Exotic Breeds

  Holstein/Friesian 

Habitat:
This is an exotic breed and originated from Fries Land in Holland.

Characteristics:

• Frame and carcass is large

• Body color is white with black patches or white with red patches

• Calf weighs 90 pounds or more at birth.

• Mature male weighs 1000 Kg and mature female weighs 550-650 kg.

• Can be bred at 15 months of age, when they weigh about 800 pounds.

• First calving age between 24 and 27 months of age.

• Gestation period approximately nine months.

• Milk production is 7200-9000 Litres per lactation. Animals with 12000 litres and more per lactation are also found. Range of average daily milk production may be 22-30 Litres. Super milking cows may produce 80-112 liters per day

• Production period is less due to high volume and stress on udder

• Face problem with calving due to high pins and narrow ramps

• Heat tolerance is not well

• Low fat and protein yield (3.5% fat and 3.15% protein)

  Jersey 

Habitat:
This breed is originated from Jersey islands close to England. This breed is well known around the world for tits high fat and yellow milk. Its milk is liked in the world for its great cheese making ability.

Characteristics:

• Small carcass

• The Jersey’s coat tends to be a shade of fawn (a pale red-yellow brown). But Jerseys may also be cream colored, gray, brown, a gray-brown mix, or nearly black. Some Jerseys are spotted with white. All Jerseys tend to be darker on the hips, head, and shoulders than on the rest of the body.

• Mature female weighs 380-450 Kg and mature male 540-820 Kg

• Age of maturity is 15-20 months

• Age at first calving 26-30 months

• Medium volume of milk production. 3600-6800 litres per laction (305 days).

• Daily milk production 18-22 litres. Super milking may produce upto 65 liters per day

• Problem of milk fever in older cows

• High fat and protein yield (4.0-5.0% fat and 4.0% protein)

• Yellow color milk due to high fat

  Copyrights © Dr. M Jassar Aftab, All Rights Reserved