality butter and cheese . Adie and her relatives weigh about 1,200 pounds each . They are considered mediumsized cows famous for having healthy udders . Ayrshires entered the U . S . in 1822 . They arrived in Connecticut by ship . Adie ’ s ancestors thrived in the rocky hills and cold weather , similar to their home in Scotland .
Little in Size , but BIG in Milk
If you travel to the small island of Jersey off the coast of France , you will find relatives of Jenny the Jersey . Jenny only weighs 900 pounds and is small compared to other breeds , but she still produces high quantities of milk for her petite size . Many people call Jersey cows , like Jenny , the “ prettiest ” breed , as they are small and slim through their head and shoulders and have an attractive honey-brown coat color . Jersey cows were first introduced to America in 1850 , and are the second most popular breed in the U . S .
Rhonda the Roan
Rhonda , a Milking Shorthorn , is one of the oldest recognized breeds of cattle in the world . Her ancestors are from northeastern England and came to the U . S . in 1783 . She is raised for the large volumes of milk she produces . Some of her relatives are raised for beef . Rhonda ’ s coloring is called roan , meaning a mixture of red and white . No other breed of cattle has the roan color . Milking Shorthorns can also be red , red and white , or white . Rhonda weighs 1,450 pounds and her calves are very spunky at birth and grow rapidly .
2 - Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom Source : Cowabunga ! All About Dairy Breeds lesson ( https :// agclassroom . org / matrix / lesson / 248 /)