Description: These cows are known for their beautiful large eyes and soft brown color. Jersey Cows also give delicious milk that is high in butterfat! (Butterfat - the natural fat contained in milk and other dairy products)
Characteristics: These cows are typically light to medium brown in color; however, they are sometimes gray or a dull version of black. Jerseys are usually small in size, weighing about 1,000 pounds in maturity. They have broad faces with large, prominent eyes and lush eyelashes. These features make these cows very endearing to many people. These cows' hard feet help them be much less prone to lameness than other cow breeds.
Jersey Breed: Today, the Jersey breed is the second largest breed of cows in the world. On the Jersey island itself, there are about 6,000 Jerseys in total, with 4,000 of them being mature adult milking cows. These cows are very versatile; being able to adapt to many climates, environments, and management or processing practices.
Mature (Fully Grown) Jerseys: The typical weight for a mature female Jersey cow is around 950 pounds and for a mature male Jersey cow, about 1,500 pounds. Jersey cows reach maturity before most other breeds and also have longer lives of producing milk.
|
History: Even though the origin of Jersey cows is not definite, most research agrees that Jerseys originated from the adjacent coast of France where cows resembling Jerseys are found. The father of Jersey cows was likely the breed of a pure Bos Brachyceros, which was probably tamed in the Stone Age. These cows came from Asia. The pure breed of Bos Brachyceros migrated to Europe and North Africa through Central/Southern Europe and Switzerland and France, respectively. When these cows were in Northern France, some breeding undoubtedly took place between the Pure Bos Brachyceros and Bos Primigenius herds. These Bos Primigenius herds mostly came down the North Coast of Europe to Northern France. The first Jersey Cows, which were known to exist in the UK Mainland since 1741 and probably before, arrived in Australia as "ship cows."
Jersey Milk: Jersey cows are well known for their milk, which is particularly high in protein, minerals, and other trace elements. It is also high in butterfat! This milk is also very rich in color. This color comes from a extract from grasses called "carotene." Jersey cows produce milk much more efficiently than other breeds (except for Holsteins). Jersey milk can be processed into cheese much more efficiently than other milks!
Jersey Calves: Jersey calves weigh about 55 pounds when born. A mere 3% of the calf's initial weight is body fat; however, this body fat is quickly expended by the calf to generate body heat.
|