Wisconsin has seven breeds of cattle used by the Dairy industry. Let’s take a look at the Jersey.
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Jersey
The Jersey is a British breed of small dairy cattle from Jersey, in the British Channel islands. There is some thought that the Jersey breed may have originated along the coast of France, and the forefathers perhaps even from Asia.
The heyday for the breed was between the 1860s and WWI. Thousands were shipped to the US annually. At present it is the second largest breed of dairy cattle in the world.
“It (the Jersey) is typically light brown in color, though this can range from being almost grey to dull black, which is known as Mulberry. They can also have white patches which may cover much of the animal. A true Jersey will however always have a black nose bordered by an almost white muzzle. “
The Jersey is well known for its high quality milk, rich in protein and minerals.: 18% more protein, 20% more calcium, 25 % more butterfat than "average" milk. The breed adapts well to many climates, environments and management practices. They produce a pound of milk components at a lower price than other breeds. They have a high feed conversion efficiency.
Their temperament is good, they have black hooves which makes their hooves very hard.
“Nestled in the foothills outside of Osseo, WI. St. Isidore’s is a micro dairy milking 10 Jersey cows. The cows are rotationally grazed and milked twice a day. The milk is then carefully crafted into a raw milk, bandaged cheddar. “
