Normande Cows

BeReyt · Jan 18, 2020

I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with this breed and how they compare with other breeds?

Good and bad points alike please.
Grazing only to zero grazing systems.

Thanks in advance,
James.

som farmer · Jan 18, 2020

out of all the xbreeds we have milked, the normande has been the one, without a clear yes or no. We have had good ones, and not so good ones, xed with jersey, is not good, but I do think it has a place, the area it origions from has a similar climate, and they have developed the breed as dual purpose. They offer some very good yield, and constituent improvements, with meaty cows. Probably best described as 'marmite' cows.

borderterribles · Jan 18, 2020

som farmer said:
out of all the xbreeds we have milked, the normande has been the one, without a clear yes or no. We have had good ones, and not so good ones, xed with jersey, is not good, but I do think it has a place, the area it origions from has a similar climate, and they have developed the breed as dual purpose. They offer some very good yield, and constituent improvements, with meaty cows. Probably best described as 'marmite' cows.

Weren't Normandes originally triple purpose animals.?

I bought a few, years ago , when calf dealers used to backload with in calf heifers from the Continent. Some pures had shocking udders and huge teats, but the Holstein crosses were much tidier. Some of them were massive and weighed well when they went, but I've never thought that ought to be a good reason for choosing a DAIRY breed!

pappuller · Jan 18, 2020

James Sagar said:
I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with this breed and how they compare with other breeds?

Good and bad points alike please.
Grazing only to zero grazing systems.

Thanks in advance,
James.

Bought 2 last year as fresh heifers, neither of them still here, nuff said

sidjon · Jan 18, 2020

They make great rugs

, think that's the only positive I can think of.

Scholsey · Jan 18, 2020

Had a few in a load of french heifers delivered at velcourt ran estate I worked at years ago, were 4 bad heifers out of 70, all 4 were normandies, nasty, horrible teats and they didn’t last long.

One kicked a cluster into my face and made me bite a lump of my lip off the size of a baked bean! Still have scars, physical and mental.

I thats it · Jan 18, 2020

I'm milking 2 hiefers out of holstein. It's only 2 but they're both better than the average holstein hiefer.
Used a little more semen this time.
On paper they should be good as part of a cross bred grazing system.

More to life · Jan 18, 2020

I’d rather have a Guernsey

BeReyt · Jan 18, 2020

So the general opinion is stay away

I'm looking at buying a farm on the continent and it's running 40 pure Normandes. It's an all grass farm (not too typical for the region, most farms grow at least a maize crop due to the lack of rain throughout the summer), and the cows are grazed all year, with a small amount of grass silage fed when needed and no cake.

I'm used to Holsteins, but I can take them or leave them. Do most people cross Normandes with Holsteins?

Martyn · Jan 18, 2020

James Sagar said:
So the general opinion is stay away

I'm looking at buying a farm on the continent and it's running 40 pure Normandes. It's an all grass farm (not too typical for the region, most farms grow at least a maize crop due to the lack of rain throughout the summer), and the cows are grazed all year, with a small amount of grass silage fed when needed and no cake.

I'm used to Holsteins, but I can take them or leave them. Do most people cross Normandes with Holsteins?

why dont you offer to help with milking, do you have performance figures to look at, might be good investment if settled to the farm

I thats it · Jan 18, 2020

This is one of ours, held to sexed first time peaked at 32 on a grazing system

Cows 'n grass · Jan 18, 2020

More to life said:
I’d rather have a Guernsey

Wo wo wo, there's no need for foul language on here.

le bon paysan · Jan 18, 2020

James Sagar said:
I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with this breed and how they compare with other breeds?

Good and bad points alike please.
Grazing only to zero grazing systems.

Thanks in advance,
James.

Google,
La Prairie Temporare a Base de Trefle Blanc by Andre Pochon.
Been to a days stage by him and the above is his book.
Normand's here are mostly done by this method. Good cows on the right system. This system.
If the farm you are taking on is milking these its because they suit the farm. And if that farm is in France , the milk will be going to Camembert cheese. AOC/ AOP controlled. Don't just look at yields look at the bottom line.
You'll make more out of these than a hundred Holsteins.

le bon paysan · Jan 18, 2020

James Sagar said:
So the general opinion is stay away

I'm looking at buying a farm on the continent and it's running 40 pure Normandes. It's an all grass farm (not too typical for the region, most farms grow at least a maize crop due to the lack of rain throughout the summer), and the cows are grazed all year, with a small amount of grass silage fed when needed and no cake.

I'm used to Holsteins, but I can take them or leave them. Do most people cross Normandes with Holsteins?

What dept number.

bigw · Jan 18, 2020

James Sagar said:
So the general opinion is stay away

I'm looking at buying a farm on the continent and it's running 40 pure Normandes. It's an all grass farm (not too typical for the region, most farms grow at least a maize crop due to the lack of rain throughout the summer), and the cows are grazed all year, with a small amount of grass silage fed when needed and no cake.

I'm used to Holsteins, but I can take them or leave them. Do most people cross Normandes with Holsteins?

I was on a farm in France last year which was milking around 100, they actually looked quite nice cows. I think he was averaging around 6500l at around 4.6 fat and 3.6 on self feed and cake in the parlour. I had a couple of normande crosses a few years ago that were nothing special but I have a heifer calved this year who is pretty smart and quite milky. Good luck and mind to post some picture if you make the move

Rossymons · Jan 18, 2020

I think @Agrispeed has a couple of Normandes?

Agrispeed · Jan 18, 2020

Rossymons said:
I think @Agrispeed has a couple of Normandes?

I still have a few Normande crosses. Mainly Ayrshire or Guernsey.

I always joke that the best thing about them is that they are crosses, but apart from being stupid tall boney things, which look a bit out of place on a grass system, they are actually not too bad, although they are slow, stubborn and occasionally cantankerous things, I find them quite endearing!

Treemover · Jan 19, 2020

Im considering them. Just to mix up the bloodline and avoid inbreding.
Supposed to be hardy and very suitable to an organic system.
Def interested in hearing more

O'Reilly · Jan 19, 2020

Not brilliant at mastitis resistance from our experience, fairly fertile, can be a bit big and can be kicky. Like all breeds, there are good and bad ones and judging a whole breed on two animals that you thought you'd try isn't necessarily fair. But in the case of the op where they are already on the farm they would be moving to, I'd stick with them. They are definitely interesting to look at too!

BeReyt · Jan 19, 2020

@Martyn I will be doing just that.. when I go back. I'm still waiting on all the numbers for the farm, hopefully have them early next week.

@le bon paysan I've heard his name before, I'll have a look at the book.
In the 86, not far from you. I've driven through St Martial a few times.
I was on a farm that had a couple of Normandes as nurse cows for the Lims, I liked them.

@bigw I quite like them too, though I think where I'm looking at they're averaging around 5000. I'll have to wait for exact figures.
This was when I went to have a look at the place.

Normande Cows

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