Different Breeds of Dairy Cows

Dairy cattle produce large quantities of milk daily. Milk with a high fat content has a variety of uses for cheese and other products. Lower-fat milk is popular for drinking. Six breeds of dairy cattle produce much of the milk in the United States.

  1. Holstein

    • This well-known breed of large, black-and-white dairy cattle produces a large quantity of milk with a lower fat content. The average milk production per cow is 23,675 lbs. per year with a 3.63 percent fat content. Mature cows are large, weighing about 1,500 lbs. at maturity. Occasionally, Holstein cattle are red and white. The breed was first imported into the United States from Europe in 1852.

    Brown Swiss

    • Imported from Switzerland in 1869, Brown Swiss are large, brown cattle; their color ranges from light brown to very dark brown. Mature Brown Swiss weigh about 1,500 lbs. and produce an average of 19,385 lbs. milk per year per cow. The milk fat averages 3.98 percent.

    Milking Shorthorn

    • Milking Shorthorn cows first came to the United States from England in the 1790s. The mature cows weigh about 1,400 lbs., and have a red, white, red-and-white or roan coat color. The average yearly milk production is 16,098 lbs. per cow with a 3.55 percent milk fat content.

    Guernsey

    • The medium-size Guernsey breed is fawn and white in color. The breed originated on the Isle of Guernsey off the coast of France. The first Guernsey cows were imported to the United States in 1840. Guernsey milk has a yellow color. With the high milk fat content of 4.4 percent, the milk is often used for manufacturing cheese and other milk products. The average milk production of each cow is 14,667 lbs. per year.

    Ayrshire

    • The red-and-white Ayshire breed of cattle came from Scotland in 1822. The medium-size cows weigh about 1,200 lbs. and have jagged-edge red spots on a white background. Ayshire cows produce milk with a moderate fat content of 3.9 percent. An average cow produces 12,000 lbs. of milk per year.

    Jersey

    • The smallest of the six dairy breeds, Jersey cows average about 950 lbs. at maturity. Their color ranges from very light gray to dark fawn. The color is darker around the head and legs. Jerseys produce milk with high fat content. The cows produce an average of 16,306 lbs. each with a 4.62 percent fat content. The breed originated on the island of Jersey in the English Channel. Importation to the United States began in the 1850s.