Farmer_1994
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- Oakbank, Manitoba, Canada
How do jerseys compare on components to Holsteins? Obviously there are ton of factors at play but in general which breed is going to put more solids in the tank?
Jersey vs Holstein
- Thread starter Farmer_1994
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Dead Rabbits
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- 'Merica
Total solids per lactation probably Holsteins isn’t it? The Holsteins I grew up with made white water but I guess that’s not the entire breed. I haven’t kept up on it.
jerseys were supposedly putting out the most solids per lb DM intake, or that was the claim.
Canadian quota is based on kgs butterfat isn’t it?
@buffalo_soldier gets some solids out of them Black&whites.
jerseys were supposedly putting out the most solids per lb DM intake, or that was the claim.
Canadian quota is based on kgs butterfat isn’t it?
@buffalo_soldier gets some solids out of them Black&whites.
Dead Rabbits
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- Location
- 'Merica
The 10-year study – the ProCROSS avantages, 2019 - ProCROSS: the most efficient cross breeding system for dairy cows
The 10-year study is the most important scientific trial into crossbreeding dairy cattle yet undertaken. It was led by Professor Les Hansen from the
www.procross.info
Not jersey related but interesting.
Farmer_1994
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- Location
- Oakbank, Manitoba, Canada
Yes kgs of butterfat. Can play with protein a little to add more dollars per kg of quota fill. I’ve heard jersey is marginally more efficient than Holstein. Never seen real herd data to back it up though.
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I don't know how it is for in a dairy, but fate r a family milk cow (small acreage) jerseys are amazing they are easily tamed. As far as i know their milk is far better than most, I imagine this would be because of their small size and heavy appetite (big gut) allowing them to put more nutrients into the milk (small cows should have less upkeep).
Jdunn55
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- Location
- Helston, cornwall
On milk this is what I have always thought and believed:
Jerseys:
- 6000 litres (probably a bit optimistic)
- 6% fat (again probably optimistic)
= 360kg of fat per lactation
Holsteins:
- 10,000 litres (fairly doable)
- 4% fat (easily!)
= 400kg of fat per lactation.
BUT
That doesnt take into account other advantages/disadvantages tha th each breed has, nor does it take into account cost of production which is the more important figure.
Jerseys:
- 6000 litres (probably a bit optimistic)
- 6% fat (again probably optimistic)
= 360kg of fat per lactation
Holsteins:
- 10,000 litres (fairly doable)
- 4% fat (easily!)
= 400kg of fat per lactation.
BUT
That doesnt take into account other advantages/disadvantages tha th each breed has, nor does it take into account cost of production which is the more important figure.
Cows 'n grass
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- Location
- Modbury, South Devon
If you feed a Danish/US jersey in the same way you feed a 10000 litre holstein then it will do 7500 at 6% bf.
Jdunn55
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- Location
- Helston, cornwall
But you can get 10,000 litre herds of holsteins from grass. Theres not many, but its doable.
I'm not saying 1 is better than the other, but I would argue that a holstein will produce more solids per lactation than a jersey on the same system.
However, you could argue jerseys last longer, have better feet, better fertility etc.
Likewise you could argue a holstein will produce a much better beef calf than a jersey and have a much better cull value.
Plus holstein bulls CAN be fattened, it might not be the biggest money earner but again its doable. I've never seen a jersey bull worth trying with. Which for me is the single biggest reason I would never breed jerseys or use their genetics.
More to life
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- Location
- Somerset
Not so sure as the Holstein will probably do 12000 on the Jersey diet.
Cowabunga
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- Ceredigion,Wales
Jerseys kick and Holsteins are just so placid as a rule. I know which I prefer working with.
Which produce the most solids is secondary, but easily checked if you have a semen catalogue handy [I don't].
Which produce the most solids is secondary, but easily checked if you have a semen catalogue handy [I don't].
Cows 'n grass
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- Location
- Modbury, South Devon
Sorry but that's just bollox. 550 jerseys here I've never owned or needed a kick bar.
HasthorpeGrange
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- Lincolnshire
Depends if you calculating from a per head basis or per hectare or per kg live weight of animals on farm as total
Mate's herd in Nz is doing some big yields of grass/meal, he is extremely good at what he does, but don't think many would be able to do it either, so Jersey's can do some very high yields.
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Jdunn55
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- Location
- Helston, cornwall
I dont think theres any breeds now that kick.
I would agree holsteins are quieter though.
Jerseys may be more fidgety as heifers and may give the odd kick to get the cluster/you off them but it's never malicious
Cows 'n grass
Member
- Location
- Modbury, South Devon
If you look to Denmark where there are decent numbers of jerseys and holsteins or the same hi ho system the averages are
Jerseys
7400 @6%bf and 4.2%p
Holsteins
11000 @4%bf and 3.4%p
Jerseys
7400 @6%bf and 4.2%p
Holsteins
11000 @4%bf and 3.4%p
- Location
- somerset
this debate has been ongoing for years, never heard a definitive answer. All sensibly bred cows, are cabable of producing, a sensible constituent yield, to what they are fed. Milk production, is going through some pretty large changes, at the moment. 15/20 years ago, white water, was the best contract, especially with quotas, but times have changed, while in europe, emphasis was given to fat/protien, years before us, so a bit of 'catch up' required.
There are so many variables, in milk production, and contracts, farmers, have to produce, what their contract pays for, not what they think it will pay for, talking to a farmer, av 3.5 fat, and 3 protien, changing to a cheese contract, because the 'headline' price, was more, than he currently got. You pretty well have to decide what type of cow, you want to work with, balance it with what your contract pays, and find a system to work, whether that is, jer, hol, fr. ayr, or one of a multitude of x's. Personally, although i don't like particularly like them , think that the hol/fr will adapt, and produce, a cow we want, they have an immense gene pool, to choose from, they are changing, radically, you only have to compare a new catalogue, with one, from 2 or 3 years ago, to see the difference.
There are so many variables, in milk production, and contracts, farmers, have to produce, what their contract pays for, not what they think it will pay for, talking to a farmer, av 3.5 fat, and 3 protien, changing to a cheese contract, because the 'headline' price, was more, than he currently got. You pretty well have to decide what type of cow, you want to work with, balance it with what your contract pays, and find a system to work, whether that is, jer, hol, fr. ayr, or one of a multitude of x's. Personally, although i don't like particularly like them , think that the hol/fr will adapt, and produce, a cow we want, they have an immense gene pool, to choose from, they are changing, radically, you only have to compare a new catalogue, with one, from 2 or 3 years ago, to see the difference.
Top Danish herds are well in excess of 8500 litres/lactation at 10% plus on bf/prot
Our herd is young (45% in first lactation) but we are nudging 7000 at 6.1/4.2 average .... but fed for of course
You must have some weird outliers then @Cowabunga ............. we put well over 200 heifers through a year with hardly any kicking and those that do, settle within a few days.
You get more trouble trying to keep them off over loving you than anything else
Jdunn55
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- Location
- Helston, cornwall
But then, top holstein herds are producing 15,000 at 4% which would then match the top Danish herds.
I would still argue that your average herd of jerseys and your average herd of holsteins will near enough be equal in terms of solids produced with the holsteins possibly just beating them.
But this is all still irrelevant really. If you have a herd of cows doing 20,000 litres at 10% fat and you're being paid £1/litre it sounds great until your cost of production is £1.20/litre!
In some cases jerseys will have a lower cost of production on a per litre basis and in others holsteins will. It completely depends on the farm and farmer, which is more important than whose producing more fat and protein.
Cowabunga
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- Location
- Ceredigion,Wales
They are small enough not to need such a thing. The worse thing is that they tread and stamp the cluster off. I've have a few Jerseys and Jersey crosses over the years and the difference in temperament compared to Holsteins is noticeable. Your mileage obviously varies from mine.